MORE VILLAGES OCCUPIED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21817, 21 November 1940, Page 5

MORE VILLAGES OCCUPIED

TAKEN AT POINT OF BAYONET Greeks Need Of Aircraft United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received November 20, 10 p.m.) LONDON, November 19. Near Koritza the Greeks captured an additional 29 Italian guns and occupied two villages north-east-ward and south-westward of the town after bayonet charges. M. Nicoloudis, Minister of Information, addressing foreign correspondents said the Greek troops were cleaning up the remaining sections of Greek territory profaned by the Fascist invaders who had been driven back to Albania where the Greeks were threatening important positions. “We are confident of victory,” he said, “but our difficulties and requirements must not be forgotten. We are fighting a sixfold bitter enemy who has abundant supplies and a great air force. We have little material and almost no ’planes. The Greek advance into the Koritza sector is the first example of an army advancing in 1940 unsupported by air against an enemy crushing us with heavy aircraft. Our towns in the interior have no defences. This cannot continue. We must not make the mistake of Finland who contended in the first success that it did not want aid from abroad." According to a message from Moscow the “Red Star,’’ after noting the deterioration of the Italian position in Greece, isue a warning against overestimating the Greek success. It adds that the Italian air strength and artillery superiority may enable a new offensive after serious preparation. In spite of transport difficulties the Italians have transferred six new alpine divisions to Albania, although some of these must be used for replacements. Koritza was again the storm centre of the Greek-Italian war to-day. The Greek artillery resumed its attack and aircraft started fresh fires. The sound of heavy gunfire near the Yugoslav border indicated that the Italians were bombing the Greek positions and counter-attacking vigorously. It is reported from the frontier, without confirmation, that the Greeks took Koritza early this morning. The Athens radio earlier claimed that part of the town had been occupied. The amount of war material seized is not specified