SUCCESSFUL GREEK OFFENSIVE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 123, 18 February 1941, Page 7

SUCCESSFUL GREEK OFFENSIVE

Strong Points Taken COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL

i By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received February 16. 8.15 p.m.)

LONDON. February 16

According to agency messages from Athens a Greek spokesman stated on Saturday evening that the new Greek offensive launched at certain points of the Albanian front with the object of dislodging the enemy from strong positions has been completely successful, the Italian troops being unable to withstand the dashing assaults delivered by the Greeks.

At other pointe attempted Italian counter-attacks met witlv no success, in spite of considerable strength being employed. The Italians suffered heavj casualties in these attempts, and at one place about 100 prisoners were captured, consisting mostly of Alpine troops recently arrived from Italy. , These prisoners, the spokesman stated, confirmed the heavy losses sustained by the Italians in the course of about fifty attacks made at the orders of the latest Italian com-mander-in-chief, General Cavallero. The Greeks routed the Italian Eleventh Army between Mosco polls and Tepelene and captured 2000 prisoners and large quantities of material. The Greeks claim to have driven a deep wedge iu the central part of the Italian front between Kelcyrn and Tepelene.

The Greek I’ress Ministry stales that the Greek offensive is developing according to plan. More Italian positions have been taken and all objectives attained, one of which was so vitally important that the Italian High Command ordered a desperate counterattack to recapture it. The attempt was unsuccessful, though a large force participated, and the attackers lost many officers. As a result of the failure of the Italian counter-attack the Greeks advanced a considerable distance beyond the primary objective. The Italians at another point attempted to pierce the Greek lines under cover of darkness, but the results were equally disastrous. In one engagement two battalions of Black Shirts were reduced to 200 men. Prisoners refer to the commander-in-chief as “Cavallero the butcher.”