Greeks Advance Three Miles

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

Greeks Advance Three Miles

TEPELENA-VALONA ROAD THREATENED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, Jan. 3. Authoritative military circles said that the Greeks have advanced in the southern sector and crossed the River Bence. The advance continued for three miles, the Greeks capturing 12 guns, 20 machine-guns and 500 prisoners. A responsible military officer added “The Greeks are continuing to nibble their way forward in the central sector. They have occupied the village of Dobrenje, about 18 miles south-west of Berst.” Military commentators in London, in discussing the well-executed Greek advance across the River Bence, point, out that advances in this direction, if successfully continued, would threaten; the Tepelene-Valcna road. A Greek communique announced thal the Greeks continued to advance onl Friday without any Italian air attacks. The advance continues near Kelcyre. where guns and prisoners were captured. On the northern front an Italian counter-attack was broken down, after which the Greeks stormed and captured important points, inflicting heavy losses on the Italians. The Greek Government spokesman on Thursday said that in the Kelcyre sector the Italian defence line, prepared before the war, had been pierced at many points. The line, which the Italians had believed to be impregnable. Is now considered useless as the Greeks threaten the remaining enemy posts. According to reports from the front, the Italians are fighting desperately in an endeavour to slow down the Greeks and to win time in which to prepare What may be the final and most important defence line northward of Valona, making possible a heavy stand to defend the last two-thirds of Albania,