Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-11
Italians, Beaten Everywhere,
Flee in Disorder, Greeks Say;
,A|Dinists Declared Annihi|oted
Foscists Reported
To Have Thrown
Down Arms

ATHENS, Nov 1.-THE Italian
invaders of Greece have lost the
battle in all sectors and are retreat
ing in disorder toward Albania the
Greek radio declared today.
Thus the radio summarized a
series of Greek successes which it
said had been won in Is days of
bitter warfare despite the superb
GRITTY of the Italian forces"
Italys Alpine Centaur division
trained for year in Albania for a
lightning attack through the noun
tains-WaS said by the high COM
mand to have suffered a smashing
defeat.
Large units of the division were
annihilated, it said. Although the
full extent of the reported Greek
- victory in the PinduS Mountains
still was not learned, reports indi-
Gated that large proportion of the
Italian Alpinists were either killed
or captured.
Women and Children Help.
On the central sector, the Ital-
ians we're said to be consolidating
their positions in the Kalamas River
region, with front-li,1e activity linn
tied to small-scale SkirmiSheS.
The radio said the Italians flung
down their arms and fled when
Greece's mountain troops charged
them with bayonets and hand gre
nades.
Women and children helped the
Greek fighters by taking food and
munitions up the mountain trails to
their positions.
At the start of the third week of
the war, life behind the lines con-
tinued almost normal except for
men in uniform. There had been
virtually no air attacks for several
days and the people were showing
growing confidence.
In the first two weeks, bombs
killed BIG persons, wounded 818 and
destroyed $50 houses. But most of
the casualties occurred before anti
air precautions were fully organized
Greek Confidence Grows.
Greece's highland troops were said
to. have swept onto the offensive
along the whole 100-mile fighting
front, routed the Centaur division
in the Pindus Mountains, wiped
out two Fascist battalions along the
Kalamas River on the Italian right
flank and crumbled the Italian left
wing at bombarded Koritza in
Albania.
Greek confidence grew apace as
of
month winter rainy season made
slush Of snow in the mountain passes,
deepened the mud in the lowland
roads and threatened to bog down
mechanical war.
Principal gains claimed today by
the high command were in the
Pindus Mountains, central section of
the border battlefront, where the
Italian Alpine division was trapped
in an attempted drive toward Met
sovon, northeast of Ioannina.
Dead Left UncOunted.
What was left of the division was
reported retreating in disorder
almost all its equipment-even
medical supplies.
With this large unit" a COM
munique declared, "the enemy plan
ned to deal a quick, decisive blow at
our forces in Eplrus. = We
launched a series of counter-attacks
which we pressed with stubbornness
over hard terrain and through bad
weather conditions.
After a fierce fight the enemy
forces were overthrown, and, hasten
ing to escape complete enlightenment,
retreated in disorder, hotly pursued
In their flight they carried away
with them other enemy forces which
were landed at Valona (Albania)
and rushed by motor car to
support their retreat.
Enemy losses in dead and wound
ed were very heavy. A large num-
Der of prisoners was taken and a
great quantity of all sorts of war
material not yet counted fell into
our hands"
Two Units Reported Destroyed.
To the west, toward the coast,
where the Italians started their first
wedge into Epirus almost two weeks
ago, the Greeks were said to have
stopped another Italian attack over
the week end, annihilated two bat
talions, and forced the invaders back
under heavy artillery fire.
From heights overlooking the
incircled Italian base at Koritza. at
the opposite end of the battlefront,
additional Greek guns hauled into
position through ice and slush were
reported to be continuing steady
bombardment, reducing Italian de-
lenses for final assault.
The Athens radio alleged Italian
prisoners reported that Albanian
troops, fighting alongside Italian
units, had been machine-gunned
from the back when they retreated.
The radio gave this summary of
the situation over the week end:
THE italians tried to invade Greece
from three different points, from the
Koritza- Phlorina road, from the
Pindus road, and from the west.
Weather Forces Raid Letup.
1.-THE Pindus road had been con-
sidered by the Italians as more suit
able for a blow at the Greek Army.
The Greeks frustrated the Italian
attempt and dispersed the Italian
Army of the center. The
advance long the coast line in the
western sector-an advance whose
object was to unite this column with
the central army-was rendered
problematical, and the failure in the
northern sector as result OF our