Evening star., 1940-11-28
Italian Forces
ReportedRouted
All Along Coast
Regiment Of Death
Beaten After 4-Duy
Stond, Athens Says
~ the Associated Press.

SNoti0T SNA'SuS SoyS
~ the Associated Press.
ATHENS, Nov. 28.-Greek reports
from the front indicated tonight that
the Italians were in full flight up
the Albanian coast after a stubborn
four-day stand in the southwestern
sector by a Fascist Regiment Of
Death"
These picked troops had taken an
oath to die rather than retreat,
Greek advices said. However, they
declared the Greek victory in this
sector appears to have been greater
than was at first believed, and now
the Italians along the coast all are
reported in retreat.
In general the Greek counter
invasion of Albania was reported un-
officially to be progressing IN all
sectors.
Prisoners Are Taken.
One dispatch said "our troops
have dispersed an Italian regiment
OF death which until yesterday pre-
sented most serious resistance. 1t
was the choicest regiment Of the
italian Army. But eventually
the impetus of our men prevailed.
"A considerable number Of pris-
oners was taken. Greek troops,
mopping up the terrain, are pushing
" their positions forward. 1t Is char
acteristic that reports show that our
guns, which until yesterday were
heard in villages along the frontier
line, are no longer audible.
From this it is inferred that our
artillery has advanced deeply into
Albania"
Reports from the southern sector
also told of victory by the r. A. F.
One account said parallel to Greek
land victory, another brilliant sue
cess was scored this morning by
British aviation"
Greco British fighters, in an air
battle, shot down within half an
hour seven and probably eight Ital-
ian bombers. Only one British plane
was lost, but it is believed the pilot
was saved"
Dispatches picture the Greeks as
constantly hammering the Italians,
forcing wholesale surrender by Fas-
cist troops In some cases and retreat
In others and the shattering-with
British help in the air-of all Ital-
Ian attempts to reorganize.
tThe Italian high command,
which has acknowledged some re-
verses in the Greek campaign,
declared today that troops Of the
18th Army had successfully
counter -attacked0
Reports by Sectors.
BY sectors, the Greek dispatches
reported:
,Southern-"As q result of yester-
days success our troops have sue
ceeded in compelling the enemy to
q general, quick withdrawal after
fighting four days and nights with
out rest, sometimes launching
stormy attacks at bayonet point.
sometimes maneuvering through
high mountains and encircling the
enemy detachments and sometimes
launching surprise night attacks.
"' : = Our men did not leave the
enemy a single moment to reor-
ganize.
after an attack yesterday about
dawn our troops forced an entire
battalion Of Italians in Albania to
surrender and by afternoon the
enemy's resistance had collapsed.
AL day long our batteries fired a
storm of shells at the enemy
columns which had managed to
avoid encirclement and were re-
treating in disorder"
Central-Four hundred Italians
. captured in one village by IS Greek
soldiers after the Greek line had
carried beyond the place. In dark
ness the Greek detachment sur
rounded house where most of the
Italians were barricaded with ma
chine guns. The Greek leader fired
through a window and killed an
italian second lieutenant. This was
the beginning" said the dispatch.
1.-THE other Italians surrendered"
More Prisoners Taken.
Northern-"Our troops continued
to advance and occupy important
enemy positions. Strong enemy
units opened fire in fierce resist
ance, but before the dash of Greek
troops they dispersed in all direc-
tions.
LAS is usually the case, they aban-
doned large quantities of war ma
terials. More prisoners were taken
and their statements disclosed the
magnitude of the Italian disaster
sss
"At any moment the final clash
between our advancing forces and
the retreating enemy will take place
The Italians are seriously
threatened with being cut of from
their bases"
Center of this action was Pogra-
detz, Albanian town about 20 miles
north of fallen Koritza, where
government spokesman said the
Greeks encountered and crushed
systematically fortified" positions.
Greek advance guards previously
had been reported at the edge of
the town.
(Advices reaching Ochrid,
Yugoslav town on the Albanian
border, however, said Greek
troops attempting fianking
movement on Pogradetz had been
pushed back and that the Ital-
tans were holding their lines
along the Ceraya River about 5
miles to the south.)
Paying tribute to British flyers,
Through whose efforts he said
italian reinforcements intended to
bolster italian troops have been un-
able to reach their destination" the |
government spokesman said the
Greeks are holding the initiative |
generally and now are forging ahead |
with the same speed which has |
- orked the otfack nf roner+ Sa,,r - /