ALLIED RETREAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 April 1941, Page 5

ALLIED RETREAT

BEFORE ENEMY DRIVE WAR MATERIALS WITHDRAWN FROM SALONIKA. GREEK STAND IN STRUMA VALLEY. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. April 9. The Athens correspondent of the British United Press says that British and Greek forces are falling back hastily before a smashing German drive down the Vardar Valley. The main Greek army is abandoning Salonika and is withdrawing war materials from the town.

The Greek troops in the Struma Valley, who are now cut off, are stated to have driven off German attempts to break through and have even coun-ter-attacked at some points. Agency messages describe the German attack on this front as terrific.

There is no confirmation of a report that Yugoslavs have occupied Scutari. in northern Albania, but the Columbia (American) radio broadcaster at Ankara, who gave the original report. has repeated it and added that the Yugoslavs have advanced 25- miles from the frontier and captured another town in Albania.

An earlier B.E.C. bulletin stated: “Unofficial reports from Athens say that British land forces have not yet made contact with the enemy, but. have taken over a section of the line, where they will be able effectively to check an enemy advance from the mountains. Some of the forces, powerfully reinforced by tanks, and including British, Australian and New Zealand forces are already in position, and others are moving up. There is so far no confirmation of an announcement by the Athens radio that British troops have penetrated into Bulgaria.