History of Europe

1941:Two battalions of Greek HEROES against the armored Germans

The XVIII Infantry Division (MP) held the extreme left of the "Metaxa Line" in April 1941. The division with only five battalions held a line 40 km long with only one company in reserve. The forts of Istibey, Kelkagia, Arpalouki and Paliouriones also belonged to the division's sector. The division had arranged its forces into three sub-sectors.

On the left, the Rodopolis Division, under Lt. Col. Loukas Kitso, had II/70 and II/91 Infantry Battalions (TP), a mountain artillery with 4 65mm guns, two 85mm guns and a 37mm anti-tank gun. There was no fort in the sub-sector's area of ​​responsibility.

The German attack took place in the sector of the XVIII MP from 05.15 on April 6, 1941. In the Rhodopolis Sub-sector the main line of resistance extended along the Beles ridge. Lieutenant Colonel Kitsos had ordered the II/70 TP to the left and the II/91 TP to the right. The first was held under the command of Major Konstantinos Giakoumis and the second under the command of Major Stylianos Kallonas.

It is characteristically stated that II/91 with the strength of two infantry companies, four 81mm mortars, eight machine guns and a 37mm anti-tank gun held a front of 6 km. on the line of outposts on the border with Bulgaria. There were also seven concrete artillery emplacements in the area. And the battalion had the miserable Chauchat submachine guns Model 1915.

The same applied to the II/70 IT sector. Under these conditions, the first Greek line, in the sector in question, broke up and by 07.00 had been abandoned except for outpost 162. Lieutenant X. Maroudis was there with 17 soldiers. These brave few were soon surrounded by overwhelmingly superior German forces, but they fought for hours, isolated, without hope. They didn't deliver. They all fell, down to one.

But the battle continued. On hill 1079 a Greek platoon was fighting an entire German battalion. And the men literally fought like heroes. They surrendered after a three-hour fight when most were dead or wounded.

Finally the commander of II/70 Major Giakoumis managed to gather two platoons and a battle group, along with four machine guns and two mortars on hill 1120. There the few Greeks fought fiercely, even executing a counterattack. But soon they began to be reaped by the German artillery and mortars.

In the field of II/91 IT the development was similar. The XVIII MP attempted to reinforce the battalion with its only reserve company, but was unable to due to heavy German fire. The battalion, as mentioned, held a 6 km front on platoon-level emplacements. In reality there was no continuous front, but points of resistance established on the main heights.

The support point on hill 1521 held until 07.00. In front of the support point on hill 1488, however, the Germans were stuck . At the central support point of the battalion's defensive line, that of the "Old Platoon", an epic battle took place with the Greeks fighting fiercely, but in vain. They lasted until 10.30. Following these, the commander of the sub-sector ordered the collapse of the II/91 TP on hill 989, an order that was executed around 14.00.

The division, in the absence of communication, had no clear knowledge of the situation. When he was informed, he ordered the Rhodopolis Division to retreat to the location of the Krusias. II/91TP managed to retreat, but it was already a shadow of its former self, leaving behind 51 dead and 150 wounded.

As for II/70, or rather what was left of it, it remained encircled, but always fighting on hill 1120. Of the small force of Major Giakoumis, only four soldiers were captured without being wounded. The others were either dead, like himself, or wounded.

Better known is the history of the P9 and P8 machine guns. The first was defended until 19.30 and surrendered only when the ammunition ran out. In P8, one of the most glorious pages of Greek history was written with Sergeant Dimitrios Inzo as the protagonist. The machine gun was defended until 16.00 and surrendered for lack of ammunition, having caused enormous damage to the Germans.

The German commander congratulated the Greek sergeant and then murdered him in violation of any concept of martial law. It was the first day of a battle that could not be won from the start. From 18.00 the XVIII MP lost all contact with the Rhodopolis Sub-sector. After all, the subdomain no longer existed. The continuation was given at the location of Krousia. The Greeks knew the barbarians would come through. As in Thermopylae, as in Polis, as in Alamana, they did not cool down. They fought the losing battle fighting to the end.