POGRADETZ CAPTURED

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1940, Page 7

POGRADETZ CAPTURED

GREEK FURTHER SUCCESSES ITALIAN RESISTANCE STRONGER -— ■ ■—-T-!—, I ■ , STAND AT ELBASAN? [BY CABLE. —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, Decembei' 1. Reports from Albania indicate a pause in the rapid advance while the Greeks mop up local Italian forces. The Italians are doing their utmost to bring up reinforcements, the first of which have already considerably stiffened the resistance. On the northern front, the Greeks have won their most spectacular victory sinze Koritza fell. The Greek High Command has announced the capture of Pogradetz, an Albanian town of strategic importance 20 miles north of Koritza. It was occupied after fierce fighting. This capture is expected to facilitate future operations. Heavy fighting is going on in the central sector, the Greeks repelling by bayonets Italian counter-attacks. The Greeks, after a bitter attack in this region, captured important heights which were previously a serious obstacle to their advance. The Greeks west of Koritza have advanced to a point 20 miles west of Moskopolis, and the Italians are retiring toward Elbasan, where the second line of defence is being prepared. The Italians west and north of Pogradetz are also apparently aiming to base their next resistance on Elbasan. In the coastal sector, the Greeks claim to have made an im-i portant advance, and operations are; developing favourably. j Describing the capture of Pogra-1 detz, a Greek spokesman said that! the Italians had fortified the town, I and it was taken only after a stiff; battle. Before they occupied it, the ■ Greeks had to storm a mountain. 6000 feet high, taking it at bayonet j point. The booty captured included i six field guns, 50 machine-guns, a number of howitzers, . 15 Italian offi-j cers, and more than 200 men. I The communique announcing the capture of Pogradetz says that the Greek offensive continued throughout the day and stubborn enemy resistance was overcome at various points.

GREEKS SATISFIED. LONDON, November 30. Claims made in Rome that the Italians have at last succeeded in halting the Greek advance are not confirmed by other reports. All reports, however, suggest that the routed Italian armies are making a very, great effort to rally resistance to the! Greek advance and in particular to; hold Argyrokastron. i Messages from Athens report that! the. Greeks remain confident and mili-1 tary .circles continue to be highly i satisfied with -the progress at the front. According to a Greek High Command communique, the Greeks occupied new positions at various points in Albanian territory, notably in. the region north of Konispolis. The communique adds: “Two guns and a certain number of automatic rifles, as well as prisoners, fell into our hands. Our Air Force carried out reconnaissance and patrol flights over the enemy lines. The enemy bombed some points, including towns and villages in Epirus, Cephalonia, Zante, Levkas, and the western coasts of Peloponnesus.” An Italian communique states: “Our troops on the Greek front tena - ciously opposed enemy attacks and carried out effective local counter-at-tacks at some points. Two air squad ■ rons were occupied throughout the day bombing military objectives and enemy positions.” Eleven transports have arrived at Durazzo and troops were hastily disembarked and hurried to the front.

AERIAL ENCOUNTERS. LONDON, November 30.. The Greek Air Force to-day is reported to have shot down eight Italian aeroplanes. A Greek communique says that Greek air raid casualties in the first month of the war totalled 644 dead, of which 74 were women, 120 children, and 32 babies. There were 1070 people injured.

