CONTINUED RETREAT

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 156, 30 December 1940, Page 7

CONTINUED RETREAT

ITALIAN TROOPS

STRONG RESISTANCE ON I COAST

LONDON, December 28,

Athens messages summarise the 24 hflours to Friday night as a day of continued Italian retreat north-east of Klhimara, and of further progress by ;tfcje Greeks, who captured prisoners. From some heights which they captured Greek artillery has been dragged on im.provised sledges through the deep snctvv by men and mules. The Greeks are . shelling the districts dominating the northern approaches to Tepeleni thrctagh the upper valley of the Viosa Rivtfcr.

Further north, despite the deep snow, the preeks have continued to drive back the Italians.

The*- Greeks are being assisted by detaclbznents of Albanians under the noted vcebel leader Bilial Tot. One detachmeiit on the Greek right wing, attacking from the south-west, is reported to lsjiave forced the Italians, after a battle of two hours and- a half, to retreat across the River Harboli, over the only bridge in the vicinity.

The W-ar Ministry in Athens issued a communique which says: "Local operations continue successfully. More than 200, men, including officers, have been taken prisoner, and many automatic arnas and mortars captured."

Two hundred Italian bombs are reported to have been dropped on Preveza, Greece's nearest port to the Albanian frcsnst. It is reported that there was no daitntage and no victims, though the harbour was filled with shipping.

The Greeks northward of Pogradetz have captutred new positions, taking prisoners and war materials. The Greeks are meeting with continued strong; resistance in the coastal sector, and heavy artillery duels continue in the ruorth.

The Athene correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says that the Greeks? in the Klisur&and Tepeleni sector have maintained the policy of jumping from hill to hill, refraining from entering the towns till ■ all the surrounding heights have been cleared. The Greek capture of five officers and 65 men belonging to five different units indicate^ chaos among the retreating Italians, whose unit"? mihgle pell mell.