London, Mar. 19.
The Italians launched a strong new offensive in the northern sector of the Albanian front yesterday but were again beaten back with heavy. losses. states Reuter's correspondent on the Albanian frontier.
The attack was preceded by violent artillery fire. The correspondent reports that fighting has been particularly intense in the Tepelini area where a large Italian force is said to be threatened with encirclement. Here air activity has increased. The British and Greek Air Forces have been particularly active in supporting land forces. Greek enthusiasm for the R.A.F. was again expressed in an Athens broadcast.
It is pointed out here that the Italians evidently hoped to break through the Greek lines near Tepelini on a 30-kilometre front. It is thought they probably will prepare sufficient troops in the Tepelini area to rene the offensive, as there is no reason to suppose that their failure will influence the Germans to hasten any attempt to come to their assistance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.