GREEK SUCCESSES

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 December 1940, Page 7

GREEK SUCCESSES

AMIDST SNOW AND MUD ITALIANS REINFORCED [BY CABLE. —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, December 3. The most important success gained by the Greeks yesterday was in fighting on the southern front, where 'heights near Delvino, south of Argyrokastron, were taken. The latest Greek communique states: “On the left wing, the road from Santi Quaranta to Argyrokas,tron is now under fire from our ad- | vancing troops, who have also occupied new positions round Premeti, where a considerable number of prisoners were captured as well as all kinds of material. Many prisoners were also taken in the Ostrovitse mountains, where our successful attacks dispersed enemy contingents. North of Pogradetz, the battle continues in our favour.”

I With snow five feet deep in the J north and mud knee-deep in parts of I the central and southern battlefields, j the fighting in Albania is increasing'in severity each day. The Greeks are advancing very cautiously beyond Pogradetz, because, apart from the bad weather, the Italians are still holding some heights in this area. The slopes of the Mokra mountains are at present the scene of the fiercest fighting in the northern sector. According to reports in Athens, the Greeks have captured the village of Mumuniste, on the western side of I Lake Ochrida, about three miles from Pogradetz. I Dispatches from the front point out that the Italians are endeavouring to make counter-offensives and are often resisting furiously, but they have not prevented the Greeks pressing on and occupying many useful positions by the familiar technique of cutting the supplies of each attacked body and then surrounding the position. The Italians sometimes resist to the last moment until they face starvation or annihilation.

Here, as all along the front, the Italians have flown up picked troops, who are making the resistance fiercer. ' Casualties on both sides are heavy and ’are increasing. The Italians are believed to be rushing all possible reinforeements of men. and material from the north Adriatic. The Greeks em'phasise that the superiority of the Italian resources is a dominating factor in the Greek strategy, and for this reason the success will continue only if British assistance is unremitting. A road in south-west Albania which is being used by the Italians to bring up reinforcements was successfully attacked by the Royal Air Force on Sunday, and an important bridge was damaged. During an earlier raid on Tepeleni, military buildings were bombed and a number were demolished. Victims of Greek bombing raids in the southern sector included the-noted Albanian chieftain, Djafer Upi, who joined the Italians after their seizure of Albania. The Italians sent him to the northern flank of the Epirus front to organise a corps of Albanian irregulars.

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. LONDON, December 3. From Monastir, it is reported that Italian forces in North Albania are retreating from the source of the Shkumba River to Elbason, and that the Greek forces are advancing across Mount Lenia in a fanwise movement, pivoting from a village westward of Moscopoyle. Their line is also extended along the western slopes of the range to the Mokra Mountains, and reaches beyond Mumumste. However, Italian artillery are holding some heights near ( Mumuniste, from which they have been heavily shelling Pogradetz. which has been virtually evacuated. Large Greek forces are in position on the heights of Mokra. There were heavy artillery duels yesterday, but snow greatly hampered the opei ations, and also prevented AngloGreek bombers from attacking Italian columns. . . , The Greeks’ latest booty includes stocks of skis, and additional gifts are staff maps, light guns and medical stores. An Athens message states that three Italian aircraft are reported to have been destroyed over the Albanian front yesterday.

ATTACK ON VALONA. RUGBY, December 3. R.A.F. assistance given yesterday to the Greek armies, in repelling Italian aggression, included a successful raid on important military objectives at Valona. Despite bad weather and the presence of large enemy fighter patrols, the attack was pressed home, and all the bombs were seen to fall in the target aiea. A fire started in a large building near the harbour, and was followed by a series of loud explosions. A stick of bombs fell on the main jetty, and a ship received a direct hit. One enemy fighter, a CR42, was shot down. In the Argyrokastron area, one ol the British fighters engaged and shot down in flames an enemy reconnaissance aircraft.

ITALIANS SEIZE HOSTAGES (Recd. December 4, 11.5 a.m.) ATHENS, December 3. The Ministry of Public Security stated that the retreating Italians carried off 18 notables from a town in Epirus, including doctors, business men, and teachers. Their fate is unknown. The enemy again bombed the defenceless town of Corfu, and considerable damage was done. Greek newspapers reveal that numerous Italian prisoners have been taken to Corfu.

STOPPED BY R.A.F. (Recd. December 4, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, December 3. The Air Ministry has revealed that three R.A.F. bombers, of which only one returned, stopped the Italians reforming their line and rushing troops in order-to hold Koritza. The bombings followed an appeal from the Greek General Staff. The R.A.F. aircraft dived to within a few feet of the ground; and bombed'and machinegunned lorries and troops on the Pogradetz-Koritza road, despite fierce ground-fire.