Evening star., 1940-12-03
Greeks Report
Past
Porto Eddd
Italian Soldiers in
Area Nay Be Cut
Off, Athens Says
BY the Associated Press.

Off, Athens Says
By the Associated Press.
ATHENS, Dec. 3.-The Greek left
wing, reported to have smashed past
Porto Edda, was said today to be
pacing wide new gains all along the
battlefront and threatening to en-
gulf the last Italian fighting force in
Southern Albania.
The high command reported Greek
shock troops won new mountain
heights north of Premet, in thrust
into Central Albania, and north Of
Pogradetz, in a drive down the road
toward Elbasani, near the Albanian
capital, on the right wing, but gov
ernment spokesman termed the left
wing advance the most important"
There, the spokesman said, "the
enemy retreated to the heights
around Delvino and has passed, In
depth, Santi Quaranta."
That is the port the Italian re-
named Porto Edda for Premier Mus
solinis daughter.
Road Under Greek Fire.
The Greeks apparently had not
broken italian resistance in the Sec
tion Immediately around the port,
but indicated Fascist troops there
might be cut of. The high COM
mand declared the road linking the
port with Argirocastro, Is miles
northeast. had been placed under
Greek fire.
Delvino. to which Italians were
reported to have retreated, is five
miles northeast of the port on that
road.
In the central and northern sec
tors. the high command reported
more prisoners had been taken and
started along the roads back into
Greece already said to have been
plodded by more than $4,000 dis
armed Italians. The greatest num-
ber of prisoners reported taken was
5000 yesterday. Their surrender,
the Greeks declared, broke Italian
morale and resistance in the center
Of the fighting front.
New Positions Claimed.
Near Premet." the high COM
mand said, "our sections occupied
new positions .. On the Ostro-
vita Mountains successful attacks
by our troops dispersed enemy sec
tons"
A spokesman added that ain the
River Aoos region (of the central
sector, our troops are fighting with
the same courage as that which
enabled them to capture Pogradetz
and have captured a summit ALAS
meters (about 1000 feeD high on
Politzani Mountain. There, the
Italians were strongly established
and hoped to remain"
He said italians retreated to vii
lagos and heights northeast Of
Premet.
"In the Pogradetz region" the
spokesman said, "the enemy tried to
cover his retreat by defending him
self in the northeastern heights
(along Lake Ochrida), but we hope
to dislodge the enemy from these
heights also"
Driving Toward Elbasani.
Border reports received at Och
rida, Yugoslavia, today said gradual
retirement of the Italian northern
army toward Elbasani continued
under constant harassing by Greek
forces driving deep into Albania.
(After long and bitter fighting.
the Greeks last night were declared
to have driven plume e-hatted
Italian bersaglieri out of the village
of Mumulishta, north of captured
Podgradetz, in an operation ap-
parently designed to mop up re-
manning Fascist units along the
highway which skirts Lake Ochrida
and leads to Elbasani.
Casualties were heavy on both
sides, these reports said, on the
front northwest of Moskopolis
where the Greeks repulsed an
italian counter attack and ad-
vanced across the Devoh River.
Greek sources reported the
capture of important heights
around Argirocastro and predicted
successful conclusion of the CAM
paign in that sector within few
days.
The Greek Ministry of Home Sc
curity reported today considerable
damage was caused to buildings by
an italian air raid on the Island Of
Corfu, and said Is prominent resi-
dents of the Greek frontier town
of Philiates were abducted by re-
treating Italians week ago.
Their fate is not known" 1t said.
1n London the Air Ministry
news service reported today a
successful raid had been made
yesterday by the R. A. F. on i'm
portant military objectives" at
Valona, Albania.
Zone ship in the harbor re-
ceived a direct hit, the service
said, and stick of bombs fell on
the main jetty. Loud explosions
followed a fire started in a large
portside building, the report said.
zone italian fighting plane was
reported shot down. The service
said the British lost none)
Italian Counterottocks