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General Freyberg to General Smith

As you know, the Greek troops here are under my command by Royal proclamation. There is now the possibility that the King and the Prime Minister will be leaving Crete, and we have endeavoured therefore to settle the conditions under which the Greek Army should be trained and employed. I have already prepared certain proposals as a basis of negotiation to enable my staff to work out detailed proposals. I explained to the King and the Prime Minister that I had been asked by General Headquarters, Middle East, for my recommendations regarding the size and organisation of the Greek Army. I put forward the following proposals which were agreed to in principle:

Firstly, that the Greek Army should be organised on British war establishments.

Secondly, that Greek troops should be brigaded with British troops and that Greek commanders should serve directly under the command of British brigadiers and staffs, and that the British commander in Crete should have the right to draft Greek soldiers into technical units, such as British artillery, engineers, medical, and other services, with a view to forming Greek technical units eventually. I also suggested that the British Commander-in-Chief should have the right to send Greek officers and NCOs to Egypt for instruction.

Thirdly, I suggested that in questions of procedure and detail of drill and training, &c., Greek practices should as far as possible apply, but where British equipment is used the Greek Army should adapt itself to our methods of training.

Fourthly, that the Greek Army should be under Greek Army Headquarters for discipline.

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As regards the size of the Greek Army, I had hoped to discuss this with the Brigadier General Staff, Middle East, when he came over. I have worked out that in all we shall require twelve Greek battalions and three Greek field batteries, and I consider that we should go ahead and raise these as soon as it is possible to arm and equip them, beginning with the equipment of the best as arms arrive and continuing until the twelve units have been raised. Should they be needed it would be quite possible to raise at least double the suggested number. I send you this information because it is necessary to start reorganisation at once. I am moving certain Greek battalions to dig defensive positions and have allotted them minor operational roles. The men are as yet mostly untrained, but I think the material will be good. Can you send me word letting me know if I am to be given a free hand, and do you want me to report progress from time to time?