ITALIAN SETBACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 November 1940, Page 6

ITALIAN SETBACK

GREEKS ON OUTSKIRTS OF KORITZA ARGYROKASTRON CLOSELY THREATENED.. INDICATIONS OF ENEMY COLLAPSE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) . LONDON, November 21. The Associated Press of Great Britain Athens correspondent reports that the Greeks have reached the outskirts of Koritza and are within six miles of Argyrokastron. The Italian defence of Argyrokastron is reported to have almost totally collapsed.

URGENT MEASURES TAKEN IN TURKEY. APPROVAL OF GOVERNMENT PLANS. (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) ANKARA, November 21. The Parliamentary group of the People’s Party, summoned by the Government, unanimously approved the Government plans for new and urgent measures “necessitated by world events.” LIMIT ON OPTIMISM URGED BY CORRESPONDENT. BUT EXTENDED ADVANCE CONFIRMED, (Received This Day, 1 p.m.) LONDON, November 21. Although the Athenians are expecting sweeping victories in both the Korea and Epirus sectors, “The Times” Athens correspondent warns against assuming too much from such Greek descriptions as: “The enemy is retreating in disorder, pursued pitilessly ; by the Greeks.” The correspondent nevertheless points out that the Italians certainly are retreating headlong in the direction of Argyrokastron. Greek aerial reconnaissances yesterday established that the Italian forces were fleeing even from a point seven miles southward of Argyrokastron, from which the Greeks were then some distance away. The Greeks elatedly predict that the fall of Argyrokastron and Santo Quaranti is imminent. The Greeks are making three main thrusts: Firstly, northward from the Kalamas River to Santo Quaranti: secondly, along the Janini-Argyrokastron road and thirdly, up the Vojiuza Valley, in the direction of Permit! and Valona.

Isolated enemy forces undoubtedly are still resisting, but the Greeks wholesale attacks have broken through enabling them to pour almost an army corps through the gap between the second and third thrusts. These forces are spreading out like a fan. constituting a direct threat to the. Santo Quaranti left wing and the Permeti right wings.