The battle for Greece & Crete.pdf - Army Museum of South Australia

This bond which developed between the Greeks and the Australians during the time of war in 1941 stillremains as strong to-day. Just as Australians are honoured and welcomed to-day in Villers-Bretonneux for defending the village during World War I a similar feeling prevails in Greece andparticularly in Crete to day. Every year in May a Senior Hellenic Armed Forces Officer of three orfour star rank (Deputy CDF or CDF) visits Australia to take part in the Commemoration Services.The InvasionThe German 12 th Army of fourteen divisions under the command of Field Marshal von List at 5.30 amon the 6 th April crossed the border from Bulgaria and Yugoslavia at Thrace breaching the Metaxas Lineand occupying Salonika (Thessalonika). At this time the British and New Zealand troops were inplace and being supported by about 2/3 rds of the Australians, with balance still en-route to the front line.The Allies were also being supported by three Greek Divisions along the Bulgarian Border(unfortunately these troops were considered inexperienced) together with three other divisions assistingthe British at Salonika.The first contact with the Germans by the Australians was made on the 8 th April at Thessaly as the SS.Adolf Hitler Division (considered more elite and fearsome than the Waffen SS) advanced through thethe Monastir Gap. As the Germans advanced through the Vardar Valley from Yugoslavia theycaptured Salonika and on the 9 th April the Greek Eastern Macedonian Army was surrounded andsurrendered. On the afternoon of the 10 th April Australian and British Artillery engaged the Germansat Vevi.Due to the rapid advance of the Germans it was decided to withdraw the allied troops to a defence linethrough Mount Olympus and the Pindus Mountains. To achieve this withdrawal the Australian 19 thBrigade and the British Armoured Brigade fought a rearguard action to allow the rest of the troops towithdraw to the Olympus- Aliakmon Line. On 13 th April, Easter Sunday, the Germans launched amajor attack against the Anzacs on the Olympus- Aliakmon Line, it became apparent that the allieswould not be able to hold back the Germans and by the 14 th April it was decided that it would benecessary to withdraw to the ‘Thermopylae Line” which extended from Lamia to Athens.On the 16 th April General Papagos the Commander in Chief (C.I.C) of the Greek Forces stated that theBritish should leave Greece. It was decide the evacuation would be from various ports and six cruisers,twenty four destroyers and a number of landing craft would be used. In fact many other craft were alsoused including a number of merchant ships.On the 16 th April during the withdrawal to ‘The Thermopyale Line’ Brigadier Vasey is reported to havesaid after the battle for the town of Lamia as they moved towards the Brallos Pass.“Brallos Pass will be held to the last f-----g man and the last f-----g round, and if you can’tshoot them in the bloody stomach shoot them in the f-----g arse”.- 5 -