The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-05
Greek Armies Trying
 To Encircle Italians
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Palermo, near Chimara. The Greek strategy appeared to be to thrust through the mountains from the premeti sector in an effort to take Tepelini and reach the coast in time to cut off Italian forces falling back from the Porto Edda sector.
 One report said that the Greek attack today was rapidly reducing the ArgyrokaStron salient and that the Italians, withdrawing from the town, had left only a rear guard to hold off the Greek attack.
 The main Italian force is now based on Tepelini, it was stated, and Greek bombers are consistently attacking that base.
 The Whole Sector
 Italians were reported fleeing the whole sector. Greek light ar- tillery was firing over Porto Edda, blasting the road running north east to Delvino, it was reported. This would leave only the north coastal road open to the Italian retreat It swindleS off into a mule track before bending around the coastal mountains to Valona, 50 miles north.
 CThe Greek radio was heard in Budapest broadcasting that Italians were withdrawing from Porto Edda to Khimara, 20 miles up the Old Coast road, and from Kilisiri, eight miles northeast of Premedi, to Tele- pini, 18 miles west of Premedi. The broadcaster said two Italians Ber- Saglieri regiments, sent into rein force the Argyrokastron sector, had been disrupted" with the loss of many guns and much equipment0
 Greeks Spring Surprise
 A United Press correspondent at Porto Edda front said the Italians had concentrated their main forces at Bridgehead at Ofhtsuka, three miles from Porto Edda, believing the swamps below were impossible. He said the Greek EvzoneS built -rafts for their light artilelry and waded through waist-deep slime across the Butrinto SWampS at night taking the Italians by surprise and bayoneting them.
 A three hour battle fololwed the correspondent said, and the Italians fell back on Porto Edda. The Greeks then stormed an outlying village dominating Porto Edda because of its elevation and from there began shelling the town.
 The shelling continued all day yesterday, the correspondent re- ported. It was St. Barabara's day, the patroness of gurpowder. ar tillery and engineering, a feast day in both Greece and Italy. The Greeks knelt beside their cannons to pray to the saint during lulls in their barrage, the correspondent said,
 Capture Porto Edda
 Struga, Jugoslavia, Dec. 5.-(UP) Reports reaching the Jugos av fron5ier today said that Greek troops had captured Porto Edda, main Italian coastal base in South AL bania, at 8 a. m. Previously Athens had reported Greek troops ill the outskirts of Porto Edda, but cap ture of the port lacked official confirmation.
 Reports received here said that the village of Spoiki, six miles north of Konispolis, had been taken yes- terday by the Greeks.
 The Greeks were said to have crossed the river Pavla after fight ing in which both sides lost heav- ily and then to have occupied the village of Vrioni, two miles from Porto Edda, on the road from Porto Edda to Delvino.
 The Greeks were reported to have fought their way across the road and partly encirc,ed Porto Edda.
 British and Greek airplanes joined in the attack and six craft bombed Porto Edda in two waves late yes- terday afternoon.
 During the night, it was reported, Italians withdrew their remaining forces from Porto Edda, retiring along the coastal road to the vll- lage of Nivica but leaving bat talion to cover their retreat.
 The Greeks this morning entered the city, the frontier messages re- ported, after a fight in which they lost three officers and 28 men killed and 70 wounded. The Italians were said to have lost eight of-