IN COASTAL AREAS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 18, 1 November 1940, Page 5

IN COASTAL AREAS.

Main offensive not started. ALBANIANS EVADE SERVICE. LONDON, October 30.' Still probing for weak spots in Greece’s mountain defences, the Italians have not yet launched their main offensive. They claim further successes, but Athens insists that the Greek lines are unbroken. The Rome radio states that the Italian forces advanced 40 miles into Greece at one point and captured the town of Sannikol. -The Athens correspondent of the British United Press, however, reports that all the Greek frontier positions claim to be holding out confidently, in spite of a strafing from relays of Italian bombers and fighters. A Belgrade message says that the Italians are reported to have occupied Breznica, the junction of the roads leading north to Fiorina and south to Kastoria. Italian infantry, after artillery fire throughout the night, advanced under the protection of aircraft in spite of strong resistance. An Italian attempt to mobilise the Albanians completely failed. Albanian gendarmes, carrying mobilisation orders joined rebels from three villages in the Korea district in which all men were ordered to mobilise. They fled to the mountains, the gendarmes accompanying them. Experienced Greek sniners, tumbling men and muies from the narrow mountain ledges, enabled l the Greek mountain units to throw back well-equip-ped Italian columns. The Greek communications are working perfectly. Isolated parties are connected by field wirless and observation aeroplanes are co-operating. Italians' Strength. Information reaching military circles in London indicates that, the main Italian attack which has so far developed on Greece is along the coast from Konispqlis. So far as can he ascertained at present, the Italian forces comprise two infantry divisions. The Greek outposts on the .coast have retired, and, up to midday yesterday the Italians wore reported to have reached Philastronia, eight kilometres inside the Greek frontier.

The Italians have not yet employed any armoured divisions in these attacks, nor have they come up against any prepared positions. In other parts of the Greek battle front there have been: only local skirmishes —at Kakavia, on the road from Argyrokastron, and in the Fiorina region. There is, no confirmation, in London that Italians have landed at Cbri'u; and theire are no British troops at Corfu.