WAR IN GREECE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1940, Page 5

WAR IN GREECE

STILL RETREATING

Italians on the move.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

LONDON, Dec. 3

After making a stand northward oi Pogradoe, Italian forces are again retreating. it is now revealed that two Greek cavalry companies drove ail entire battalion from heights of the utmost importance, and that in consequence of this the main body of Italians there were forced to evacuate positions affording excellent possibilities for defence.

“The Times” Athens correspondent says: The main Italian forces cm the northern front in Albania will henceforth be able to do little more than fight- rearguard actions until they are installed in their next defence line, fifty miles beyond their present positions. Considerable hard plodding confronts the Greeks if they should attempt to gain this line, but the intervening struggle, according to the present outlook, is unlikely to consist of more than methodical thrusts and mopping up, although the Greeks, if they' should be successful, will undoubtedly be able to give an imposing list of captured villages. The latest despatches received from Athens emphasise that bad weather is preventing major operations .n the northern front, although there have been heavy artillery duels Greek troops are advancing slowly northward of Pogradec, along the lakeside road, where they have reached a point just' beyond Mumuniste. Greek advance posts in some places are within one hundred yards of the Italian forces.

The most marked Italian retreat on Monday was in the southern sector. where the enemy withdrew to Delvino Heights. Italian and Greek infantry on Tuesday have been fighting a pitched battle in marshes. Greek forces surprised the Italians at dawn, attacking across bogs, which the Italians considered impossible, as thick slime swallowed men up to the head. The Greeks are now twice as far into Albania as the Italians had ever penetrated into Greece. • Greek fighters in the Epirus sector on Tuesday, destroyed three Italian pianos a fierce dogfight, lasting only ten minutes. Near Vojiuza River on Monday, Greek forces, fighting with unbounded courage, captured a height in the Politsani Mountains, where the Italians had possessed strongly-defended positions. Greek pressure has also been accentuated in the Permeti region.

There was a vigorous Italian counterattack, between the villages of Then and Pestrma south-west of Pogradec. It was smased by the Greeks. An Athens message states Italian soldiers continue to enter Yugoslavia, where they are being interned.

4 ENEMY PLANES DOWNED.

(Received this day at 10.45 n.m.) RUGBY, December 4

Tt is /onfirmod, that in addition to two aircraft destroyed bv R.A.F. fighters and bombers in Albania on Monday, two other enemy aircraft were destroyed.

MORE SUCCESSES

OF GREEK ARMS

PUSHING ITALIANS BACK

(Received this day at 12 noon). LONDON, December 4

Announcing that Greeks were within a mile and a quarter of Saranda, the Athens radio said our forces have pursued the enemy without losing contact. The importance of this advance is particularly evident, when it is remembered that the enemy launched the initial attack by mechanised units on the lowlying ground bordering the succeeded in driving our troops back twenty miles. The Italians are now defeated on their own ground. Bitter fighting continues in snow and mud, and sometimes in mountain peaks five thousand feet over the battlefields. The Italian army is rolling back, two flanks being battered and the centre front, where Greeks captured two important heights overlooking Argyrokastron from the east.

On tlit* northern front, despite severe weather, Greeks are pressing so hard on the heels of the Italians that they often find half finished meals abandoned in the Italian camps. Greeks have occupied strategic heights northwestwards of Moscopolye, after a fierce band to band fighting. An Athens night communique states in Pogrudec region, we captured new heights. Our troops also progressed on the remainder of the front. Our bombers attacked enemy columns and depots, starting big fires. Two enemy fighters were brought clown. It is officially stated that Italian air raids on undefended Greek towns and villages in tin* first month of the war killed (504 civilians and injured 1070. An Athens radio commenting on the air 'raid casualty totals, says w ( > are encouraged and sustained to hear the ordeal of modern totalitarian warfare, by the proud, magnificent example of London and her sister cities. Corfu was the hardest- hit among defenceless.

This beautiful old place was severely damaged, because there Fascist, vandal-

ism can be carried out in comparative

safety. The famous fortifications of which the Italian talk so much, installed in the fifteenth century now only serve as refuges for hundreds of homeless, huddling in the vaults. We hope to capture Italian air liases in Albania. The arrival of more eagerly waited British planes, will end Corfu’s agony.

The latest communiquqe from the Greek Ministry of Public Security mentions three further raids on civilian populations. The majority of bomb victims were women and infants. Mr Cunningham has sent a letter to tho Greek Navy paying tribute to the skill of their officers and seamen, since tin* outbreak, especially mentioning the successful operations of Greek destroyers and submarines in the regions, which are much superior to the enemy forces. Wo are proud to collaborate with the Royal Hellenic Navy.

REPORTED ITALIAN COLLAPSE ("Received this day at 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, December 4. It is reported, without confirmation, from Athens, that Italian resistance is collapsing at Argyrokastron and at nearly Port Edda. The Greeks dominate all strategic heights on the I rout fioni the sea to Lake Ouridsko. RETURNING TO ITALY ROME, December L It is officially stated that 30 trains are repatriating, before Christmas, over 50.000 Italian agricultural labourers Ironi Germany.