GREEK FORWARD THRUSTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 November 1940, Page 7

GREEK FORWARD THRUSTS

MORE ITALIAN SURRENDERS ATTACKED BY; OWN GRENADES [BY CABLE. —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, November 29. The Greek advance on the southern front continues with bitter local engagements. The Greeks in the Argyrokastron area continue to thrust methodically from height to height, bewildering the Italians by their plodding thoroughness. Three thousand Italians are now surrounded in this sector. The Greeks have also made substantial progress in - the north. Violent battles are raging, but the Greeks are advancing from Pogradetz in spite of ah opposition stiffened by reinforcements. The Greeks are blasting the Italians from their trenches with Italian grenades, thousands of which were abandoned along the Elbasan road. The advances from Ersek and west of Koritza threaten the Italian positions on the upper Devol and Vojiuza Rivers. Four hundred Italians in the central sector surrendered to 15 Greeks after the Italian lieutenant had been killed. The Italian captain, waving a white flag, advanced to the Greeks with his whole battalion, which surrendered. The Greek night communique claims new successes in local fighting in which aeroplanes participated. Several enemy machines were shot down.

Enemy destroyers shelled the north coast of Corfu and withdrew under the cover of a smokescreen when British seaplanes appeared. 'The Athens correspondent of “The Times” says that the Greek advance is so rapid that commercial aircraft are being used to carry rations to the forward troops.

ARGYROKASTRON CAPTURED?

LONDON, November 28.

The forces on the left wing of the Greek Army continue their successful operations on a considerable scale. The British United Press reports that the Greeks took Argyrokastron this afternoon after two hours’ shelling and a hand-to-hand street battle which lasted an hour and a-half. After the battle the Italians retreated toward Tepeleni. The Italians had left 2000 troops to defend the town when, at 2 p.m., the Greeks’ motorised force advanced on it. The Greeks forced their way into the town later in spite of the most determined opposition. A large part of the town was destroyed, and it is believed 300 are dead under the ruins. 'Five Blenheim fighter aeroplanes and three Lysanders joined battle over the town with 10 Italian bombers, shooting down three. One. Blenheim made a forced landing. The correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain states that the British and Greek fighters shot down seven, probably eight, Italian bombers in half an hour. One British aeroplane was lost but the pilot is believed to be safe. While the Greeks are consolidating their gains to avoid isolation, the most advanced units of the British and Greek air forces are taking over captured bases, halving the distance for raids against Valona and other ports, and intensifying the onslaughts against the Italians. A spokesman for the Army in Athens said: “Thanks to the-Royal Air Force, Italian reinforcements were unable to reach their destination.” The ; Associated Press of Great Britain says the remnants of the Italian southern armies to-night were reported to be in full flight up the Adriatic coast, after a great Greek victory. A “regiment of death, composed of selected Fascists, the cream of the Italian Army, resisted stubbornly in an unrelenting battle which was continuous day and night for four days. „ . An Agency message from Athens states that the Italians are retreating up the .Adriatic coast, with British and Greek aeroplanes harassing their moves. Seven Italian machines have been shot down. In the north a Greek cavalry unit cut off a body of Italians, who are thought to have a very poor chance of fighting their way out. The Greek Government? has made an appeal for arms and material to the United States. Reports coming through from Albania indicate that a big battle has been raging along the who e of the 150-mile front during the last four days. In the southern sector the Greeks are pushing on to important Italian posts, and f°i' cin B make a hasty retreat. Many pris oners have been taken.

AERIAL RAIDS.

ATHENS, November 29. The Ministry of Security stated that six Italian destroyers participated in the bombardment of the coast of Coi fu There were no casualties and no damage. Italian planes carried out a series of raids on the Town of Coifu yesterday and damaged building . A Greek communique reports that fighting in various sectors was successful" for Greek troops. Greek planes shot down an important number o± enemy planes. The enemy bombed some places on the front, also towns and villages in Epirus, Corfu Cephalonia and the west coast of Morea. There were a few civilian victims and slight damage.

TERRORISM AT CORFU

CHICAGO, November 29. Leyland Stowe,., in a copyright article in the “Daily News,” written from Corfu, says: This completely unfortified city, is the scene of the only triumph by Fascist arms against Greece. For twenty-two of the last twenty-seven days Italians have carried out merciless air raids at Corfu. It is impossible not to conclude Italy is following a policy of unrestrained terrorism, and that Corfu is the barest, blackest and most unspeakable monument for Mussolini and for Fascism that Fascism has created in its twenty years of existence.

R.A.F. SUCCESSES TEN ITALIAN PLANES CRASHED. RUGBY, November 29. British fighters in Greece during the. last two days destroyed ten enemy aircraft, states an R;A.F. communique, which adds: In South-west Albania yesterday, a small patrol of our fighters encountered 20 enemy CR. 42 fighters.' Our planes at once attacked and in less than a minute, seven enemy aircraft wefe shot down. Later, during an individual combat,

lone of our fighters collided with another CR. 42, which crashed in flames. - - r- - - On the previous day, fighters frpm the same squadron intercepted.'a for r mation of CR. 42’-s, one enemy , being shot down in flames, and anpther disappeared - behind the hills out of’ control.' -- ■ - ■ . ■ ' . . Bomber aircraft raided Santi Quaranta,’ whence the destroyers bombarding Corfu, fled on approach of our formation, and DurazzO and Elbasan. From all operations; two of ours failed to return, one being the fighter involved in the collision (with the Italian plane. BRITISH NAVAL REPORT. RUGBY, November 29. Rear Admiral. Turle, British naval attache to Greece, arrived in England, and had an interview with the Chiefs of staff, to whom he reported on the local situation. Mr. Ralston, Canadian Minister-of Defence, has arrived in Britain to discuss matters of general co-opera-tion in the war effort of the Empire and the Allies. —Official Wireless. ' ITALIAN CLAIMS. (Recd. November ,30, 11.20 a.m.) LONDON,’ November 29. An Italian communique states: Three divisions of the Eleventh Army counter-attacked the Greek front, crushing the enemy attempt at infiltration. About three hundred Italian .planes bombed enemy communications, .especially at- the Ersek-Sqpiki ‘zone. > . Naval forces bombarded the base at Corful, hitting the shore batteries, fortifications, barracks, wireless station, and observation posts. The air force attacked an enemy naval squadron off Malta, and hit a big enemy war vessel. Official quarters at Rome deny the fall of Argyrokastron, but admit heavy fighting.

TURKEY PREPARED. ANKARA, November 29. The Ankara radio stated that the international situation summons Turkey to total preparedness. Our present slogan is: “Live in peace but be ready to fight in the morning.” Eleven thousand people have already volunteered for civil defence in Istanbul alone. The black-out in civilian dwellings will be extended throughout Turkey from December 1. M. Yaneff, a prominent member of the Government Party,' speaking in the Assembly, said that Bulgaria would only participate in war if forced by some necessity. The primary aim of Bulgarian policy was to preserve Bulgaria. He added that Bulgaria had definite revisionist claims which she hoped to realise peacefully. GERMAN ESTIMATE (Recd. Nov. 30, 9.45 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 29. - “Der Deutscher Weckruf Und Beobachter,” the official organ of the Ger-man-American Bund, explains the Italian reverse with the phrase “the whole thing is a feint.”