LOCAL SUCCESSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1940, Page 6

LOCAL SUCCESSES

GAINED BY THE GREEKS SEVERER TEST MAY COME. FOLLOWING ON REINFORCEMENT OF ITALIANS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day. 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, November 8. It is reported from Yugoslavia that the Greeks’ right wing, advancing across the Devoli River, has occupied the village of Hocista, on the road to Korea, four miles north-west of Bechlista. An Italian major, four officers and 59 soldiers were taken prisoner. The Greeks have also scored local success in the Janind sector and continue to resist the Italians’ southern drive. Albanian rebels ambushdd an Italian column, killing 21 and taking prisoner 40 soldiers and capturing ammunition. The Italians have again bombed Monastir (in Yugoslavia). The high morale of the Greeks was today strengthened by new reports of local successes in the right and centre, but a severer testing of the people and the Army is expected following upon reports that Marshal Badoglio is taking over the command in Albania and that the Italians are sending stronger forces, with fast planes, to the front. The Greeks, for their part, are continually strengthening their defences, improving artillery positions in mountain caverns and digging strip after strip of barbed wired trenches across the ridges and blocking the Italian troops’ supply columns by landslides and the dynamiting of bridges and road bends.

CONFIDENCE IN OUTLOOK DECLARED BY BRITISH GENERAL. (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON. November 8. Major-General Gambier Parry, Briish liaison ofl'icei’ at the Greek Headquarters, in an interview, said: “The British forces in the Middle East are capable of crushing the enemy from any quarter. Victory is certain and, as Mr Churchill said, we shall share its fruits. It is encouraging that Greece and Britain have found two brave fighting statesmen to. whom they can confide their fate. Mr Winston Churchill and General Metaxas will lead us to victory.”