History of Europe

Asia Minor-Cham Tepe... Crash of Turkish counterattack by the spear!

After the great victory of the Greek Army at Eski Sehir, the 2nd Army Corps (2nd SS) was ordered to advance towards Seidi Gazi. So the 2nd SS ordered, in turn, the XIII Infantry Division (MP) and the Plastira Detachment to pursue the Turks.

Information from the XIII MP stated that the Turks held the location of Seydi Gazi with three infantry divisions (8th, 11th and 57th MP) and two cavalry divisions (2nd and 14th) as their left flank, facing the Plastira Detachment.

On July 7, 1921, the Turks decided to attack first against the positions of the Greek XIII MP on the ridge of Cham Tepe. The Turks dropped the bulk of the 8th MP, reinforced by a regiment of the 57th and the 11th MP in a second echelon.

Opposite them was the III/3 Infantry Battalion (3rd Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Regiment -SP). The Turks attacked by surprise, at 04.00 in the morning and managed to overturn, initially, the III/3rd Battalion. But soon the battalion regrouped and with a fanatical counterattack with the lance, overthrew the Turks and recaptured the entirety of its original location.

However, the Turks were numerous and suffocated the battalion, which suffered very heavy losses, with almost all of its officers being put out of action. The arrival of a reserve Greek company briefly stabilized the situation, but the Turks persisted and almost broke the battalion's lines. With the intervention of another company of the II/3rd Battalion, finally, the Turkish attack was repelled, after a fierce fight, hand to hand, with bayonets, stocks, stones, fists.

The Turks also attacked the sector of the I/3rd Battalion, but were repulsed. But the pressure exerted by the Turks was suffocating. The commander of the XIII MP, colonel Kimon Digenis, then ordered the intervention of the 2nd SP, which he had under his command.

The I/2nd Battalion was placed under the command of the 3rd SP, which was commanded by Lt. Col. Dimitrios Avrampos. This battalion was ordered to reinforce the defense line of the 3rd SP. At the same time, the other two battalions of the 2nd SP, under Colonel Konstantinos Zorogiannidis, were ordered to execute a maneuver in order to flank the Turkish left flank.

In the meantime, the commander of XIII ordered the I/3 and I/2 Battalions to make a concerted attack against the Turkish divisions pressing the front of the 3rd SP. The two battalions were placed under the command of the commander of I/3, Major Symeon Vlachos. The two Greek battalions, with the trumpet meaning "advance - advance", marched with the lance, with the yacht "Air" and swept against the Turks. The two Greek battalions advanced 2 km. overturning every Turkish division that came across them.

At the same time, the Turks, fearing not to be surrounded by the two battalions of the 2nd SP, hastily retreated. The battle of Cham Tepe had been won. The road to Saydi Gazi was open. Losses were heavy, on both sides. The Greek forces had 520 men out of action – dead and wounded. The losses of the Turks were much heavier. The counted dead Turks alone exceeded 560.