INTENSE ACTIVITY IN GREEK WAR

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 45, 16 November 1940, Page 11

INTENSE ACTIVITY IN GREEK WAR

Greeks Push Forward At Several Points OFFENSIVE ALONG WHOLE FRONT REPORTED LONDON, November 15. The latest Greek communique tells of intense activity on all sectois ui the front. Reports from Athens say the Greeks have advanced in several places, in the Epirus sector they are reported to have pushed the Italians back to the Kalamas River. Letters teaching Athens from Greek soldiers show that the Italians may now be short of supplies, soldiers having surrendered with cries for food. LONDON, November 14. The Greeks are reported to have launched a heavy offensive at dawn along the entire front of 120 miles between the sea and the Yugoslav border. The Greek attackers consist of infantry and cavalry, with the support ol mountain artillery, tanks, and English and Greek planes. They have pressed across the Kalamas River at several points. Greek cavalry drove the Italians from the first-line defences in the Kalpaki region, which is the gateway to Janina. Further Greek successes are reported after heavy fighting in the Findus mountains, where the Italians were driven from fortified positions. An Athens report says that Greek forces repulsed a counter-attack which the Italians attempted in the Pindus sector to prevent the Greeks from fortifying their new positions. After fighting for three hours the Italian forces retired, leaving behind dead, wounded, and war material. Tn the Koritza area in Albania the Greeks are said to Have carried out a number of strong attacks on occupied positions.

Greek guns are .shelling the road between Koritza (Albania) and Konitza (Greece), over which the Italians are transporting supplies for their troops in the Klpaki sector. General Soddu, tile Italian corn-mander-in-eliief, is reported to be rushing reserves to the front in lorries.

Greek planes machine-gunned and bombed a convoy of -100 lorries, and Greek engineers dynamited huge masses of rock which crashed down on the roads. British planes meanwhile constantly bombed the Italian rear and supply lines. fl'lie Athens correspondent of “The Tinies” states that, it is daily clearer that the Italian High Command is having great difficulty in reorganizing the smashed front in the Pindus sector, in addition to which the R.A.F. has made withering blows on the sources of Italian supplies of oil by bombardment of the refineries at Bari. The destruction at Durazzo and Valona is clearly enormous. The Greeks have so exploited their recent victory in the Pindus area that it is evident that they hold most of the spurs on the Albanian side of the Pindus range. Fear of a Greek flank attack from the Kalpaki-Koiiitza sector has clearly forced the enemy to retreat on the Epirus front. An Italian division is believed to have been smashed up on the banks of the Kalamas River. The enemy must be some miles behind the Kalamas River at several places, though they are probably still at the river near the coast. The'ltalians, however, are definitely retreating ou this front. RUGBY, November 14. Today’s Greek communique, dealing with engagements in the Pindus Mountains, says: “After a successful engagement, our troops occupied a new line ou heights in Albanian territory. ’ Information available to military circles in Loudon indicates that while there is nothing new to report on the northern sector, there are rumours that more Italian troops are being brought up. In the Pindus sector Greek infantry reached the frontier two mile.-, north of Konitza, where operations are continuing. In the Epirus sector, the Greeks are reported to be advancing and are just forward of Mazaraki. (Received Nov. 15, 10.40 p.m.) ATHENS. November 14. A Greek High Command communique states that there is great infantry and artillery activity on all fronts. ■■We took more than 200 prisoners and captured all kinds of material. Our aircraft bombed Koritza and Atgjrokastron aerodromes, destroying grounded enemy machines, and also bombed enemy marching columns. “Eleven enemy planes were brought down in air battles and 10 others damaged, probably beyond repair. One of ours is missing. Enemy aircraft bombed several inland towns at random. destroying hospitals and causing civilian casualties. No military objectives were hit. R A.F. headquarters in Greece say our 'aircraft again attacked Valona (Albania), bombs falling on the dock area and destroying the only landing jetty. AH our planes returned.