BEYOND POGRADEC

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 4 December 1940, Page 5

BEYOND POGRADEC

GREEKS MAINTAIN CAUTIOUS ADVANCE Casualties on Both Sides Heavy FIGHTING IN SNOW AND MUD

fUnited Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] (Received 4th December, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, 3rd December. With snow three feet deep in the north and mud knee-deep in parts of the central and southern battlefields, the fighting in Albania is daily increasing in severity. The Greeks are advancing most cautiously beyond Pogradec because, besides the bad weather, the Italians are still holding some heights in this area. The slopes of the Mokra mountains are at present the scene of the fiercest fighting in the northern sector. According to the latest report from Athens, the Greeks captured the village of Mumuniste on the western side of Lake Okhrida, about three miles from Pogradec. Dispatches from the front point out that the Italians are endeavouring to make counter-offensives and are often resisting most furiously, but they have not prevented the Greeks from pressing on and occupying many useful positions by the familiar technique of cutting the supplies of each attacked body and then surrounding the position. The Italians sometimes resist to the last moment till they face starvation or annihilation. Here, as all along the front, the Italians have flown up picked troops who are making the resistance fiercer. The casualties on both sides are heavy and are increasing. The Italians are believed to be rushing all possible reinforcements of men and material from the north Adriatic. The Greeks emphasise that the superiority of the Italian resources is the dominating factor in the Greek strategy, for which reason success will continue only if British assistance is unremitting.

MANY PRISONERS TAKEN The Athens night communique states that on the left wing the road from Sarande to Argyrokastron is now under fire from the advancing Greek troops, who have also occupied new positions around Premeti, where considerable prisoners were captured and also all kinds of material. Many prisoners were also taken in the Ostrovitse mountains, where successful Greek attacks dispersed enemy contingents. Northward of Pogradec the battle continues in favour of the Greeks. The victims of Greek bombing raids in the southern sector included the noted Albanian chieftain, Djafer Upi, who joined the Italians after their seizure of Albania. The Italians sent him to the northern flank of the Epirus front to organise a corps of Albanian irregulars. A road in south-west Albania which was being used by the Italians to bring up reinforcements was successfully attacked by the R.A.F. on Sunday. An important bridge was damaged. During a previous raid on Tepelene military buildings were bombed and a number demolished. The Italian Press and radio are silent on the situation, and the Italian people are now being told that the Greek war is a minor affair, and that one of the decisive theatres of operations is on the Suez Canal. So far the Italian troops in North Africa are still about 400 miles from the canal, while their leader, Marshal Graziani, according to the German wireless, is inspecting troops in Tripoli. Hope of co-operation with the North African troops on the base of Salonika has now been dashed, according to a London military expert, since the capture of Koritza has removed the threat of a direct attack on Salonika, except by forces coming through Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. According to the Rome radio, Signor Mussolini does not want help from any quarter. A message from Belgrade says that reports from the frontier state that the Italian retreat is in progress in central Albania, which is knee-deep in snow. The Italians are attacking heavily from the air, while Greek cavalry are pushing on from Pogradec. A Greek communique states: “We took 150 prisoners in the Premeti region, and also captured much war material.” The Athens radio stated that Greek forces had reached the coast north of Corfu. ITALIAN REPORTS The Italian High Command admitted to-day that the Italian forces are on the defensive, and added that the Greeks, despite counter-attacks by the Italians, were continuing to attack, the Italians resisting stubbornly. SUCCESS IN SOUTH GREEKS SECURE STRATEGIC HEIGHTS LONDON, 3rd December. The Greeks are not only following the Italians in the region of Lake Okhrida, but they are striking north across the mountains andl westward from Moskopolis. It is in the south that the Greeks gained their most important success yesterday, when the Italians were driven back from the heights in front of Delvine. These are on the road from Argyrokastron to the port of Sarante, which is now under shell fire from the Greeks, proving the wisdom of the Italians in moving their supplies from this port. EFFECT OF DEFEAT ON ITALIANS SOUTHERN ALBANIA MAY BE ABANDONED PORTS MADE USELESS [British Official Wireless ] RUGBY, 2nd December. The Times” In an editorial headed “The Italian Defeat,” takes a most favourable view of the outlook, and says: “The Greek victories are no flash in the pan. The Greek Army continues its advance. The port of Sarante must have ceased to be used for supply, and Valona has probably been rendered useless, leaving the enemy to rely on Durazzo and what value he can extract from the roadstead at San Giovanni Di Medua. It would not be a surprise if within the next few days the Italians were to abandon southern Albania altogether, perhaps down to the line of the Shkumbi River, which flows through Elbasan westward to the Adriatic. If that were to happen it is not inconceivable that Sarante should be used to supply the Greek Army on its western flank. “Opportunities for British naval and air action are foreseen in the event of Italy launching an attack on Greece which is not proved illusory. It is to the stout-hearted defence and dashing counter-offensive of the Greek Army that we owe the greater advantages, including fighter airfields on Greek

; soil, which we are now employing to l so much effect. PROBLEM FOR COMMANDER 1 “The enemy has been severely ! shaken. Every fresh blow inflicted will add to the discouragement and perturbation. On the other hand, a counterstroke by an Italian armoured division > in the coast belt of Albania might have a very strong effect and supply a fillip to Italian confidence. Lightly ag the Greek soldier marches, even he requires > lines of communication. The problem is one which can be solved only by the man on the spot. “General Papagos has the reputation of being prudent as well as energetic. He can be relied on to weigh his actions with care and at the same time not to miss opportunities. It may be taken for granted that the Italian command will make most strenuous efforts to repair the serious setback to the Italian plans and damage to prestige. “The German reaction is more difficult to assess. Opinions vary as to whether Hitler will strike in the Balkans or await the spring and meanwhile accentuate his attacks upon Britain in the hope of preventing us from spending further powerful reinforcements to the Middle East. “The rate at which we reinforce the Middle East is to a great extent determined by the shipping available, and it is against our shipping and out ports that Germany’s heaviest blows are being directed. It is to provide a clue to the possible Germany policy. We must be ready in case Hitler should decide to strike harder at this country during the next three or four months.” R.A.F. BOMBERS’FEAT ITALIANS PREVENTED FROM REFORMING LINE (Received 4th December, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, 3rd December. The Air Ministry revealed that three R.A.F. bombers, of which only one had returned, had stopped the Italians reforming their line and rushing troops in order to hold Koritza. The bombing followed an appeal from the Greek general staff. The R.A.F. aircraft dived to within a few feet of the ground and bombed and machinegunned lorries and troops on the Pogra-dec-Koritza road despite fierce groundfire. CORFU AGAIN BOMBED (Received 4th December, 11.5 a.m.) ATHENS, 3rd December. The Ministry of Public Security stated that the retreating Italians carried off eighteen notables from the town of Epirus, including doctors, businessmen and teachers. There fate is unknown. The enemy again bombed the defenceless town of Corfu and considerable damage was done. Greek newspapers reveal that numerous Italian prisoners have been taken to Corfu.