Evening star., 1940-11-08
Forces Thrown Back
In Two Sectors,
Athens Declares
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ATHENS, Nov. 8.-Italian forces
were reported today to have been
thrown back by Greece's defenders,
both in the center sector of the
mountainous border front and on
the northeastern wing, where the
Greeks have been in Albania since
the start of the war II days ago.
The gains on the right wing were
described as small, but those in
the center as important. This CEN
ter sector is where large number
of Italians were reported trapped
some days ago, according to dis
patches from the front, and the
remnants are being encircled now,
it was said.
Earlier the high command an
nounced that all attacks on the
Greek left wing, along the main de-
fenses of the Metaxas line, near the
Ionian shore, had been thrown back.
The Italians had brought the full
force of their mechanized forces
into the battle to crack the line near
the coast in drive toward Ioannina.
Artillery Blasts Whole Front.
Artillery blasted along the entire
front with troop fighting on a fairly
heavy scale, it was said, but Greek
field artillery and anti-tank guns
were most active in the protection
Of the coastal route to Ioannina.
Neutral military experts said the
Greek positions now are as good as
or better than they were on the first
day. the italian invasion.
They said the Greek advance into
Albania on the Macedonian front
more than offset their withdrawal
100 miles to the southwest in the
Epirus region.
Everywhere, according to these
observers, the Greeks apparently
are operating in accordance with
well-laid plans and with no break in
their communications or supply or
ganization. Both army and civilian
morale appeared high. under the
encouragement of British aid.
The coastal thrust toward loan
nina was the greatest threat to the
Greeks
Situation Unsatisfactory"
The high command said all at
tacks in this section, where the
Greeks previously had acknowledged
making "a slight retreat" had been
repulsed. .-..-.-.
A government spokesman said:
The situation is thoroughly salts
factory ="
(The Italians yesterday claimed
new gains on this end of the
front, declaring their troops had
crossed the Kalamas River and
established a bridgehead on its
east hankD
italian attacks on the Greek left
flank in the Epirus sector, reported
yesterday as apparently the begin
ming of major offensive, thus fa-
have resulted in purely local" fight
ing, a government spokesman said.
The high command used the same
phrase in referring to fighting there.
Aid Continuously Being Sent.
Reports from Cairo said the Brit
ish Middle East command was CIV
ing valuable air and naval aid to
Greece, but that it was moving
cautiously because of the necessity
of keeping its forces ready to meet
a threatened Italian drive toward
the Suez.
Greek reserve officers and
on-commissioned officers living
in Egypt received orders to re-
port to their consulates, and it
was understood they were to form
the nucleus of a Greek division
to be recruited from the large
Greek colony there.)
italian warplanes continued their
attacks yesterday on objectives be-
hind the Greek front lines, bombing
Corfu and a number of towns in the
interior. The Greek high command
said there were some casualties but
no damage of military Importance.
In Istanbul the Turkish radio
asserted "the Italian failure" in
Greece might open the way to axis
action in Yugoslavia.