Evening star., 1940-12-11
British Claim 5000 Captured
As Big Battle Neors in E Egypt;
Cretons Spur Italian Retreat
Knife-WieIding Men
From Islands Now
In Greek Line
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ATHENS, Dec. 11.-Fierce knife
welding men from the wild hills of
Crete, surpassed in toughness only
by Greece's famous mountain troops,
have been thrown into the Greek
front line attack against the retreat
ing Italians, it was disclosed today.
At the same time a govern
ment spokesman reported important
moves are now in full development,
but would give no hint of the new
Greek offensive action beyond saying
advances were continuing on all
fronts.
The British Royal Air Force an
nounced raid on Valona, Italian
supply port in Southwestern Albania,
in which ship, munitions dump
and some buildings were said to have
been hit despite italian fighter op-
position.
Charge Italians With Knives.
The men from Crete, dark, hardy
Mediterraneans, have already en-
gagged the Italians, one dispatch
from the front said. Brandishing
their long, cleaning knives which
they prefer to bayonets in close
fighting, they charged the Italians.
Their strength and ferocity
n fnrrifU
the Italians, the dispatch said.
Valona, an ancient coastal town,
is one of the principal ports OF de-
barkation for the Italians.
1t also was disclosed today that
Greek reservists who were living in
Turkey when called to the colors
are on their way to the front.
The government spokesman said
details of fighting are slow in reach
ing Athens because many local en-
gagements take place in rough, lso-
lated mountains regions.
One dispatch said bad weather
and British air activity combined
were making Italian airdromes in
Albania useless for the present.
Another report said fighting was still
going on north of Pogradetz, despite
the resistance of the Italians.
Reinforcements Attacked.
Nevertheless our troops have been
able to occupy mountainous area
of the greatest Importance for the
defense of which the Italians
r,,.hnd ro;oforooroa ante hx, air o,,a
report said These reinforcements,
according to the dispatch, were
quickly attacked and compelled to
withdraw.
In this pa1ticular area, the report
said, skirted mountain units are
taking over Italian machine-gun
nests and forcing the Italians back
steadily.
The leader of the R. A. F. bombing
squadron said his flight swooped
down from heavy clouds to find
Italian planes guarding the city.
The British dumped their bombs
and roared back into the clouds
before the Italians could strike.
One British plane, he said, had a
running fight with the italians, but
came away safely.
Italians Falling Back.
Italian troops were reported still
falling back steadily for possible
new stand on the heights around
Chimara-almost half way up the
coast from Porto Edda to Valona.
A Greek spokesman said the 1tal-
ians were withdrawing rapidly along
the coast road and north of fallen
Argirocastro and added that heavy
blows also hastened the Italian re-
treat through the tangle OF snow
covered mountains between Pogra-
detz and Elbasani in mid-Albania.
Although exact Greek advance
positions were not disclosed, they
apparently were almost twice as
deep into Albania at both f1anks
of the battlefront as the maximum
Italian thrusts into Greece before
the Fascist invasion forces were
thrown into reverse.
Offensive Continues.
The Greek high command de-
clared "our offensive activities con-
tinued all over the entire front"
and added:
Strong enemy positions were oc-
cupied at bayonet point. The enemy
suffered heavy losses. Three 100
millimeter guns have fallen into
our hands"
A spokesman said that at some
strong points along the Italian line
of retreat rear-guard forces offered
resistance until they were driven out
by Greek infantry and Evzone
(highland shock troop bayonet
charges.
The Greeks were said to have
captured an Italian officer and a
number of Alpine troopers in the
drive toward Elbasani and found
large quantities Of abandoned war
material at Delvino, wrested from
the Italians between Porto Edda and
Argirocastro.
Drifts of snow and a glaze Of ice
in the mountain passes and seas of
slush and mud in the valleys con-
tinued to hamper operations in the
northern sector where mountain
recruited Greek Evzones opposed
Italian regiments.