Monastery Hill MTO (id:#56255)

Avalon Hill (AH:ASL Annual `90 ID: A 14)   [next]   [previous]

South of Scialesi, Albania 1941-03-09 (2 others)

Overview:

Mussolini's bid to dominate Greece had been a fiasco of the first magnitude; by mid-February 1941, the war which had begun in November amid much posturing had taken the lives of 500 Italian officers and over 5000 other ranks. The Greeks had gone on the offensive and driven deep into Albania itself. Il Duce, fearful that the Germans might soon intervene and so deprive him of the glory of conquest, ordered another great offensive. Plans were made for an attack along a 20-mile front to clear the Desnizza Valley and thrust through the Greek lines. To accomplish this breakthrough, the peaks at either side had to be seized. Most formidable were hills 717 and 731, the latter called Monastery Hill because of the ruin of an ancient abbey on the crest.

Defender: Greek (12th Infantry Division)  

Errata (source)