Evening star., 1941-04-23
Greeks Surrendered
Internationally,
Italians Declare
Figures Given by Goydo
Indicate &C, 900 Token
Covering Retreat
Hy the Associated Press.

ROME, April 23.-Surrender of the
Greek northwestern army, trapped
by an Italian and German pincers
movement in mountainous Epirus
and Western Macedonia. was an
nounced by the italian high COM
mand.
The announcement made no men,
tion of other Greek forces to the
southeast, fighting with the British
below the plans of Thessaly.
The high command said the
Greeks in Epirus and Western Mace
donia, along the Albanian frontier,
capltulated at 9:04 pm. (2:O4 pm,
z. S. IT, last night.
Italian press dispatches had esti-
mated that ID divisions-perhap ps
10000 men-were pocketed in that
area.
Virginio Gayda, Fascist editorial
spokesman, last night said three
divisions OF about $4,000 men we're
covering the retreat from Epirus of
some nine divisions which he said
were attempting to reach the PinoUs
line on the west If these figures are
accurate, it would appear that Co.
0o0 were trapped and had TO sur
render
Italian press dispatches earlier
had estimated that IA divisions
100000 men-were pocketed in
Epirus and Western Macedonia.
Caught By Coast Thrust
Stefani Official Italian news
agency said the surrendered Greek
forces had orders to resist the Ital-
Ian offensive from Albania at any
cost in an effort to prevent the Ita1-
ians from reaching positions in the
Pindus Mountains to the south be-
fore British forces on the eastern
flank Of the peinsular. defense front
could escape.
The Italians described the sur
rendered troops as the best forces
In the Greek line.
They we're said to have been
caught in Northwestern Greece by
an italian thrust down the Ionian
coast and the German drive to
Ioannina, in Central Epirus, from
MetSovon Pass.
Stefani declared the Greek sur
render was unconditional
A Stefani dispatch from the
Albanian front said a Greek dele
cation composed of colonel of the
general staff and two other high
ranking officers appeared before the
italian line last night bearing white
flags.
After asking to talk with the
Fascist commander, the dispatch
added, they were taken to head
quarters and requested terms. The
terms which were drawn up called
for unconditional surrender.
An authoritative source said SOL
diers belonging to the surrendered
Greek forces would not be regarded,
however, as prisoners, but would be
left free in Northwestern Greece
after surrendering their guns.
The announcement said the col
lapse of the Hellenic Army came just
seven days after the German Army
Joined the Italians in combined
bdlKdn OHenSlVe.
This referred apparently not
to the start of the extended
Balkan offensive on Palm Sun
day, but to combined efforts of
the axis forces after joining their
front in YugoslaviaD
Terms Discussed With Hitler.
1taly's Foreign Minister. Count
Galeazzo Ciano, was believed in po-
litical quarters to have discussed
terms which the axis would consider
acceptable In Greek surrender dur
ing a week end conference with
Adolf Hitler.
Hitler, it was presumed in these
circles, had informed Count Ciano
at that meeting of plan for re-
arrangement of the Balkans under
the axis new order" after Greece
followed YugoSIavia in defeat.
The end of the fighting on the
Albanian battlefront came just
short of six months after Premier
MuSSOlini'S army first attacked
Greece from Albania last Octo-
Der %.
Although it was not disclosed
here whether Greeks with the
British still were fighting farther
southeast, collapse of all resistance
and withdrawal of the British were
predicted by the Fascist press.