WEATHER HELPS GREEKS

Southland Times, Issue 24273, 2 November 1940, Page 5

WEATHER HELPS GREEKS

ITALIANS HAMPERED BY SNOW AIR FORCES OF BOTH SIDES ACTIVE (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, October 31. The Italians, hampered by snowfalls in Macedonia, continued to pound the Greek positions along the front with artillery today, but are apparently confining their main drive to the coastal region. Both sides are bombing and machine-gunning communications from the air. The Italian newspaper “11 Lavoro Fascista” claims that the Italians have crossed the Kalamas river and adds that the Greeks are resisting in some places but generally are falling back to the main lines and attempting to block the Italian communications. The Greek authorities claim that the Italians have nowhere advanced more than six miles and nowhere have made contact with the main Greek defences. Greece is estimated to have 400,000 mobilized troops. Trains are hastening to the front with thousands of khakiclad troops. GREEK SUCCESSES Many Greek units have already achieved outstanding offensive successes. Three companies held a whole division of Italian Alpine troops for many hours. The Italians in one sector were caught in a trap. Machine-gun nests mowed them down. The local Greek commander, taking advantage of their rout, then pursued the enemy into Albania. A Greek platoon in another sector routed two Italian companies which abandoned much equipment.

As reinforcements arrive, the Italians’ numerical superiority disappears. The Greeks are confident that they will be able, with the help of winter and the mountains, to withstand the better armaments of the Italians. Greek reports indicate that the Italians have not begun a serious drive towards Salonika. The Italians have concentrated large forces in the Korea region ready for such a thrust but have not achieved a significant advance. The Italians similarly have not attempted to traverse the mid-front gap which leads to difficult country. The main thrust therefore is on the coastal belt, but even here, according to the Stefani News Agency, the weather is most unfavourable. A week’s rain has transformed roads into streams and plains into swamps. The Greek High Command has ordered the front line positions to be held at; all costs. There must be no attempt to follow up local successes. STRONGEST POINT OF ATTACK It is authoritatively stated in London that the Italian advance from Hobispol is the strongest point of their attack. Fighting in that area seems to be an affair of outposts. The Greek defensive line has not yet been reached. There is no information concerning the landings of British troops. The British United Press Rome correspondent states that a despatch from Argyrokastron says that the bad weather has broken and that light Italian units, advancing under a violent artillery barrage, opened up a big attack. An Athens message says that the Greeks, counter-attacking north of Janipa, are reported to have retaken the hill from the Italians and also to have captured considerable equipment. Greek bombers attacked the Italian supply line.

An Italian communique states that Italian, forces advancing from Epirus reached the River Kalamas at various points. The movement was not slowed down by unfavourable weather or by the obstacles created by the enemy. The air force bombed Patras and several troopships and also the Lepanto military

barracks, the Metsovo Pass fortifications, and junctions in the Kalamas Valley. A Moscow cable says that the Soviet Army newspaper The Red Star states that the British Navy prevented Italian landings at Crete and Corfu. PATRAS AGAIN BOMBED The Italians again bombed Patras and also Navtaktos on the Gulf of Corinth. Nine people were killed and two buildings were destroyed. The Greeks are incensed at the Italian use of Greek-marked planes in the raid on Patras on October 28. The 110 bodies so far recovered include a priest, a police official, 30 women and 45 children. Two hundred bombs destroyed numerous buildings, none of which was of a military character. The Italian bombing of Navtaktos killed some women and injured eight civilians. There have been no air raids on Salonika. Fifty coastal steamers lie immobilized in the harbour. Italian residents and 500 rounded-up Germans are still free. TURKEY’S ATTITUDE Informed circles in Ankara, Sofia and Berlin agree that Turkey will not enter the Italian-Greek war unless Bulgaria attacks Greece or Turkey’s interests are endangered. Bulgarians and Germans declared that Bulgaria was remaining neutral. It is reported from Bucharest that fast German troop trains are traversing the Rumanian province of Banat. There are heavy movements of German war supplies on the Timisoara-Brasov railway. The Berlin radio gave out the following report from Wilhelmstrasse circles: “Germany’s relations with third Powers will always depend on their attitude towards Italy. Various official Italian statements have proved the unilateral favour granted by Greece to Britain and the Italian reaction is therefore but a part of the common struggle against Britain.” The Russians and Greeks both now deny that Soviet planes have been sent to Greece. The original agency report did not amplify the mention of the Rus-sian-Greek agreement which implicity referred solely to this reported delivery of planes.