A Greek Tragedy
UK forces in Greece
Supporting Government forces
during the civil war
Background Following the German retreat from Greece in World War 2, ELAS (Ethnikòn Laikòs Apelevtherotikòn Sýndesmos or National Popular Liberation Army) and EAM (Ethnikòn Apelevtherotikòn Métopon or National Liberation Front) both remained heavily armed from the war. On 4th December, war broke out between the two fractions, ELAS led by the KKE (Kommounistikón Kòmma Ellàdos or Communist Party of Greece). Soon British and Greek ships were bombarding positions held by the Communists and holding off the attacks on naval shore installations. |
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By 12th December, Piraeus was secured but hard fighting in central Athens continued throughout December. The RAF and Greek-manned squadrons were soon in action against the ELAS forces, 73 Squadron arrived from Italy on the 8th December, 40 SAAF squadron and 205 Group Liberators flew in troops to aid the Greek government.
On 31st December, the Archbishop Damaskinos was inducted Regent of Greece and by the middle of January 1945, after six weeks of hard fighting British forces were in control of all Atttica. A truce was signed on the 11th January, by which all ELAS forces had to withdraw from the neighbourhood of Athens, Salonika and Patras.
The threat of civil war loomed throughout 1945 and the 4th and 46th Divisions were sent from Italy to reinforce the Allied presence there.
Hostility
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On the eve of the general elections in March 1946, an armed band descended into the town of Litokhoro and attacked the police station, the police station was totally destroyed along with several other buildings. Eight people were killed including six national guardsman and police, and two civilians. Several thousand members of ELAS who had fled the country in 1945 now returned to Greece called by the KKE and supported by Yugoslavia. |
The violence in the countryside grew daily as bandits roamed the hills, and isolated national guard outposts were attacked. In June 1946 the Greek general staff estimated guerrilla strength at about 2,600 Communist guerrillas.
On 18th June, the Greek parliament passed a security bill, this established new courts with authority to pass capital sentences for new crimes including membership in armed bands, prohibit public meetings and strikes, and gave police the power to arrest without a warrant.
Throughout 1946 guerrilla strength increased and at the end of October 1946, General Markos Vaphiadis created the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE), giving the KKE another army, which numbered nearly 10,000 strong by the end of the year.
Yugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria were seen to support the Communist forces, allowing the Communist guerrilla to launch raids from their territories including one against Skra on November 13th, just five miles from the Greece-Yugoslav border. Greece protested to the United Nations and the three countries were cited as giving aid and comfort to the insurgents.
In September, King George sought to create a broader appeal in the government of Greece. Tsaldaris resigned in January 1947 and was replaced by a coalition government under Maximas. General Spiliotopoulos, the Chief of the General Staff, was relieved by General Vendiris on February 20 1947. During the turmoil, a United Nations Commission of enquiry arrived to investigate charges against Greece's neighbours.
Greece requested additional support from Britain at the end of February 1946, but unable to provide this aid, Britain informed the Truman administration that its aid to Greece would cease in at the end of March 1947. On 3rd March, the Greek government formally requested US aid. British troops are known to have remained in Grece until at least 1949, with a battalion of troops split between Salonika and Athens.
If you have any information about this conflict, especially the role played by British military units we would be glad to hear from you. Please email james@britains-smallwars.com
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