GREEKS CLAIM CAPTURES

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1941, Page 7

GREEKS CLAIM CAPTURES

ANOTHER HEIGHT TAKEN BOTH ARMIES SNOW-BOUND [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] 1 LONDON, January 16. Defying snowstorms and intense cold, the Greeks 1 continue to thrust back the Italians in the Klisura area. The latest Greek communique reports successful local attacks and the capture of many prisoners and great quantities of war material, including four guns. The Greek spokesman said that an important height had been taken in a local attack. The height was of exceptional strategic value. Italian counter-attacks were repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy. According to the Athens correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph,” the somewhat improvised nature of the Italian counter-attacks indicates desperate efforts to regain strategic advantages sacrificed as a result of the loss of Klisura. Activity has been resumed in the Pogradetz sector, but the weather is largely responsible for keeping both armies snow-bound. Frost-bite is causing a large percentage of the Greek casualties. The Athens correspondent of “The Times” says it is unlikely that there will be sensational news from the Albanian front for some days. Snow is again falling, although the weather has greatly improved in the coastal sector, in which artillery actions have continued for the last two days. The Greeks have advanced. The Italians’ retreat north from Klisura is no longer a flight. They are resisting from previously prepared positions, fortified with double rows of barbed wire. Here and also to the east, in the Moskopolis sector, Italian aircraft have attempted to aid the field troops, but very small results have been achieved because it is difficult to distinguish Italians from Greeks as a result of the confused terrain.