BEATEN BACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 January 1941, Page 5

BEATEN BACK

ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS IN ALBANIA ADDITIONAL GROUND TAKEN BY GREEKS. NEW ITALIAN COMMANDER CRITICISED. 'Ey Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. January 26. The Greeks In the past two days have foiled efforts by the Italian eommander-in-ehief. General Cavallero, to develop intense local counterattacks. His aim is believed to be t<> maintain the morale of his troops in Albania.

The Italian infantry wavered under the heavy fire of the Greek artillery, which was supplemented by deadly rifle fire. The Italians called in the support of the air force, but the pilots dropped their bombs on their own contingents.

The Greeks on the second day took the initiative in a local battle and drove the Italians far behind their original positions. They captured many prisoners. mortars, machine-guns and other material.

Another Greek force on the central front catured heights of strategic importance.

The newspapers in Athens report that civilians are evacuating Berat, Meanwhile it is reported from the Yugoslav frontier that the Italians launched a heavy attack on the northern front.

The Athens correspondent of ‘‘The Times" says a captured Italian officer asserts that General Cavallero repeated Mussolini’s Libyan mistake in not permitting an orderly withdrawal to better lines, though many Italian leaders counselled the straightforward abandonment of Tepelene, Berat and Valona to enable the Italians to reform behind the Shkumba River. Instead of giving the army a breathing space to care for the wounded and permit reorganisation of supplies. General Cavallero insisted in a series of futile counter-attacks and also a renewal of air activity, for which new types of faster bombers are appearing over the front, but with little improvement because of the poor quality of the pilots.

"The Times" correspondent adds that a fresh problem is arising from the rapid spread of disease among the Italian forces. It is stated without confirmation that typhus has broken out.

| There is little fresh news from Greece, • (he 8.8. C. states, since Sunday night's ) statement by a Greek military spokesi man that the Italian counter-stroke had j boon boaton back. Within an hour of I the enemy attack opening, the Greeks ) had taken the offensive, driven the Ital- ■ ians from the field and taken many ! prisoners. GENERAL WAVELL RECENT VISIT TO ATHENS. DISCUSSION OF MILITARY PLANS. General Sir Archibald Wavell, Com-mander-In-Chief of the British Forces i in the Middle East, has been to Athens recently, the 8.8. C. reports. His visit is confirmed in news from London. It is understood that he conferred on certain aspects of the assistance Great Britain has given and is continuing to give to Greece in resisting Italian aggression. TOTAL FAILURE OF ENEMY EFFORT TO REGAIN GROUND. GREEKS TAKE PRISONERS & MATERIAL. ■ Received This Dav. 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY. January 27. A brief Greek communique, issued from headquarters, states that there have been limited operations to the Greek advantage and that some prisoners were captured. Press messages from Athens, however. state that it is confirmed that all) counter-attacks launched by the Ital-i ians. for the purpose of regaining lost! positions, failed completely and that i Greek troops have advanced and oc-1 cupied fortified points on heights of) strategic advantage the Italians leaving behind prisoners. ' machine-guns | rifles and a considerable amount of! material