ITALIAN COUNTER-ATTACKS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 January 1941, Page 7

ITALIAN COUNTER-ATTACKS

FAILURES IN ALBANIA RETREAT CONTINUED [BY CABLE—-PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, January 15. . The only noteworthy news from Albania is of the, defeat of two Italian counter-attacks made in an attempt to hold the Greek advance from Klisura. The Greek spokesman said that the Italians withdrew in disorder after the failure of the counter-attacks. They abandoned a number of dead and wounded after the first attack and suffered more heavily in the second, in which they lost four tanks, three of which the Greeks immediately turned against the enemy. The second counter-attack was met with a hail of fire, and when the Italians broke, the I Greeks charged with bayonets. The I spokesman described the Italian losses as cruel. The Greek radio reported that noncombatants were evacuating Valona and Berat and that Greek forces were still mopping up round the KlisuraTepelena line. The Italians apparently were still in full retreat. It stated it is not clear where General Cavallero intends to make a stand for defence at Berat, which is situated at the most-important cross-roads in Albania.

GREEK CLAIM. RUGBY, January 15. The Greek night communique states: There were restricted operations. A number of prisoners were captured. ENDURANCE TRIUMPHS. LONDON, January 15. “The Times’s” Athens correspondent says: “Now that the battle for Klisura is ended, it is possible to examine reports of commanding officers, from which it appears that the Greeks’ success was largely due to superior physical condition on the part of the Greek soldiers compared with the Italians, rather than a lack of courage on the part of the Italians, or, even better, because of the Greek tactics. Italians cling, to valleys for advance or retreat. Greeks through prodigious endurance are able to scale hills up which Italians are unable to go, let alone take guns. It has been common to find Greeks holding positions that were reachable only after an hour’s climb unencumbered by equipment. Up these mountains, Greeks attacked and then brought up guns, often at slow speed. Another outstanding conclusion after the battle of Klisura is that the Greeks, apparently, disproved Napoleon’s remark that an army marches on its stomach. The Greeks seem to march on leaving their stomachs behind, trusting to transport to bring them up a few days later. This means that during battle, the men are living on six ounces of bread daily.”