Evening star., 1940-12-10
Important Posts
Taken;; Italians
GreeksSay
Both Wings Reported
In Full Flight, Facing
Near AnnihiIution
By the Associated Press.


were reported today to have cap
tured important new positions after
inflicting heavy losses on units of
the 9th Italian Division in hand
to-hand battle.
This, apparently, was in the
northern sector of the Albanian
front, where the whole region around
Lake Ochrida was said to have been
cleaned up and the pace of the
Greek drive generally accelerated.
1t is aimed toward Elbasani, 25
miles from Tirana, Albanias cap
ital.
On the southern sector also. the
Italians were said to be retiring
steadily toward Chimara, with the
Greeks pressing hard on their heels
toward the port of Valona.
Today's Greek high command
communique declared tersely I'VE
have advanced further" and a
spokesman filled in these details:
The entire army of the Italians
right wing was withdrawing Mon
day toward the north and north
west Of Porta Edda and Argirocastro
while its rear guard was harassed
and pursued by our advancing
troops.
Strategic Points Abandoned.
More to the north the enemy
has been compelled, after fierce
attack by our troops, to abandon i'm
portant strategic positions and with
draw in full flight Still more to
the north, units of our army have
been able to dislodge the enemys
forces which until Sunday stub
bornly defended peaks and heights
very important from strategic
viewpoint.
These forces were obliged not
only to retreat but to take to
flight. If these forces have been
able to avoid annihilation it will
be due to bad weather which has
prevailed.
Still more TO the north other
units Of the enemy also are in
flight"
On London the Greeks were
reported to have made their
greatest gains yesterday against
the Italian right wing, driving to
Piqueras, Is miles north of Porto
Edda on the coastal road.
On the central front. military
circles said, Italians left the town
of Kelcyre on the road north
from Premet to Berat. In the
northern sector heavy SHOWS and
.'stiffening" Italian resistance
were said to have slowed the
Greek advance)
Converging on Valona.
The Greek advance apparently is
divided into two twin drives.
In the southern sector Greeks,
chorusing "On to Valona," are re-
ported converging on that port
along the coastal road from Porto
Edda, by way of Chimara, and
along an inland road north from
Argirocastro, by way of Tepeleni.
The Greeks apparently have not
yet taken Chimara and Tepeleni.
(An Italian high command
communique issued in Rome said
Greek attacks were repulsed by
Italian forces along the Usum
River north of Premet.
C'Enemy attacks on our left
and in the Usum sector were
pushed back" the communique
declared. The enemy, overpow-
cred by our immediate reaction,
suffered serious losses
(Col. Psaro, Alpine battalion
commander, was reported killed
in actionD
In the northern sector drives
toward Elbasani are aimed along a
mountain road north and west from
Pogradetz and up the Devol River
Valley northwest of Moskopolis.
Offensive in Valona Area.
Exact positions of the Greek ad-
vance units were withheld as mill
tary secret.
The British Royal Air Force issued
a communique at Athens saying
British flyers carried out an of
fensive in the vicinity of Valona,
where bombs hit "the south jetty and
buildings near the harbor."
The communique said there was
no Italian fighter opposition and all
the R. A. F. aircraft returned safely
CA Turkish radio broadcast last
night from Ankara said the
Greeks had captured three of
Italy's six air bases in Albania.
dispatches from Belgrade said
Greek newspapers received at the
Yugloslav border reported the
Italians were attempting to land
troops at San Giovanni di Medua,
Northern Albanian seaport, be-
cause of the fall of Porto Edda
and heavy bomb damage to Du-
razzo and Valona. Albania has
only four principal ports on the
Adriotinl