LESS RAPID ADVANCE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23202, 13 December 1940, Page 9

LESS RAPID ADVANCE

Snow Hampering Greeks IMPORTANT GAINS INDICATED (CHITID PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPIEIQHT.) (Received December 12, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 12. The Greek advance in Albania continues, but not rapidly. Only slight progress has been made on the northern front, where snow is falling. It is uncertain whether the Greeks are in possession of Klisura, north of Argyrokastron, but they have reached the valley of the Viosa, a short distance west of Klisura, and have also cut the lateral road which follows the river valley and connects two almost parallel roads running northwest to Valona and Durazzo, The threatening nature of the Greek advance in the Moskopolis region, north-west of Koritza, suggests that a report of an Italian counter-attack thereabouts is correct, but if the Greeks, as previously stated, possess the chief heights, it will not be easy to dislodge them. There is an extremely heavy artillery engagement near Tepelcni, and the Greeks arc reported to be shelling Tepeleni from the village of Benca, which they captured after a two-hours’ battle, in which' there were heavy Italian casualties. The Athens night communique says: “Our advance continues in various directions, in spite of violent enemy reaction. Much booty and many prisoners have fallen into our hands.” A message from Struga, in Jugoslavia, says that there has been heavy fighting all day between Pogradetz and Moskopolis. The Italians continually counter-attacked in one sector near Moskopolis, and forced the Greeks to relinquish some unimportant positions for better ground. The Greeks ambushed a column of Italian armoured motor-cycles near Lin, on the western shore of Lake Gchrida. Eleven cycles were captured. , The Italians arc suffering severely from frost-bite, and prisoners report that hundreds of soldiers of the Alpine Division perished from cold. The snowfall is now general throughout Albania. The snow is severa! feet deep in the mountains, and some villages can barely be recognised or distinguished. . The adverse conditions are obviously embarrassing the enemy, who is endeavouring to drop food by parachutes to isolated units. The heavy rains have conferred another advantage on the Greeks, as they have rendered useless the aerodromes at Durazzo and Tirana, the only ones of any importance left to the Italians. The aerodrome at Argyrokastron, occupied by the Greeks, is also useless. The advance from Argyrokastron has brought the Greeks to a village within a few miles of Tepeleni, where they now control a secondary road which was of importance to the U 3ha " s - , _ . Continuing to support the Greeks, the Royal Air Force raided Valona tor the fifteenth time, scoring hits on the harbour, munition dumps, and port buildings. Greek “Steam Roller” Greek official circles are talking of a Greek “steam roller” movement in southern Albania. They are confident that the Italians can do nothing to prevent the Greeks reaping the full benefit of the capture of Delvino and Argyrokastron. The Turkish newspaper, Son Telegraph*’ says that if the Italians arc upable to send reinforcements across the Adriatic to Albania they will be compelled to make demands on Jugoslavia, involving the risk of extending the war to the Balkans. A delayed message from Argyrokastron reveak that two Capronis and three Fiats were found wrecked on the aerodrome when the Greeks entered. The inhabitants state that the Italians experienced supply difficulties as a result of the bombing of Albanian P °The Greek commander, in a speech from the balcony of the town hall, emphasised that the Greeks were fighting for the liberty not only of Greece, but also Albania, md he asked the inhabitants to resume their normal work while the army continue.' its ]ob. The correspondent of the Britisn United Press on the German frontier states that a German General, who participated in the Norwegian campaign, is leaving to take command of operations in Albania. T . .. It is officially stated that Italian casualties to November 30 total 19,824 comprising; Italians, 3655 dead, 7538 wounded, 2885 missing; coloured troops, 862 dead. 3474 wounded, 1333 missing; Albanians, 14 dead, 43 wounded, 20 missing. SOVIET PROPOSAL REJECTED REPORTED OVERTURES TO BULGARIA (Received December 12, 9 p.m.) SOFIA, December 11. According to a well-informed German source, Bulgaria has rejected a Russian proposal for a mutual assistance pact. NAZI COLONY IN ARGENTINA OFFICIAL REPORT ON ACTIVITIES (Received December 12, 7 p.m.) BUENOS AIRES, December 11. An official report on anti-Argentine activities in the Misiones territory (between the Parana and Uruguay rivers) describes the German colony as a nucleus which is not fully identified with the Argentine spirit, and a source of possible disturbance and a hotbed of Nazi propaganda. Concealed arms were discovered, but no certain evidence of subversive plans against the Government.