TWO BAD MONTHS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1940, Page 5

TWO BAD MONTHS

FOR ITALIANS IN GREECE & ALBANIA IMPORTANT TOWN TAKEN BY GREEKS. ANOTHER DAMAGING RAID ON VALONA. It is now two months since the Italians wantonly, invaded Greece, a 8.8. C. broadcast observes. The results have been very different from those anticipated by the invaders, who have now been driven out of a large part of Southern Albania. The Greeks are reported to have captured an important town between Pogradec and Elbasan. Yet another successful raid on Valona has been made by the Royal Air Force. Shipping and objectives on the foreshore were bombed on Saturday in extremely bad weather conditions. All the bombs fell in the target area and one heavy bomb was seen to burst about fifty yards away from a large ship. All the British planes returned safely.

CONTINUED RETREAT • BY ENEMY FORCES. GREEKS PRESSING FORWARD IN DEEP SNOW. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 28. Athens messages summarise the 24 hours to Friday night as a day of continued Italian retreat northeast of Himara and of further progress by the Greeks, who captured prisoners. From some heights which they captured —Greeks artillery has been dragged on improvised sledges through the deep snow by men and mules —the Greeks are shelling the districts dominating the northern approaches to Tepelene through the upper valley of the River Vjosa. Farther- north, despite the deep snow, the Greeks have continued to drive back the Italians.

The Greeks are being assisted by detachments of Albanians under the noted rebel leader Bilial Tot. One detachment on the Greek right wing, attacking from the south-west, is reported to have forced the Italians, after a two hours and a half battle, to retreat across the River Harboli, over the only bridge in the vicinity. The War Ministry in Athens issued a communique which says: “Local operations continue successfully. More than 200 men, including officers, have been taken prisoner, and many automatic arms and mortars captured.” AN INEFFECTIVE RAID. A total of 200 Italian bombs are reported to have been dropped on Preveza, Greece’s nearest port to the Albanian front. It is reported there was no damage and no victims, though the harbour was filled with shipping. A violent battle is raging in the Kelcyra sector of Albanian at a point where the Italians have concentrated great forces, to- defend an important mountain pass and also the northward of Kelcyra, where the Greeks are threatening to cut the highway to Berat.

The Greeks northward of Pogradec have captured new positions, taking prisoners and war materials. The Greeks are meeting with continued strong resistance in the coastal sector, and heavy artillery duels continue in the north.

The “Daily Telegraph’s” Athens correspondent says that the Greeks in the Kelcyra and Tepelene sector maintained the policy of jumping from hill to hill, refraining from entering the towns till all the surrounding heights have been cleared. The Greek capture of five officers and 65 men belonging to five different units indicates chaos among the retreating Italians, whose units mingle pellmell. For the past fortnight or more the Italian resistance has been particularly strong on the northern front in Albania, but it now appears that the Greeks have made a strong, fresh thrust toward the head of the road which leads from Lake Ochrida to the vital key town of Elbasan in the centre of the country. The. Greek central advance is also directed at Elbasan, and is apparently following the line of the Devol Valley. In both areas the weather continues to be severe and is hampering transport, but though transport difficulties retard the Greek movements they have not stopped the advance.