Brigadier Savige finally received Blamey's written order by 12:30pm on 17 April. Somewhat later, Savige told Blamey that the armored brigade was already moving out.
The armored brigade had serious problems with worn-out tanks and "defective tracks". The brigade had heavy losses due to being ordered to withdraw "over a rough mountain road rather than the main road. That was "Group W's" fault. It had been on 16 April that Wilson had told General Papagos that they would withdraw by way of Thermopylae.
The Greeks were in fact ready to give up the fight. The only viable British option was to withdraw from Greece.
Most of Thessaly had rain on 17 April, as there had been on 16 April.
The vehicles on the road were somewhat protected by the low clouds. At times the sky cleared and that allowed German aircraft to attack the vehicles on the roads.
Increasingly, Greek soldiers wandered along the roads. There was some signs of Greek refugees traveling in vehicles often towed by tractors. By now, Larisa lay in ruins. The damage was apparently the result of earthquakes and German air attacks.
Traffic on the roads was now bogged down. By now, the railroads were now disorganized at least partly the result of a fear of air attacks.
This is based on the account in "Greece, Crete, and Syria" by Gavin Long.
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