Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-07
Italians Start
Big Offensive
Into Greece
Heavy Artillery and
Air Bomburdment
Precedes Thrust
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ATHENS, Nov. 7.-Italy's big
push against Greece, supreme
test in this little nations fight
for life, apparently has started.
The Greek high command &C
knowledged that its Evzones, or
mountain fighters, had been
forced into a slight" retreat
along the Ionian Sea, on the
Epirus or Kalamas 'front.', in
Northwestern Greece.
after eight days Of marking
time on the banks OF the Kala-
mas River, constantly harassed
by Greek artillery, planes and
rowing patrols, the Italian high
command reported today that
the river had been crossed and
left behind.
(Reports reaching London by
radio limited that the big Italian
drive anticipated by the Greeks
and their British allies, had be-
gun at last The push was FORE
cast yesterday at London0
Contact Reported Established.
italian forces were reliably report
ed to have established contact with
the main Greek defense lines on the
Epirus front. The main body of
the Greek Army was said to be
firmly entrenched in well-fortifled
positions, however, and neutral mill
tary experts said these would be
difficult to approach.
o Meanwhile it was disclosed that
Italy had changed the types Of
bombing and fighting planes used
in the campaign. Fast monoplanes,
both for bombing and machine-gun
fighting. appeared for the first time
yesterday in the place of second
line biplaneS first used.
The change was believed by neu-
tral air experts to have been brought
about by the heavy losses inflicted
on the FascistS by the Greek air
force and the increasing air aid sup
piled by the British.
Bombardment Heavy.
Heavy artillery and aerial bonn
bardment Yesterday preceded the
italian Kalamas thrust. The extent
of the Greek Withdrawals was not
disclosed.
The Kalamas River, roughly parel-
telling the border from 5 to Is miles
inside Greece, is one of the first
natural barriers to the italian coastal
drive from Albania.
Greece turned out her own small
air force, now bolstered by British
planes, to assail the advancing
italian columns.
Conceivably successful Italian
thrust along the coast, threatening
Greek lines of supply deeper inland,
might force abandonment of the
Greeks own salient now threatening
KoritZa, italian invasion base 10
miles inside Albania.
May Slow Down Drive.
Conversely, capture of Koritza,
now dominated by Greek mountain
artillery, 100 miles northeast of the
Kalamas front, conceivably might
slow down or even halt the italian
coastal drive through rear guard
threat.
(Reports reaching Belgrade,
Yugoslavia, from the Koritza
sector indicated the possibility of
a decisive battle in the next few
days. Both sides were said to be
bringing up reinforcements.
CThe Italians had concentrated
a large number of motorized units
and tanks in the Koritza valley
while their planes famed out to
smash at nearby Phlorina and
surrounding villages. Yesterdays
raids were said to have been the
heaviest of this Balkan war,
marked by heavy casualties.
On return Greek and British
airmen blasted at Koritza and
Argirocastro, also in Albania.)
Koritza Control Claimed.
Reports from the northern front
indicated that Koritza was COM
pletely at the mercy of Greek forces
in command of the surrounding
mountains.
italian supply lines and airdromes
were said to be covered by Greek
artillery hidden high in the noun
tains.
Reports that Greek forces actually
had entered KoritZa were discounted
by military experts, who doubted
whether the Greeks would attempt
to push down into the plains and
seize the city.
Such a move would serve no good
purpose, these experts asserted, and
would put the Greeks at the mercy
of Italian mechanical forces. BY
Clinging to the mountains the Greeks
are in much more favorable position
TO beat off an Italian attack without
suffering costly losses themselves.
1000 Reported Captured.
Unofficial reports said the Greeks
had captured at least 1000 italians
in their push toward Koritza and
had destroyed at least a dozen tanks
mostly light machines designed fol
mountain warfare and similar tc