NEIGHBOURS' AID

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23828, 2 December 1940, Page 7

NEIGHBOURS' AID

REPORTED ASSURANCES TURKEY AND YUGOSLAVIA EVENT OF GERMAN ATTACK (Received December 1. 7.10 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 3d The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says it is understood Turkey and Yugoslavia have both given an assurance to Greece of united resistance to any German attempt to rescue Italy in Albania. The main body of the Yugoslav army in Serbia would join the Greeks in defending Salonika and its surroundings. The Turkish radio said yesterday: "It must be emphasised that the war is developing remarkably in favour of Britain. The Germans have not obtained their desires from M. Molotoff, and Russia is reluctant to. enter into closer relations with the Axi.°. Attempts to incorporate Spain and I' ranee in the 'new order' have failed. "Bulgaria and Yugoslavia are the next objectives of the Axis diplomatic offensive, but, with political aspects in both countries returning to normal, one cannot see any successes the future may hold for Axis diplomacy. Bulgaria has definitely given up any idea of joining the Axis."

ITALIAN VERSION "TENACIOUS DEFENCE" (Received December 1, 5.5 p.m.) ROME, Nov. 30 An Italian communique states: "Our troops on the Greek front tenaciously opposed enemy attacks and carried out effective local counter-attacks at some points. Two air squadrons were occupied all day in bombing military objectives and enemy positions." An earlier communique stated: "Three divisions of the 11th Army counter-attacked on the Greek front, crushing an enemy attempt at infiltration. About iiOO Italian aeroplanes bombed enemy communications, especially at Krsek, in the Sopiki zone. ".Italian naval forces bombarded the base at Corfu, hitting shore batteries, fortifications, barracks, the wireless station and observation posts."

BRITISH SUCCESSES AIR OPERATIONS British Wireless I/ONDON, Nov. 29 British fighters in Greece in the last two days have destroyed ten enemy aircraft, states a Royal Air Force communique, which adds that in Southwest Albania on Thursday a small patrol of British fighters encountered 20 enemy fighters. The British aeroplanes nt once attacked, and in less than a minute seven enemy aircraft were shot down. Later, during an individual combat, one British fighter collided with an enemy fighter, which crashed in flames. On the previous day, fighters from the same squadron intercepted an enemy fighter formation, one enemy machine being shot down in flames. Another disappeared behind the hills out of control. Bomber aircraft raided Santo Quaranta (Albania), to which the destroyers bombarding Corfu fled on the approach of the British formation. Other raids were carried out on Dtirazzo and Elbasan, also in Albania. From all operations two British machines failed to return, one being the fighter involved in the collision with the Italian aeroplane.