15- #669, Eighteenth, from London.             
 
                                                            
 
 
In Athens and other Greek cities and islands had given to 
      all of us especially to those who care deeply about Greece and 
                           her future.                      
 
                                                            
 
 
Now we come to a new phase about which it was not possible 
      to consult our Allies and upon which action had to be taken immediately. 
      On the night of 4th-5th December I had before me a series of 
      telegrams which showed that the advancing ELAS forces in Athens 
      the Communists and all they could gather with them were within 
      about 1,000 yards of the centre of Greek Government in the Hotel 
      Grande Bretagne and also within the same distance or even less 
      of the British Embassy into which all our womenfolk of the cipher 
      departments and others had been gathered and it seemed that the 
      overrunning of these places or at any rate of the set of government 
      by this ferocious and well-armed well-directed mob or army if 
                          you like ----                     
 
                                                            
 
 
            Mr. Gallacher (Fife West): Brigands.            
 
                                                            
 
 
The Prime Minister - or army of brigands if the Hon. Member 
      wishes - I shall have to tell the Committee much worse about 
      them than that before I have finished. This was about to take 
      place. Almost all the police stations in Athens and the Piraeus 
      had been occupied or stormed by ELAS forces some with the slaughter 
      of every single inmate. Firing was widespread throughout the 
      city --