MONASTIR GAP

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 87, 14 April 1941, Page 7

MONASTIR GAP

Armoured Forces Meet In First Action Of Its Kind

(United Press Association.—Copyright

—Reed. 1 p.m«)

LONDON, April 13

British and Greek armoured divisions are driving against the Nazi panzer units pouring through the Monastir Gap. The Allies are trying to keep the Germans hemmed in in the Florina-Banitza sector. Dispatches reaching Sofia describe the battle between the completely armoured British and German forces, which are manoeuvring on the plain between Monastir and Fiorina, as the first action of its kind.

In the Greek mountains behind this battle area the main Allied defence army awaits, in prepared positions, the main German onslaught.

A military spokesman in Athens says that in the preliminary encounters the Greek infantry, man for man, is proving superior to the Germans, this giving the Greeks great heart.

Saturday's communiques from the Greek front speak mainly of air attacks in the Piraeus region, on which the Nazis launched heavy attacks by successive waves. Little damage was done. Civilian casualties are reported to be about 21 killed and 43 injured. One Nazi machine was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, says British Official Wireless.

Land fighting was in the nature of reconnaissance activity and operations were restricted to contacts at various points on the two fronts.