-29-#669, Eighteenth, from London.             
 
                                                            
 
 
According to the guardian also contain bodies of hostages 
      who were executed there. He estimates that in all 1,200 to 1,500 
      people were executed mostly with knives or axes. The latter testimony 
      was borne out by partially exhumed bodies, which I saw which 
      had deep wounds in the back of the head or neck probably inflicted 
      by a heavy knife. Apparently they were hostages taken in Athens 
      during the early days of the fighting and who were systematically 
      exterminated up till the ELAS withdrawal from Athens." I 
      am sorry to trespass on the committee. This is one, which only 
      arrived this morning. It is from Consul-General Rapp who is at 
                            Salonika.                       
 
                                                            
 
 
"Between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. 16th January 31 sick civilians 
      of whom 17 to 20 were in a dying condition were removed by ELAS 
      from the municipal hospital at Salonika loaded onto bullock carts 
      in their pajamas (some had pajama trousers only) and taken off 
      to Verroia. Mme. Riadis and M. Oannas of the Greek Red Cross 
      who followed the convoy in a car a few hours later and distributed 
      blankets verify facts. It is probable that several have already 
      died form exposure. British military authorities all taking all 
       possible steps to secure they're immediate return."  
 
                                                            
 
 
Three days ago the roads leading out of Salonika were crowded 
      with long columns of horse and bullock-drawn vehicles