Successes Reported Against Italy

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23300, 9 April 1941, Page 7

Successes Reported Against Italy

STUBBORN STAND IN STRUMA VALLEY

(UNITED PBEBS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.)

(Received April 8, 11 p.m.)

LONDON, April 8,

Although news of Jugoslavia’s defence against Germany and Italy is still very scanty, reports from sources as widespread as Berne and Ankara say that Jugoslav forces have taken the offensive on Italy’s frontiers, north and south.

The capture of Scutari, in northern Albania, is said to have been reported by the Jugoslav radio station at Ljubljana, although the broadcast was not heard in London. It is also reported that Fiume, the Italian port in Jugoslavia near the Italian border, has been occupied. The only authority for this report is an American correspondent in Ankara.

Other reports say that Zara, another Italian port in Jugoslavia about 100 miles south of Fiume, has been taken. The evacuation of Italians from Zara was announced before Germany began her attack.

Little is known about Germany’s push on other fronts in Jugoslavia, and the Germans still make no specific claims. The British United Press, however, quotes military observers in Athens as believing that the situation in Jugoslavia is satisfactory, and the Jugoslavs are generally understood to be resisting successfully.

Information’ reaching Ankara suggests that the main German attack is against Jugoslavia’s eastern frontier from Bulgaria. The route is through difficult country, and the German drive is directed apparently against Skoplje, an important communications centre. Last night’s Greek High Command communique says that while German shelling and tank charges are being withstood, Thrace is being evacuated methodically. This evacuation has been described as the most wholesale in Remembering the lessons of France, the Gteeks are draining all towns of 50,000 inhabitants of all civilians so that their troops shall not be hampered by refugees.

One report from Ankara suggests that the area has been occupied by the Germans up to the sea. Thus the Greeks are making sure that if the Germans break through the Struma Valley, to the west, the Greek Army will not be cut in two and the Germans will .have to turn to the west into a strong defensive region. Two big Greek forts in the Struma Valley have .been destroyed after resisting to the last. Two others have thn *n back repeated attacks. By inthf Germans managed tuWjnefe'ate another fort, but after a struggle in the underground passages they were decimated and thrown out. Another fort repulsed tanks attacks and many tanks were destroyed.

journey to Greece with British forces from North Africa, says that for two hours the escorting warships fought off hostile aircraft. One aeroplane, braving a hail of fire, attempted to torpedo one of the ships, but the torpedo missed by a wide margin, Later a squadron of bombers attempted to smash the Sonvoy, but without success. The correspondent then goes on to describe how, after repelling all attacks, the ships sailed serenely on to Greece.

A special correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain in Athens says that the British Army in Greece is spread over a large part of the peninsula and is already strongly entrenched. It comprises the best part of the Army of the Nile end many snecial units drawn from all parts of the Empire. The fact that the British force was transported across the Mediterranean without the loss of a single troopship has been disclosed by the Australian Minister for the savy (Mr W. M. Hughes). A report from Belgrade, which is believed to have originated from an Axis source, savs that another British mechanised division began disembarking on Sunday at Piraeus, the port of Athens, and Volo, about 180 miles north of Athens.

An officer commanding a Greek detachment was ordered to destroy a bridge north of Nevrokop. He waited until enemy tanks began to cross and then blew up both the bridge and tanks.

Reuter’s correspondent with the British forces in Greece says that the forces are encamped throughout the country. News from the north, he adds, Is not yet available. Bases in the south are well established. Many of the men have come from the Libyan campaign. The men are very fit and ready to go into action immediately. The correspondent, describing his