Attempt to Regain Positions in Albania

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 4, 6 January 1941, Page 5

Attempt to Regain Positions in Albania

TERRIBLE WEATHER CONDITIONS United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyrlgh t. Received Sunday, D. 30 p.m. ATHENS, Jan. 3. The Italians, using German divebombers and many light tanks, launched a desperate counter-attack on the coastal sector. The Greeks replied with heavy anti-tank fire, destroying several tanks and putting others to flight. Tanks were used in the Pogradec area also, but were unsuccessful.

Terrible weather continues along the front, but the fighting is fierce, especially between the coast and Klisura. The whole region around Klisura and Tepeleua is now under the control of Greek fire. Clearing a snowdrift covering the entrance of a vast cavern on a rocky mountainside in the northern sector, a Greek patrol found an Italian ambulance station with 200 cots. Everyone was occupied by a dead man. The patients were frozen to death after being abandoned. Medicine bottles and bandages were standing beside each cot.

The official spokesman claimed that the Italian counter-attack aimed to retake and dominate tho heights captured by the Greeks above Klisura was thrown back with particularly heavy losses. The Greeks alfowed waves of Alpini to advance without opposition to within rifle and machine-gun range, then from all sides loosed a hail of fire supported by 75’s and followed up by a bayonet charge. They succeeded in taking the positions whence the Italians attacked.

The Ministry of Public Security, in a communique, states: “All is quiet in the interior of the country. ”

A message from Struga (Yugoslavia) says frontier reports declare that Albanian troops at Scutari mutinied, killing their Italian captain and seven soldiers and wounding 13. An Albanian officer and 10 soldiers were immediately arrested and shot.

A group of Albanian rebels in the village of Lari (Central Albania) attacked with hand-grenades an Italian gendarme strong-post, killing two.” Frontier reports from Struga (Yugoslavia) state that in the Tomori-Cariver sector the Greeks advanced three kilometres eastward toward Perinjak. In the Osum River sector the Greeks advanced six kilometres north-eastward and captured Milova. in the Elbasan sector artillery duels are occurring ai»und the Muricani mountain which is the closest point the Greeks have reach ed en route to Elbasan.

Tho Greeks are reported to be awaiting reinforcements and improved weather for tho start of their offensive against the village, of Muricani which is on the main Elbasan-Durazzo Road 10 kilometres south-west of Elbasan. Several German mechanised detachments are reported to have arrived at Elbasan.

A later Greek communique reports successful local operations which resulted in the capture of 204 prisoners, including an officer and many automatic weapons.

The Army spokesman said not a single counter-attack throughout the day succeeded. The most vigorous which was at Klisura was the sixth attempted in this region and it was repulsed with heavy Italian losses.

The Greeks occupied important 5000 ft. heights on the northern front.

A Struga message says it is reported without confirmation that German panzer forces have arrived on the front line six miles from Elbasan, where an Italian-Greek artillery duel is in progress. German bombers and German crews havß landed at Tirana. Athens announces that the Greek submarine Katsonis sank an Italian tanker off San Giovanni de Medua (Yugo slavia).