Greeks Advance Near Elbasan, Key Of Italians Defence Position

Northern Advocate, 10 December 1940, Page 5

Greeks Advance Near Elbasan, Key Of Italian s Defence Position

[British Official Wireless] (Received noon.)

RUGBY, December 0 THE CAPTURE YESTERDAY OF ARGYROKASTRON IS DISMISSED IN A BRIEF SENTENCE IN THE LATEST GREEK COMMUNIQUE ON SUNDAY’S FIGHTING, WHICH SAYS:

“During .today our troops occupied important positions in tho interior of Albanian territory.

“Argyrokastron has been occupied.”

The Italian official communique dealing with operations iff this area, states': •"

“The.nth army completed its retreat ■without loss of men or material.in full order to a line north o!‘ Argyrokastron and in some smaller localities.”

Authoritative circles in.'Athens report that the Greeks are advancing beyond the Del vino, in pursuit of the Italians, who have abandoned valuable war material of 'all descriptions.

Mew Alpine Troops Engaged

Further north, it is added, local defeats have been inflicted on a new regiment of Italian 'alpine troops.

After the capture of Argyrokastron the Greeks are advancing cautiously towards Himara. threatening the flank, of the Italians, who are retreating from Santi Quaranta.

Italian rearguards are stubbornly resisting the Greek push from Argyrokastron, making attempts to lure small Greek detachments into positions where they are vulnerable.

Details of the occupation of Argyrokastron show that the Greeks triumphed only after hard fighting on the outskirts of the city. The war material captured is reported to include 12 complete batteries of artillery.

Resistance Grows.

Bitter fighting is reported from the central front, where Italian resistance is becoming increasingly fierce. “The Times” Korea correspondent says the Italian morale is appalling.

A special thanksgiving service has been held by the Archbishop of Athens, and flags will fly for three days. Govern Big Part of Albania.

The Italians previously evacuated Argyrokastron after burning dumps of supplies, but the Greeks delayed occupation for tactical reasons while their forces pushed on among the mountains north-east of the city.* Reuter’s correspondent at Athens reports that, with the capture of Argyrokastron, the Greeks govern oneseventh of the whole of Albania, while one-quarter of its population has been freed.

In the front line it is possible to behold machine-gun nests which any British company would have held for a long time, abandoned by the Italians sometimes without fighting.

The Greeks are experts at mountain warfare, of which the Italians evidently understand surprisingly little. The Greeks, even in the front line, are beginning to recognise the amazing results of the Royal Air Force, the most impressive evidence of the effectiveness of which is the almost entire absence of enemy air activity on the Korea front for several days. Italian officers and- soldiers taken prisoner say the war has been Mussolini’s great mistake. They do not Know the cause of the war or why they are fighting. A “Pep” Talk. A special communique issued in Rome, states: “Italy knew, when she entered the war, that difficult moments were ahead.

The fall of Argyrokastron was of symbolic as well as material importance, since it was this town and Korea from which the Italians launched their attack against Greece. Argyrokastron Taken. The occupation .of Argyrokastron, where Italy had established an important air base, by the Greeks, was officially announced in Athens, stated an earlier message. The victory was marked by the wildest celebration since the war began. According to reports from Yugoslavia, the Greeks took Delvino, midway between Santi Quaranta and Argyrokastron, after bitter hand-to-hand fighting, in which 36 Greeks were killed and 300 wounded. Italian casualties were very heavy. Well-informed quarters in Athens describe as a tissue of lies Italian allegations that the Greeks demanded the despatch of British troops to assist in Albania,’ and they also deny the reports that Greece has concentrated all her reserves on the Albanian front. Success on Whole Front An Athens communique reports successful local fighting on various sections along the whole- front. “We captured prisoners, including officers,” the communique states. “We occupied Delvino. Enemy air raids in the interior were restricted. “lonian Sea Islands and a town in the Epirus were bombed, but no damage was done.”

“Those who find dangerous symptoms in the lack of harmony, possibledelays and catastrophes in the High Command changes are committing the same mistakes as were made during the Abyssinian war.

“On the contrary, the changes will accelerate the war machine to swifter and more efficient rhythm.”

Hand to Hand

An earlier communique from Athens revealed that throughout the day Greek troops took aggressive action on all sectors, and occupied new posi-. tions of strategic importance. Reuter’s correspondent on the northern front reports fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the heights overlooking Lin. There were losses on both sides.

Two picked Italian divisions are defending a series of fortified positions, which must be held if the Greeks are to be prevented from pouring down the Devoli Valley to Elbasan, key point of the Italian defence.

In Gale and Snow.

The battle for Elbasan was resumed this morning with undiminished violence, in spite of a gale and snowstorms sweeping the Kamma and Mokra mountains. The Greeks advancing northward frQm Pogradec are now beyond Undinste, and Italian reinforcements have been of no avail.

An unconfirmed report says Greek advance units occupied the village of Gjinari, which is within nine miles of Elbasan.

Refugees are crowding Tirana, the capital of Albania, where con-/ ditions are chaotic, and there is grave danger of epidemics.

Hold Few Roads.

It is reported from Athens that the village of Radokale has fallen to the Greeks. The Italians now hold only secondary roads in Southern Albania, and one minor road in Central Albania, between Valona and Tepeleni, says the Athens correspondent of “The Times.”

Fifteen days after the Greek entry into Korea, thousands of tons of ammunition was found in a cache, at least half of it being capable of immediate use by the Greeks. According to the Athens correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph,” the Greek Prime Minister (General Metaxas), who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs, War, Marine, Air and Education, was the author of the whole Greek plan of operations, and also its directing master-mind. 7 Public Rejoicing. The sirens of all ships in Piraeus, the port of Athens, joined the ringing of church bells in Athens tonight, in celebration of the Greek occupation of the Italians’ Albanian air base, Argyrokastron, which was officially announced today. Great crowds gathered in the streets of the capital, cheering the King and General Metaxas, who made brief speeches.

Crowds, spotting British bluejackets, carried them shoulder-high.