WIDEST SENSE OF TERM

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 105, 30 October 1940, Page 7

WIDEST SENSE OF TERM

Italian Air Base Bombed

GREEKS HOLDING POSITIONS ON BORDER

LONDON, October 29. An official announcement in London today says that the British Government is giving Greece military aid in the widest sense of the term. It is impossible for obvious reasons to describe the steps the British Government is taking at this stage, the statement says, but aid to the utmost extent of Britain's power is being given.

The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. A. V. Alexander) said at a London luncheon today: "I can assure our friends in Greece and in America that so far as is possible within our power every help which the Royal Navy can give to Greece will be gladly rendered. It has already begun."

The first definite news of British action in support of Greece has been announced in an official Admiralty communique, which says that naval aircraft of the ships of the Mediterranean Fleet carried out an attack on Maltezana. capital of Seampalia, one of the islands in the Dodecanese, Avhich is the nearest Italian air base to Athens., A hangar was hit and set on fire and slipways were seriously damaged by direct hits. A considerable number of bombs were dropped on buildings and ammunition dumps, causing' heavy explosions, which continued for some time after the British aircraft left the area. Incendiary bombs were also scattered over the target area.' All the British aircraft returned safely.

Latest reports from Greece indicate that Greek troops are still holding their positions in the mountain passes along- the Albanian frontier. A famous class of Greek troops has gone into action. These troops are in the mountains and now find themselves face to face with the Italian Alpine divisions, which are trying to advance from Albania. In Athens this afternoon Italian claims to have advanced into Greece are denied.

It is stated that Greek soldiers are using the slogan they used in the Balkan War: ' 'We will throw them into the sea.''

There is no sign, so far, that the big' push the Italians threatened at dawn today has met with any greater success than operations yesterday. An Italian High Command communique issued in Rome this morning1 claimed that Italian troops had penetrated into Greek territory at various points, and that the advance was continuing 1. There was a suggestion, however, that thing's are not going- so well as might be expected, for the communique contains a reference to adverse weather.

News of the actual fighting- is naturally scarce at this stage. What is definite is that the main Italian drive is directed against the north-western corner of Greece, where the frontiers of Greece, Albania, and Yugoslavia meet. The main objective here seems to be the town of Fiorina, on the important railway connecting' Yugoslavia with Salonika. Fiorina is said to have been bombed already, and also the nearby town of Kastoria. Heavy artillery duels along- the frontier are also reported. As usual, there is a spate of unconfirmed rumours, mostly from the Balkan capitals. One of them talks of a naval engagement between British and Italians ships off the Greek coast, but it is stated in London that it is most improbable that any action has yet taken place between British and Italian naval forces. Another report that British troops have landed at Corfu was _ de^i,ed here.. These unconfirmed reports should, be treated with the greatest reserve.

There is no confirmation of reports today that Italian forces have landed on Corfu and that fierce fighting- beween British and Italian forces is going on. Earlier today it was denied that British troops had landed at Corfu.

The Italian High Command communique claiming that Italian troops penetrated into Greek territory at various points was followed by a message from Rome tonight, which said that the Italians had broken the Greek line in the south-east part of Albania after more than 30 hours' fighting- There has also been fighting/on the northern end of the frontier, where the main Italian drive seems to be directed.