BATTLE OF GREECE IN SERIOUS PHASE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 91, 18 April 1941, Page 8

BATTLE OF GREECE IN SERIOUS PHASE.

FIERCE FIGHTING

Entire Nazi Weight Thrown Against Allies. T-it i t <•< 1 I'ri-s- . \--". M i:iti.. n. — Col' vri-'llt. n>l.l. 2.:i0 p.m.i r.ii\])t)N. April 17. Tlii , (Jri'i-k I're-s Miui.-try in Atiiens .-ay-:- "The buttle between tin- (Jcnufin iiiid Allied forces yeMeriliiy riitiTcil ;i -iTinus phase. Tin , «■ t;i• 111y hns thrown his whole weight Hi , meclinni-cd cquipinenl against our lillCs. •We inflicted tremendous casualties in lierce Kncmy pres.-ure was excited maililv mi three points —the urea at Crevena. al-o on \'i~ttitz;l and noiithn;inl lit Korea. His main objective is to reach Kalabaka. '■'I lie morale of the Greek troops is excellent. Tli' , Hermans are meeting the lii'ieoht re-i.-lance. "The n.A.I' , . is continuing it* splendid work, bninliitig the troops. All Italian attacks in Albania wore heavily repulsed. The Italians nowhere gained the lightest ad vantage," Australians Hammering Nazis. Latest reports from the Macedonian I rout state that the British and <ircek line, although under pressure, remains intact. Hard fighting is continuing in Ihe Scrvia region, where tho Australians are hammering the (Jermans while maintaining their positions against furious assanlts. The fiercest fighting occurred at the entrance to the Sarandaporan Pass, the Australians inflicting heavy losses in this locality. Meanwhile the British liead<juarters in I'-gypt are not attempting to minimise the gravity of the situation in lireaw. Considerable (.iernian forces freed from action in Yugoslavia Slic-

ceeded in prshing back the Greeks, who were in a position to protect the Greek iirniics in Albania. In the event of their withdrawal, the position of these armies would be serious. Poesibly they would be compelled to evacuate ail lnisitions in Albania. Serious Implications. It is believed in Cairo that this may have repcrcuaeions on the British forces. While attempting to thrust to Theeealy through the Karandaporan Valley the Germans are ateo trying to avoid attacking Mount Olympus to the eaet by applying pressure on the Coast Road tind the railway running down the Gulf <>f ■Salcfnika to Larissa. German tanks apparently are repeatedly thrusting in the regbon of Katerina, so far without result. "Catching Hell From R.A.P." An observer said that the German plane* are strafing roads but catching hell from the K.A.F. One BritieJi armoured unit brought down five Stukas with Bren gurus.

The Athens correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain estimates that the Germans are using at least ten divisions southward of Servia alone in an attempt to craeih through, i-i>gardlem of eo*t, with tho support of hundreds of Stukaa and Mcsserschmitts. Those mass attacks, it Ls believed, (have i-ost the Germans two divisions of iumialtics in two dtiw.

CASUALTIES LIGHT. Australians Test Mettle Of The Germans. FULL OF CONFIDENCE. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Reed. 2 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day.

The Minister for the Army, Mr. P. ('. Spender, announced that he had received news from Tobruk and the mountains of Greece that the Australians had tested the enemy's mettle, mid were in great heart and full of confidence in the outcome of the fight. Ife added that the casualties they had >-y far sustained have been light.