In 1919, the First Army Corps (SS) was sent, at the request of the Allies, to "Southern Russia", today's Ukraine, to fight, despite the side of French and Russian "white" forces, against the Bolsheviks.
In this context, the main forces of the First SS landed, gradually, in Ukraine with the 2nd Infantry Regiment (SP) of the XIII Infantry Division (MP) landing on March 10 (old calendar) in Sevastopol, Crimea. The military situation that the Greeks found there was anything but pleasant.
The Crimean peninsula was connected to the mainland by an isthmus that had three branches, the Perekop, the Dnipropetrovsk and the Arabat. Through these branches passed all the roads and railway lines that connected the peninsula with the North.
The defense of these branches was undertaken by the "white" Russian forces. These bore the pompous title "Russian Volunteer Army" and had two "divisions". However, the total strength of the "army" did not exceed 1,700 men. In the Crimea, he also had the French 157th Infantry Regiment (SP), but it numbered only 500 men, together with the artillery squadron assigned to it.
The 2nd Infantry Regiment
The 2nd SP did not arrive complete in Sevastopol. Its commander, Lt. Col. Neokosmos Grigoriadis, had the I/2 and II/2 Infantry Battalions (TP) without the transports of their machine gun companies, the staff of the III/2 TP and its 9th Company and the XIIIa Surgery. In total the regiment had 2,038 men, 30 two-wheeled carriages and 30 animals with limited ammunition.
On March 13, the French command ordered the I/2 TP, under Major Vasilios Mitsakos, to move to Simferoupoli where it would assume guard duties. So it happened. On March 15, the 2/2nd Company of the said battalion (2nd Company of the 2nd SP – lieutenant Papadimitropoulos Horse) was ordered to deploy to the village of Taganas, on the middle branch of the isthmus, to guard the railway station, supporting the 5th Russian Volunteer "Division" (PEM) which had a regular strength of only 600 men.
The Bolsheviks attacked Perekop and forced the 4th PEM, supported by a Greek company, to retreat. After that the French command of the allied forces in the Crimea ordered the Russian 5th PEM and the 2/2nd Greek company to leave their positions in the middle branch of the isthmus and rush to Perekop.
Greeks and Russians moved west but sensed the presence of strong Bolshevik forces and deployed defensively in the village of Eski Kioi Zama. On March 25, the day of the Greek national holiday, the Bolsheviks attacked.
The battle
The Bolsheviks attacked en masse against the combined Greek and Russian force. The Greek company which was reinforced with a machine gun platoon (4 machine guns), covered the left of the allied formation. The Greeks, although fewer, easily repulsed the packs of the opponents who charged forward. Then the Bolsheviks moved to exterminate the Greeks.
The company formed a flank and again repulsed the attacks. However, the Bolsheviks were numerous and gradually began to threaten the company with encirclement. Faced with this development, the men of any other army in the world would retreat immediately. But the Greeks, under the brave lieutenant Papadimitropoulos, rushed against the opponent with the lance and forced him to flee in disgrace!
This boyish, as well as wise move of the lieutenant was aimed at the cedar of time. By the time the enemy regrouped the company and the Russian allies were able to retreat safely. The losses of the company were two dead and 12 wounded.
The Lost Company
The Company, forming the rearguard of the retreating Russians, arrived at the village of Bogamka where there was a telegraph office. Papadimitropoulos sent a telegram to the administration of the 2nd SP informing them of the developments. But the telegraphers were Bolshevik supporters and pretended to send the telegram without actually sending it. Thus the command of the 2nd SP lost track of the company.
Always covering the retreat of the Russians, the company continued to move south into the enemy's immensity. Finally, after new adventures, the company managed to reach Theodosia, on April 1st. Management still had no word on his fate.
Rumors circulated that the company had been completely disbanded and had also lost its machine guns. Then the 2nd SP asked the Greek squadron sailing in the Crimea to send a boat to search for the company. Indeed, the mission was undertaken by the battleship "Lemnos".
The battleship initially anchored in Yalta where it landed a warship which was informed that the company was moving towards Theodosia. Immediately the battleship sailed from Yalta and sailed for Theodosia. He even arrived before the company and immediately prepared the compensation for the lost company, at the same time requesting the dispatch of a ship to transport the men to Sevastopol.
Finally the beaten, but invincible men of the 2/2 Company arrived in Theodosia and with incredible joy saw their brothers of the Navy waiting for them. After resting, they boarded the transport boat that had meanwhile arrived and on April 3rd they arrived at Sevastopol and joined the 2nd SP after a short eight-day odyssey...