DESPERATE PLIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23860, 10 January 1941, Page 7

DESPERATE PLIGHT

ITALIANS LEAVING VALONA COUNTER-ATTACKS CEASE & GREEKS CLAIM GENERAL ADVANCE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received January 9, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 8 'The fact that 35,000 additional Italian soldiers. 3 f esterday embarked from Valona shows that the Italians are in a desperate plight," says a statement issued in Athens. "From Pogradec to the coast," it is added, "the Greeks are advancing without much resistance. "We had a new success between Tepeleni and Klisura, where the Italians are now in a bad situation, owing to Greek pressure and the weather." No large-scale activity is reported in Albania, states another message, but two points are noteworthy—the cessation of Italian counter-attacks and a marked improvement in Italian air tactics. According to Athens reports many Italian fighters are being fitted with German engines, giving them greater speed, but there is no positive proof that German personnel are engaged in the fighting. No exploit of the whole campaign has been more heroic than the Greek capture of an important peak northward of Klisura, stated an earlier despatch from Athens. The mountain is one of the most precipitous in Albania and the Italians converted it into a volcano of fire, with batteries of quick-firing guns, large machine guns and sub-machine guns. Modern technique seemed to have made the mountain practically impregnable, but again the Greek bayonets were the decisive factor. Infantry scaled the precipitous rocks and captured the peak after a hand-to-hand fight. The struggles of the gunners were so bitter that all the Italian survivors were seriously woundedBritish bombers again raided Elbasan. Rain is now falling in the target area, making observation difficult, but high explosive and incendiary bombs were seen to hit several buildings. A number of fires were started. As a result of the British successes in Libya hundreds of captured Italian lorries particularly suitable for Albanian winter road conditions are being sent to Greece. Since the Italian invasion began the Greeks have taken 14,000 Italian prisoners.