The Bag of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, DECEMBER 2nd, 1940. ITALIANS ON THE RUN.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 244, 2 December 1940, Page 4

The Bag of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, DECEMBER 2nd, 1940. ITALIANS ON THE RUN.

IT was at 3 o'clock on the morning of October 28, that the Italian Ambasasdor in Athens handed an ultimatum to General Metaxas, the Gretfk Prime Minister.. This ultimatum stated that the Italian Army would march three hours after the delivery of the note to occupy Greece, and it warned the Greek authorities not to oppose the Italian Army. General Metaxas promptly refused the ultimatum, and regarded it as a declaration of war. At that moment the Italian forces in Albania were organised and equipped for a quick invasion of Greetfa, while the Greek Army was on a peace-time footing, and it! was not until the elapse of several days that the mobilisation of the Greek forces was completed. In the meanwhile, the Italians crossed the Greek frontier and occupied a village which was looked upon, as a strategic point. The Greeks promptly requested the aid of Britain under the guarantee, and British assistance was immediate and effective. We consider that the promptness of the British in sending help to the Greeks, heartened the latter, and helped to raise the morale of the troops- The Greek soldiers knew that/they were receiving the practical help of the powerful British nation, and this assistance was made doubly sure when the R.A.F. began operations in company with Greek airmen. As in Germany, and the Middle East, the R.A.F. proved its efficiency, courage and war potential. They soon accounted for many Italian air bases and ports; in Albania were bombed and made practically useless to the Italians. Is it any wonder that the people of Athens paid homage to v the men of the R.A.F.? Greek enthusiasm, like Greek morale, has reached a high level. What about the Italian Army? On the morning of October 28,.the Italian Army in Albania numbered about 300,000, and about a third of that number was assigned the task of invading Greece. What is the position of the Italian Army today? It is a disorganised and demoralised, rabble fleeing from the Greeks, every Italian soldier looking for somewhere to hide. Nothing succeeds, like success, and the initial success of the Greeks is leading to more success and these must continue, for they will now have the help of British and New Zealand soldiers who are frothing to have a brush with the Italians. It is hard.ly likely that the Italians will stage a counter-attack, they have lost rather heavily in men-and materials, and it would be a difficult, if not an impossible task for them to be reinforced,, except perhaps by troop carrying aircraft, and that would be a risky job, The Albanian troops cannot be reinforced by troops across the Adriatic for the British Navy is in command there. The Italians will be pushed out of Albania:, and King Zog should. again be seated on the Albanian throne before long. There is of course the probability of help from Germany, but that is a forlorn hope. The R.A.F. has cut up German communications and German troops would take a long time travelling to Greece, and if they did-get to the frontier they will find the Turks lined up to give them a warm reception. The dissolution of Mussolini's Roman Empire has begun.