GREEK ADVANCE

Grey River Argus, 4 December 1940, Page 5

GREEK ADVANCE

STILL MAINTAINED Five Thousand Prisoners VERY FAVOURABLE BRITISH VIEW. [British Official Wireless] RUGBY, December 2. The latest Greek communique states: A considerable advance has been made all along the front. Positions of exceptional importance in the development of the operations have been captured. The capture of Pogradetz is regarded by newspaper commentators as dealing a heavy blow to Italy’s strategic position, and may have fur-reaching consequences. The Greeks have made considerable advances along the whole front, and points of exceptional importance for the development of future operations have been taken. It is still on the northern front that the rate ot the Greek advance is being maintained most successfully. In the Pogradetz area the Italian rearguard has been pushed eight miles further into Albania, and the rest of the Italians are streaming westward on the road to Elbasan. But even at Elbasan, the Italians will not be free of their difficulties, if persistent reports prove true, for it is said that well-equipp-ed and well-organised Albanians are waiting to fall on them there. In the mountains of the Premeti region, north-east of Argyrokastron, the Italians have suffered more reverses. There, according to the latest Greek communique, more than 150 Italians were taken prisoner and a large quantity of war material was captured. This success has promising possibilities for operations nearer the coast, for an advance of a few miles from Premeti will enable the Greeks to cut the road from Argyrokstron. to Valona. This will facilitate the capture of Argyokastron, which the Italians are defending fiercely. The Italians hold a ridge barring progress from the south, and with the cutting of the road behind the Italians it will be only a matter of -time before the defenders will be short of food and shells.

The Associated Press Athens correspondent reports that the Greeks have captured 5,000 Italians on the northern front. Their surrender is reported to have signalled the general retreat of the other Italian forces in the same area, leaving a huge gap in the Italian centre. The Greek military authorities forbid mention of the spot at which the Italian line is broken. The Exchange Agency’s correspondent at Moscopolye says: Heavy snow and a gale have slowed down the Greek advance, but the initiative is still in their hands. The latest victory has permitted the establishment of a new line in the extreme north. The Greek pursuit prevents the Italians driven from Pogradetz from taking up new defence positions, and well-armed bands of Albanian rebels threaten them in the rear, near x.l- - These rebels are reported to be commanded by a supporter of exKing Zog. The British Broadcasting Corporation’s observer, Mr Richard Dimble.by, has just completed a tour of the battle areas in Greece and Albania. He attributes the Italians’ failure to two factors—the attitude of the Italian High Command in Albania, and the wonderful strategical skill of the Greeks. Instancing Italian hesitation and confusion, Mr Dimbleby says that one imminent Italian attack was awaited for five hours by the Greeks. When it came an infantry battalion was sent forward without deploying, and were mown down. Italian supporting bombers dropped their bombs 500 yards wide of the targets. On the following day, Italian light tanks advanced, and in their tuin were smashed by bad tactics on the part of their commanders. One gun destroyed five tanks. An infantry battalion sent in support surrendered with the exception of 20 men, who died fighting. The others threw down their arms. In their retreat from Koritza, Mr Dimbleby continues, the Italians abandoned 80 per cent, of theig transpont and equipment. The Greek High Command performed miracles of staff work. Emphasising the need for more help in men and transport for the Greeks, the observer said that the Greeks’ problem now was one of supply, as they had advanced so far into Albania. When the Italian counter-attack—-which many considered imminent — was developed, the Greeks would beat a disadvantage because of this supply problem. The Greek-Italian war has been raging a month, and reviewing the events of the campaign, authoritative military commentators point out as the most striking feature that the war which began with an • unprovoked invasion now becomes an effective counter-attack carried out in Albania. Even on the coastal sector, there are now no Italian troops in Greece, other than those as prisoners. Originally, the Greek plan must have been purely defensive, with the object of protecting Salonika, and the fact that in the northern sector, the Greek counter-offensive has been most effective, testifies to me brilliance of Greek generalship. Informed military commentators emphasise the importance of the capture of Koritza. The Italian offensive was pressed forward less thoroughly in the northern sector than elsewhere. It is considered that the further advance in the central sector would lead the Greeks into open and relatively flat country, where the Italian modern mechanised troops could operate with advantage. Military circles discount the stories that the Italians lack fighting power. The fact that the prisoners are captured by the hundred and not by the thousand, is considered to indicate that the retreat, though rapid, never became a rout, and the comment is made it was only when the Italians are surrounded that they surrender. On the other hand, it is considered that the Italian troops have been sacrificed to political needs and let down by bad organisation and planning. The Greeks have turned this to very good account, and the conduct of the Greek Army, which had to fight every bit of the way, has been distinguished by the brilliance of the High Command, and the skill, determination, courage and power of the ranks.