PRO-BRITISH ENTHUSIASM LONDON, December 1. The British United Press Athens correspondent says: British air support is increasing by the addition of more.. New Zealand and Canadian pilots. Greeks fete the Britishers at restaurants. Women embrace them spontaneously. The presence of British fighters at any part, of the front ensures almost an automatic disappearance of Italian dive-bomb-ers. British anti-tank guns have also begn used by the Greeks in their most successful coastal sector. Signor Mussolini’s invasion road is strewn with tanks, overturned lorries,, uniformed bodies lying in ditches awaiting | burial. Many Italians surrendered in the Epirus region in the last few days. More munition dumps were captured. Prisoners were made to transport material to the rear. Allied bombers harass the Italian reinforcements from the mainland, and fighters also are flying the valleys only a few hundred feet over the heads of struggling Italian forces, smashing bridges, supply columns, and bases. Greek warships shelled Stranda. Escort ’planes circled overhead, but were not needed: Neither Italian ’planes nor warships were seen. The Italian Air Force continues to make raids on Corfu. Medical supplies are being sent there by ’plane. Foreign women are helping in hospitals throughout Greece.. ’The Australian Government is sending Greece blankets and raw wool for army equipment. ITALIAN SUB. SUNK. LONDON, December 1. An Italian submarine was sunk by a Greek destroyer convoying ships which the submarine tried to attack. JUGOSLAVIA AND TURKEY. LONDON, November 30. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily .Telegraph” understands that Turkey and Jugoslavia have both given an assurance to Greece of united resistance of any German attempt • >.

to-rescue Italy in Albania. The main body of the Jugoslav Army in Serbia would join the Greeks in defending Salonika and its surroundings. The Ankara radio had said it must be emphasised that the war was developing remarkably in favour of Britain. The German had not obtained their desires from M. Molotov, and Russia was reluctant to enter into closer drelations with the Axis. Bulgaria and Jugoslavia will be the next objectives of the Axis diplomatic offensive, the correspondent adds, but with the political aspects in Bulgaria and Jugoslavia returning to normal one cannot see any successes the future may hold for Axis diplomacy. Bulgaria has definitely given up the idea of joining the Axis. The German Ambassador to Turkey (Herr von Papen) to-cjay saw the Turkish President (General Inanu) after talks with the Turkish Foreign Minister (Sukru Herr von Papen is believed to have j again tried to wean Turkey from her avowed intention not to allow Greece I to be stabbed in the back. There is no sign of a change in Turkey’s attitude.

AID FOR GREECE.

LONDON, 'November 29.

i An agreement satisfactory to the Greeks is reported to have been ! reached in the United States for mili- : tary supplies. The Secretary of State 1 (Mr. Cordell Hull) announced the ! agreement, but gave no details. j A United States Treasury official said that the Greeks were negotiat1 ing for the purchase of American aircraft of all types, but the negotiations were still .in the preliminary stage. He added that the British Government was willing to aid the Greeks with purchases, but he refused to say whether this involved waiving the priority on existing orders. An Egyptian fund for aid to Greece has already reached £107,000. ITALIAN CHANGES. LONDON, November 30. Signor Mussolini has appointed General Guzzoni as Assistant-War Minister. This is part of a big reshuffle in the hope of turning the tide by a counter-offensive. PUBLIC WORKS. ’ ROME, November 30. Signor Mussolini presided at a 1 meeting of the Cabinet. The Cabinet approved a Bill for the expenditure of 444 millions sterling on public works. It is stated that the object “is that of assuring the country of its advancing social welfare and of the strength of the national economy.”

DICTATORS QUARREL? PRICE FOR GERMAN AID. (Recd. December 2, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, December 1. Hitler and Mussolini have quarrelled over Greece, says the “Sunday Dispatch” diplomatic correspondent. Mussolini learned that Hitler, in order to propitiate Vichy, did not intend to hand over to Italy large portions of the French colonial Empire, as arranged at the Brenner talks. Mussolini, determined to strengthen his bargaining position, struck at Greece, which was not expected to offer resistance. This disastrous campaign has involved both Hitler and Mussolini in difficulties. Hitler is probably willing to let Italy reach the stage at which she must sue for German assistance, but he cannot ignore the fact that the Greek resistance is upsetting his Balkan plans. Moreover, Mussolini’s prestige with the Italian people is seriously threatened, and antiGerman feeling is growing stronger. The correspondent states that Hitler has set the following price on German assistance: Firstly, the conversion of Trieste into a free port; secondly, German occupation of portion of the Dalmatian coast, which Italy has long coveted; thirdly, German' control of Italy’s war effort. Mussolini considers the price is overhigh, and that it'might result in a revolution. In fact, the terms have scared him and his party and the military chiefs.