FALL OF KORITZA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 38, 25 November 1940, Page 5

FALL OF KORITZA.

MANY PRISONERS, MUCH BOOTY.

GREEKS CONTINUE DRIVE. LONDON, November 23. The capture of Koritza by the Greek Army was announced in an official Greek communique yesterday. The communique said: “Our heroic troops, after a heroic struggle, entered Koritza in triumph. The advance of our troops continues everywhere.” Greek movements in the southern and central sectors are apparently going according to plan, namely, a drive along the coast harassing the retreating Italians to Saranda, and a drive turning off left by Permeti to 'encompass Argyrokastron from the north-east. Third, there is a push'in the direction of Tepeline, which is the junction of the roads from Valona to Argyrokastron and Konitza, also a military base. The Italians in the Koritza sector are mainly engaged in hasty retirement and attempts to reform, but they arc established at strong points on the heights west and north.-we,st. They are also blowing up bridges in an attempt to halt the Greeks’ advance along the Devoli River valley and northward to Pogoradetz.'

Italian Army Cut in Half.

" The Italians speak confidently of reinforcements rushing to the front, but there is no sign that they have yet been able to reform their lines. The Greeks seem to have advanced at least 12 miles northward from Koritza. British and Greek planes are continually bombing the retreating divisions and would-be supports, and Albanian guerrilla troops are increasingly joining in the strafing. . An earlier message said .that reports from the Pindus sector indicate that a Greek column driving through the mountain valleys cut the Italian Army in half.

Five hundred Albanian rebels are reported to have ambushed an . Italian detachment of 15. motor vehicles on the Argyrokastron road and . killed • four officers and 35 soldiers and wounded 60. A Government spokesman said the prisoners taken by the Greeks had not yet been counted, hut there was so much booty that it was cluttering the roads and impeding the Greek advance. A communique states that the Greeks are pursuing the Italians northward from Koritza in Italian tanks which were captured from reinforcements sent to relievo Koritza;

The dispersal of the Italians from the Mount Ivan heights will give the Greeks command or the whole of south-eastern Albania ,to a minimum depth of five miles from the frontier.

War Material Captured; Four batteries of mountain guns and 10 machine-gun : hosts were captured on Mount Ivan. The capture of considerable war material is announced in another Greek communique to-day; whieli gives the following details: 88 heavy and light machine-guns, 26 tanks, more than 250 cars, more than 1500 motor-cycles and bicycles, 55 anti-tank guns, 3QO machine-guns, and a considerable quantity of explosives and material of all sorts. .

Dealing with the situation .on the battlefront, the communique states:— “The. army succeeded in occupying the Avhole of the Morava mountains, Mount Ivan, and Kafe Karit. “In the Epirus sector the army reoccupied the town of Filiates and pushed back the/ enemy across the frontier.

“The Greek air force bombed the retreating enemy avitli great success, in spite of activity by tire enemy air force.

“During the battle for Koritza, AA’/hich lasted l nine days, and in spite of strong reaction from the enemy air force, the Greek army won a brilliant victory OA r er • superior enemy forces installed in positions fortified /by Nature and at several points Avith means of resistance such as reinforced concrete and barbed Avire.”

The communique contains a. list of Italian units defending Koritza, which included the Alpini and Bersaglieri, of Avhieh Signor Mussolini is honorary colonel-in-ehief. Devastation and Pillage, An .official communique issued in Athens stated that in all the villages* from which the Italians have fled there had been a scene of devastation and pillage. The picture presented bythe liberated villages is a dreadful one. EveryAvhe.ro the Italians leftmarks of savagery and barbarism. The Italians took a number of hostages.

A communique. issued in Rome states that Italian troops in Gweece are regularly. executing a prearranged movement for assuming neAV positions. The air force bombed .numerous objectives, especially in the Koritza sector, and has directly hit road junctions and concentrations of troops. All the aeroplanes returned l . Tho Rome radio declared last night that Italy would plough its way through Greece “once it got started.” Admitting tho defeat at Koritza, the announcer Avent on to minimise the loss, saying that the base Avas really unimportant, and that the forces holding it AA-erei only covering troops. The Italian’ command did not intend any major operation in this area. The main Greek forces /entered Koritza with band's playing,, flags waving, and residents of the toAvn stmving flowers in their path. Patriotic, flags which had remained hidden were unearthed, and flaunted in the breeze.

The Athens correspondent of tho British United press reports that an overjoyed -crowd carried British soldiers shoulder-high through the streets. Embarrassed Anzacs and some Tommies from northern England failed completely AA'.hen they tried to dodge the ovier-poAvering attentions of the Greeks. The huge square before the Royal Palace became a sea of waving flags.

New tactics adopted by British and Greek aeroplanes are believed to have played an important part in the Greek

success. A supply train and mechanised units were captured’ by this means, and much of tho booty was taken, intact. '

Official sources in Turkey hail this Greek victory at Koritza Avith delight. Italy noAV realises the perils of a long war, declares one authority. Signor Mussolini’s admission) that it might take 12 months to defeat tho Grpeks Avas encouraging both to the Greeks and to other nations Avhieh lived in the shadow of the Roman Empire. . British bombers, with Greek aid, Imp continued their raids on Italian supply bases and 'aerodromes in Albania.