NOTABLE SUCCESS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1940, Page 5

NOTABLE SUCCESS

IN OPERATIONS ON LARGE SCALE ENEMY LOSSES ENORMOUS. CONCENTRATIONS IN EPIRUS ALSO BROKEN UP. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, November 11. . Reports of Greek successes on the central front are fully confirmed in the latest Greek communique. It is the first .'authentic detailed narrative of the battle, and shows that the Greeks scored a notable victory in the mountainous Pindus region. Large-scale operations in this area began early this month and resulted in the complete breaking-up of a crack Italian alpine division which was supported by cavalry and a Fascist military formation. This was the Third Alpine Division, and it had spent a year in Albania to become fully acquainted w'ith the conditions in this territory. This division threw all its strength from the very outset of the campaign into an attempt to cross the mountains in an effort to - reach Metzova, which is a few miles east of Janina. In the early stages this enemy force was met by light Greek covering detachments, w'hich withdrew under strong pressure. In the meantime other Greek advance detachments began to arrive after a series of forced marches. A strong counter-attack was then launched by these Greek forces and fierce fighting ensued in the difficult mountain conditions. After very bitter attacks, the enemy forces were defeated. In their haste to avoid encirclement some were cut off. Enemy losses were enormous and a large number of prisoners was taken, as well as all sorts of material, w'hich has not yet been fully checked over. The Greek communique says that on the Epirus front Greek guns successfully bombarded enemy concentrations causing their dispersal with heavy losses. An Athens correspondent says that British planes operating in Greek territory again bombed embarkation ports in Italy and Albania, and also joined with the Greeks in attacking Italian supply trains and troop gatherings behind the enemy front lines. As a result of the arrival of British forces, Crete is now strongly defended. An Italian bomber was shot down in Crete this morning.