BRITISH AIR SUPPORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24460, 20 November 1940, Page 7

BRITISH AIR SUPPORT

ADVANCE INTO ALBANIA

NEED FOR MORE FIGHTERS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 19. ' (Received Nov. 19, at 11.30 p.m.) - The Athens radio reports that the Greeks occupied part - of Koritza after fierce hand-to-hand fighting. It also claims that 10 Italian planes were brought down yesterday. It is authoritatively believed in London that the Greek advance has compelled the Italians to evacuate two of the most modern Albanian air bases, which near Koritza. The only other mam bases in Albania are Durazzo, Valona and Tirana. Twelve Greek fighters to-day shot down two of 15 Italian bombers near the Jugoslav border. The Athens correspondent of The Times issues a warning that it is important to guard now against undue pessimism concerning Greece just as it was vital previously to avoid exaggerated optimism. It is inevitable, the correspondent says, that the Greek troops will react to the relative invisibility of the R.A.F. over the battlefields in a similar way to the complaint of the British troops a Dunkirk. But just as the R.A.F. then made the evacuation possible by heavy blows against enemy air bases, so now must we remember that the R.A.F. is concentrating against the Italian bases rather than on costly fights over the front line. That is the achievement of bombers. The fighting around Koritza and elsewhere on the Albanian front requires fighters. ' , The correspondent adds: If wc enable the Greeks to follow up the magnificent achievements of their infantry, cavalry and artillery there is a serious possibility of throwing the Italians out of the Balkans before the spring, but this would mean more fighters as well as more bombers. Six hundred Italians with 130 tanks are reported to have entered Jugoslavia and surrendered to the authorities.