VALUE OF KORITZA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 November 1940, Page 6

VALUE OF KORITZA

CAPTURE WOULD STRENGTHEN DEFENCE OF GREECE AND SEVERELY HANDICAP ITALIANS. RIDGE OVER TOWN TAKEN BY GREEKS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.38 a.m.) RUGBY, November 18. In the opinion of military experts, the definite news of the capture by /the Greeks of the ridge overlooking Koritza justifies high hopes of the capture of the town itself. It is pointed out that, standing as it does at an important junction of two roads leading towards Greece, the capture of Koritza would add greatly to the defence of that country. Should the town fall into Greek hands it is thought that an end would be put to the Italian advance toward Salonika, unless Italy is prepared to violate the neutrality of Yugoslavia and attempt to enter Outer Greece via Monastir. Also probably as long as Koritza remained in Greek hands the threat of invasion by way of Janina would be ended.

FURIOUS FIGHTING DESPERATE EFFORTS MADE BY ITALIANS. ENEMY USING MASSES OF DIVE BOMBERS. (Received This Day, 1.5 p.m.) LONDON. November 18. Interest in the Italian-Greek war is still focussed on Koritza, where very heavy fighting is resulting from desperate Italian efforts to prevent the Greeks capturing the town. General Soddu is heavily reinforcing his troops in a last effort to save large quantities of stores and equipment. Although exposed to merciless attacks by Italian dive-bombers, the Greeks are believed not only to have repulsed wave after wave of infantry, crashing against their positions, but to have made new gains at some points. It is authoritatively stated in London that the Greeks are holding a line from a point due eastward of Koritza, thence ten miles southward to a point due westward of Bohzigrad, but according to various reports sectional Greek advances threaten the town from other directions. It is generally believed that the Greeks are manoeuvring to occupy Koritza from the south.

Meanwhile despatches reaching Monastir emphasise that the Italians have counter-attacked Zvezda, on Mount Ivan, a great part of which the Greeks captured last week. The most important fact of recent fighting is that the Italians are obtaining very heavy air reinforcements, which are gruellingly machine-gun-ning the Greeks around Koritza and also along the road between Delvinaki and Argyrokastron. “The Times” Athens correspondent declares that wave after wave of Italian planes dived on unprotected Greek troops. He adds that the relative air strength of the Allies and Italy must certainly have an important bearing on the outcome of the ItalianGreek struggle, even if it is not finally decisive.

BRITISH AIR SUPPORT ATTACK ON ELBASAN. The R.A.F. has carried out a bombing attack on Elbasan, an important junction in the centre of Albania and more than 60 miles from the Greek frontier, the 8.8. C. reports.