Office of the Historian

740.0011 European War 1939/8960: Telegram

The Minister in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State

Athens, March 11, 1941—4 p.m.
[Received March 12—9:19 a.m.]

134. According to Major Baker definite information regarding the number of British troops now in Greece is not available but it is estimated that advance and administrative personnel have already arrived sufficient for an expeditionary force of four divisions.

The British Military Attaché44a informed him this morning as follows.

1.
British troops are arriving in Greece as quickly as they can be shipped here.
2.
The elements which have arrived are in general: Additional air force ground personnel; motor transport units; anti-aircraft artillery units; advance infantry units (one battalion of New Zealanders); advance elements of armored units; hospital and medical units (Australians); technical and administrative units such as engineers, signal, et cetera (mostly motorized); headquarters reconnaissance parties for the larger units which are to follow.
3.
British troops in Salonika.
4.
The British and Greeks have no very definite information regarding German numbers and dispositions in Bulgaria nor as to their intentions. However, it is known that German units are near the Greek frontier in the Struma Valley area and that a greater number of German units are opposite and near the Turkish frontier. In addition Major Craw reports that the number of squadrons of the Royal Air Force in Greece has not yet been increased but that one of the two Gladiator squadrons has now been equipped for Hurricanes and the “mixed” Blenheim squadron has been converted to a complete fighter squadron. More squadrons will come when released from Africa. The Royal Air Force is making preparations to meet the expected German attack which is anticipated within a month at the latest.

Please inform War Department.

MacVeagh
  1. Lt. Col. J. S. Blunt.↩