Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-05
By the Associated Press.

front, and the two cities were re-
ported about to fall.
Other reports by the Greek COM
mand and the British Royal Air
Force included:
l. Capture of Premet, threaten
ing entrapment of Italian forces
withdrawing northward from Argl-
rocastro.
2. Two direct hits and several
near misses" on an italian de-
stroyer near Porto Edda, leaving 1t
listing heavily"
8. Apparent destruction of 10 ItaI-
ian planes in fierce battle" over
Italian lines.
4. Raking bombardment of re-
treating Italians and their COM
munications vital to withdrawal
J from Southern Albania.
Premet is about Is miles inside
the Albanian border. Porto Edda,
main italian debarkation point in
Southern Albania, is about 80 miles
to the southwest. ArgirocaStro, an
other important Italian base, is
about midway between the two
towns.
TortuOus Route Open.
The main road from Porto Edda
was said to be under Greek control,
but this left open escape by tortu-
Gus coastal route, less improved than
the main road running through
ArgTocastro.
One report, however, said Porto
Edda was completely cut off from
communication with the rest of AL
bania. Porto Edda, formerly called
Santa Quaranta. was renamed for
Premier Mussolinis daughter, wife
of Foreign Minister Count Ciano.
A dispatch from the Argirocastro
area said:
Our troops have made further
considerable advances and occupied
additional important positions
Another said the Argirocastro ra-
dio station had been silent since last
Knight shortly after it was officially
Stated in Athens that the Italians
were withdrawing from Arglrocastro
toward Tepelini.
Italians Face Trap.
Entrapment of italian forces at
Argirocastro ard northward in the
valley of the Dryno River was
threatened if the Greeks could push
20 miles on from Premet and take
Teplini
A road paralleling the Viosa River
lay before the Greek forces at Pre-
met for an advance on Tepellnl,
river port junction of the Viosa and
Dryno Rivers.
A dispatch from the front said,
"Our troops continued their rapid
advance after the occupation OF
Premet and pursued the enemy, who
is retreating directly to Tepelini
THE Italians, despite desperate
resistance. will not be able to hold.
Much material was captured, in
Guiding guns, machine-gunS, hoWlt-
zers, hand grenades and cartridges.
THE machine-gunS and howitzers
were Immediately turned against the
Italians.
THE situation of the enemy forces
In the southern sector already is
becoming very difficult and any fur
Their resistance on their part will
be exceedingly dangerous for them.
THE pressure on Argirocastro
continues hard
Weather Favorable.
The weather was said to favor CO.
operation of the air force with land
forces.
The British Royal Air Force OPP
Grating with the Greeks reported
Fascist troops "retreating hurriedly
in the Tepelini-Kelsyre area were
successfully attacked by R. A F..
bomber and fighter formations"
One formation bombed a road
junction and troop concentrations
at Kelsyre and also scored direct
hits on roads between Tepelini and
Berati, north of Tepelini, the R. A.
F. communique said.
The fall of Premet followed fierce
fighting in which the Italians SUI
fered heavy casualties and the loss
of considerable equipment, the
Greek high command reported.
More than 500 Fascist troops were
said to have surrendered.
The Greeks indicated that an an
nouncement that their troops had
entered Porto Edda and Argirocas-
tro might be expected at any time.
Retreat on North Flank.
The Italians also were reported to
be retreating on the northern flank
of the 100-mile battlefront, where
the Greeks said their forces cap
tured important mountain positions
northwest of Pogradetz in drive
toward Elbassani, and the Albanian
capital, Tirana. The exact point
reached by the spearhead OF the
Greek advance in this sector was not
disclosed.
Here, too, the Greek high COM
mand said, the Italians suffered
heavy losses in men and equipment.
Capture of Premet was accom-
plished, the Greeks said, after they
had driven the Italians from strong
positions in the Frasheri Mountain
range, north of the town, from which
they we're able to dominate strategic
passes.
A heavy artillery bombardment
prepared the way for the Greek
attack.
From Porto Edda the Italians were
reported retiring along the Adriatic
seacoast toward Chimara, some Is
miles to the northwest.
italian reports that Greek at
tacks had been beaten off all along
the front were characterized by an
army spokesman as simply fig
ments of the imagination for home