NEW LAWRENCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 310, 31 December 1940, Page 5

NEW LAWRENCES.

ITALIANS HARRIED. BRITONS IN ALBANIA. (SpeciaL) BITOLJ, Nov. Iβ. Two British ex-inspectors of Albanian police are acting as Colonel Lawrences in Albania's mountainous border conntry. That is, at any rate, the story that Albanian deserters are telling as they reach t'ae safety of the borders. Sir Jocelyn Percy was the head of & mission of over a dozen British ofiScer* in King Zog's day, who organised his police force. The new Colonel Lawrence! were two of the twelve. Guerilla Exploits.

These two men have for the last mpnth been the org-anieeie. and leader* of serious and daring guerilla ejrploite inside Albania, They know the wild country intimately, and they speak the language. Italian troops on the move have been held up. Roads have been dynamited and bridpes cut. Telephones between isolated blockhouses and military police posts have nlxt been cut. Co-operating with the new Lawrences ire scores of former Kinjr Zojr officers of gendarmerie and X.C.O.V, who ar* at-i-Uted and concealed by the Italianliating, people. Rebellion Threat. The Italians know of the presenr* 5n Albania of these two Britons, it is alleged, but they are unable to hunt ihoiii down owing to the hottjlity of the jK-H-ants. ('< mnt C'iano's arri\al at Tirana is claimed to create a <lifTi<ii!t situation ■ •wiii'j to tlin'ats of rebellion. This wiiiK-ides with tin- lialian-" inal>ility to declare anv ?ncc< —c> o> or tireorcThe revolt in Albania is: confirmed in a message from Madrid, ■tvhere the fireek Minister has news of railway lines beinpr sabotaged. The ilinister expressed the belief that Greece may- eventually occupy Alhainia.