FIERCE FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 January 1941, Page 5

FIERCE FIGHTING

ON SHORES OF LAKE OCHRIDA ITALIANS PREPARING NEW LINE IN CENTRAL ALBANIA. 1 * A Keuier correspondent is 1 1 quoted by Ihe 8.8. C. as reI porting tierce encounters bej t ween the Greeks and Italians uu ilit* western shores of Lake I’ehrida. The Greeks are concentratiiig at present on the capture of the village of Lin. which is not held by either side. Ii was occupied j by iln* Greeks some days ago but they hail to withdraw. The Italians are said to be pre- > paring a new defensive line in Central ■ Albania extending from Valona to El- ■ basan and northward to the Yugoslav • frontier. This is taken to indicate that ’ the Italians have little hope of holding 1 the positions they are ai present de- , fending. J Valona was bombed by tire R.A.F. for the 23rd lime on Tuesday. Enemy fighters vainly attempted to beat off ’ the British bombers.

MANY GAINS i —• MADE BY GREEK TROOPS. CAPTURES OF PRISONERS 1 & .MATERIAL. ; (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copy right < i LONDON. December 31. The Greek radio says that along i the coast the Greek troops have ' occupied many villages and fortifications. a brilliant success at this ! point being the capture of a height strategically most important, as it blocked the way for the advance ‘ toward Valona, whose early capture is anticipated. On the Kelcyra front the Greeks captured considerable prisoners, including newly-arrived Bersaglieri from Italy, and much war material. They have . occupied the northern heights of Kelcyra. ’ On the northern front, despite a blizzard, the Greeks have had now successes, capturing heights and taking? prisoners. On this front they are ad-1 vancing north of Pogradec. Headquarters in Athens issued the following communique: “There has been successful local fighting on the various fronts. More than 1000 prisoners have been captured, including an entire battalion ot officers and men. We also captured eight guns, many automatic arms, mortars and much material. We broke up a ski detachmentwhich tried to operate and took its I arms and some prisoners.” A later communique reports that a| tank attack was made by the enemy i but was repulsed, one tank being captured. During Monday two enemy, planes were shot down. GERMAN DIVISION SAID TO HAVE REACHED ALBANIA. ENGINEERS & PRISONERS. | — STRUG A, December 30. ’ Unconfirmed reports originating from an Albanian source state I that one complete German division , has arrived in Albania, of which ? motorised units were immediately sent to Elbasan and Libras. The same reports state that pioneerand engineers from a German division ■ wore immediately sent io Herat ami? Ljusna. about halfway between the ; Berat-Durazzo main road.