EMPIRE FORCES DRIVE BACK NAZI TANKS.

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

EMPIRE FORCES DRIVE BACK NAZI TANKS.

NORTHERN GREECE.

Australians Caught Enemy

Napping

t'nitcil Press Association

-Copyright

(Reed. 2.30 p.m.) LONDON*. April 13

British Empire forces yesterday drove back German tanks and infantry in the eastern sector of Northern Greece. Otherwise there has been no change in that sector, states an authoritative rejjort from Cairo.

Some Australian Bren gun carriers in one of several patrol encounters caught a group of German infantry napping and inflicted losses. The (Ireeks impulsed two German reconnaissances.

The Germans evidently are reorganising for a fresh push, for which they are accumulating supplies at Monastir. They are hindered bv appallinjr weather and by the activities of the R.A.F. A number of German planes arc bogged in the Monastir plain.

In the last three days heavy vain and masses of cloud on the mountains have entirely prevented air operations in Albania. This has been of advantage to the Allies, enabling them to release British squadrons for use against the Germans in Macedonia.

Correspondents emphasise that the Greeks' spirit has rallied magnificently after the severe test resulting from the collapse of the Yugoslav Army leading up to the loss of Salonika. Wounded Greeks from tlie mountain area southward of Monastir related how 30 soldiers held up 400 Germans for :U hours until lack of ammunition forced a Greek retirement.

One wounded Greek declared: "When we got the Germans from their machines we found them no better than the Italians. They didn't like our bayonets. They are nothing more than chauffeurs."

Yugoslavs Fight Back Bravely. Information relating to Yugoslavia, says British Official Wireless, gives some details of the position of Yugoslavia's fighting forces as they existed early this morninsr, and represents the latest a\ailable news. In the Xish area, the Yugoslav armv delivered a counter-attack on both sides of the River Morava. and the German armoured force which reached Topola, about .">0 miles from Belgrad # e, has been isolated. ,

Kragujevac-Ivrasevac area at an early hour this morning was held by Yuoslav troops, who have also retaken Urehub (Prokuplje). which is some IS miles west of Xisli. In south Yugoslavia, Yugoslav troops threatening the rear of where the Italian troops in Albania were in turn threatened by a German force.success also attended the Yugoslav army. The part of that force which was diverted to meet the on-coming Germans and throwing tlieni back to Suhareka. is now advancing 011 Kacanik Gorge.

Military commentators 011 receipt of this information remark that if the enemy broadcast, stating General Simovitch* "appealed" to commanders to act independently, is true, Yugoslav generals are putting the exhortation to good use in a way which must be unpleasantly reminiscent to those Germans who remember the operations in the Balkans in September, 1918.