IN ALBANIA

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1940, Page 5

IN ALBANIA

GREEK ADVANCE

ARGYROKASTRON DOOMED.

(United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 6. The Greeks today occupied all remaining important heights in the Mokra Mountains and north-west of Podgradec, captured an artillery battery j and a whole battalian. Latest reports from Struga even say the most advanced Greeks are within thirteen miles of Elbason. Shock troops in Ostrovitze Mountains silenced further Italian batteries, captured positions, and turned guns on retreating Italians. These guns and others which the Greeks had brought up now dominated the road from Permeti to Berat, protecting a main Greek movement to Klisura, which means a dossed “door” in an important pass linking a number of otljer important routes through the mountains, including roads to Vlona. Berat and Klisura, hitherto regarded as impregnable, are now under Greek fire. Greeks in occupied villages have been receiving a joyous welcome from the inhabitants. Most sources agree that the Italians have abandoned Argyrokastron, and say the Greeks have taken it thousand . prisoners, a mmjber of heavy cannon, also machine-guns and other material.

ITALIANS HASTEN RETREAT

LONDON, Dec. 7

A Sofia, message quotes an Athens broadcast, that the retreat of the Italians has been accelerated at all fronts, and that the fall of Argyrokastron is'expected.

GREEK REPORT

ATHENS, Dec. 7

The Greek night-communique states: “Our troops, overcoming enemy resistance on the river Bistritza, crossed the river, occupied Saranda, and pushed their lines further north. The retreating enemy burned the town after pillaging it. In the port was a halfsubmerged Italian destroyer and a Greek schooner, the latter damaged by Greek guns from tile bills overlooking Saranda. Fighting continues on the right front.”

It is reported from Athens that Greek forces are in complete occupation of Saranda, which has solemnly been re-chlistened with the Greek name “Aghissaranda” —Forty Saints. Thus a former anti-Greek base is now an anti-Mussolini base.

LATEST GREEK REPORTS

ATHENS, Dec. S

A Greek communique states: In successful local lighting in various sections along the whole front, we cap-

tured prisoners, including officers. We occupied Delvino. Enemy air-raids in the interior of Greece were restricted to the lonian Sea Islands and the town of Epirus, which were bombed without any damage.”

SANTi QUARANTA OCCUPATION

LONDON, Dec. 7

According to an Athens message, the Italian destroyer half-submerged at Santi-Quaranta is to be examined by experts to see if it can be used again. Greeks who entered Santi Quaranta. were loukl in their praise for the skill o.f the R.A.F. in sinking the Italian warship, and suggested that if it can be refloated it can bo re-named “Helle” in memory of a Greek cruiser of this name sunk by the Italians in mid-August. RUGBY, Dec. 7. On Friday, in an attack at Valona by R.A.F. planes, a black column of smoke arose from a muitions dump which received a direct hit (says the Air Ministry’s News Service). Bombs also exploded in a motor transport park and on military buildings. From these operations, all the aircraft reournod safely.

AN ITALIAN REPORT.

ROME, Dec. 7

An Italian communique stated: “The enemy continued pressure on our extreme westward of Pogrmlec, but limited himself on the rest of the front to local attacks in • the Argyrokastron /.one. Our troops re-took several positions as the result of counterattacks.

“Our Air Force, despite decidedly adverse' weather and strong anti-air-craft fire, have carried out numerous attacks from a low altitude. They machine-gunned enemy troops and mechanised supply columns, and interrupted roads and centres of concentration, and also heavily bombed military objectives at Zante Arta. “At Erscke, Italian bombs bit and exploded a munition depot.”