AIR MASTERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23817, 19 November 1940, Page 7

AIR MASTERY

yiTAL FACTOR IN WAR ITALIANS' PROBLEMS POSSIBLE ,GERMAN AID (Received November IS, 7.30 p.m.) • ' LONDON, Nov. is The Italian commander-in-chief in 'Albania, General Soddu, appears to be drawing reinforcements from Scutari, Elbasan and Valona, but the rapid Greek thrusts are hampering the regroupment of his forces, says the Athens correspondent of the Times. > ' General Soddu also must be perplexed to discover the direction from which the -main Greek attacks are coming. He is .threatened in the Epirus by the Greek thrust on the flanks, and is also being harried in the Pindus sector, while his position is growing desperate at Korea. Local counter-attacks designed to test the strength, of the Greek thrust have been repulsed everywhere. Yugoslavia's Attitude The correspondent adds that from the satisfaction expressed in Athens regarding Yugoslavia's attitude it is assumed that fresh assurances have been received from Belgrade. Moreover, information has been received in Athens that Yugoslavia is calling up 10 more classes, in addition to the 700,000 men already with the colours. Simultaneously, the Bulgarians are reported to be calling up more men, but the Greeks have confidence in Turkish 'assurances, which-are understood to be hased on further assurances from 'Moscow, both before and after M. Molotoff's visit to Berlin. The correspondent also utters a warning that the improved diplomatic prospects iu the Balkans, as the result of the success of Greek arms, should not blind to certain over-riding considerations. The outcome of the campaign is increasingly a question of air superiority, by which supplies for the Italian air force in Albania may be cut off. There is a serious possibility that the •nemy may be aible to employ import-ant-aerial reinforcements after Marshal Badoglio's conferences with General Keitel, chief of staff of the German High Command/ British Assistance After the crippling of Italian naval striking power at Taranto, it should be possible to improve on previous decisions to give aeriail assistance to Greece and conduct an aerial offensive ' against Italy, enabling us to capture the .initiative; also to be ready for any reinforcements Marshal Badoglio may be able to enlist. I'rom calculations of the carrying capacity of' the Simplon railway, " seems such reinforcements are ..hardly likely to be troops, although Marshal de Bono, after attending Manoeuvres in Albania, declared would be impossible to attack Greece with less than 1,000,000 men. , phase of the war, like others, ls becoming a struggle for emphatic air superiority. It would be a grave blunder, says the correspondent, to ln >agi ne that the British have done all Possible, although they have had three * e eks to do it. ARREST IN INDIA (Received November IS, 5.5 P-m.} BOMBAY, Nov. 17 An Indian politician and former r 'associate of Mr. Gandhi, Vallabhbhai > has been arrested at Ahraedadefeajcq. Vagulations. ,