Battle of Makrynoros

Battle of Makrynoros
Part of Greek Resistance / World War II
Date 14 July / 22 July 1943 Location Arta's road artery Result EDES victory
Belligerents
EDES	Fascist Italy Nazi Germany
Commanders and leaders
Stylianos Houtas	Aldo Prinzivale
Units involved
Approximately 450 EDES rebels	Italian Brenero Division, Units of German Edelweiss Division totaling approximately 7000 soldiers and 680 vehicles
Casualties and losses
5 dead 37 injured	2 tanks, 9 vehicles, approximately 100 soldiers dead and wounded out of 32 officers

The Battle of Makrynoros (Part of the Allied Operation Animals) was one of the largest and most important battles fought by the resistance organization EOEA – EDES against the convoy of the Italian Brennero Division and parts of the German Edelweiss Division, during the Allied Operation Animals, from 14 to 22 July 1943, at the narrows of the Amfilochia-Artas road on Mount Makrynoros. The battle ended in a victory for EDES, which caused several losses to the enemy units. It was considered decisive for the outcome of the war in Europe and one of the most important battles of the period.

Battle

On June 30, the Allied Headquarters issued an order to the EDES to prevent any enemy movement on the Amfilochia - Arta road. Initially, on July 4, an attack was launched from the Valtos Headquarters against the fortified Italian military base of the Acheloos bridge, which was captured after a night raid on the enemy's advanced position. The enemy force consisted of 200 soldiers. The losses of the EDES amounted to 2 dead officers and 32 wounded. From July 7, 1943, the guerrilla units of the EOEA-EDES Valtos under the chieftain and doctor, Stylianos Houtas, arrived in the area and deployed on the heights of Makrynoros. They began to destroy the telephone and telegraph lines, while, on the night of July 9, a demolition crew led by the British mission's major, Themis Marinos, and Lieutenant G. Moutsos, Lieutenant Sot. Matantos, blew up all the bridges from Makrynoros to Arta, specifically the bridges of Anninos, Kompoti, Agios Nikolaos and Zoutos.

Until the night of July 13, no enemy movement had been observed. At that time, the “Brennero” division appeared with 680 vehicles and 7,000 Italian and German soldiers, with General Aldo Prinzivale as its commander. The information liaison was the chairman of the political committee of EDES, Spyridon Tsirogiannis, who was in Amfilochia and informed the forces of Makrynoros with relevant reports. The Valtos Headquarters in Makrynoros opposed 450 men and officers, 12 machine guns, 4 tank rifles, two anti-vehicle mines and one German cannon. The Commander of the Italian garrison of Amphilochia informed the General and head of the convoy, Aldo Prinzivale, that Makrynoros was occupied by guerrillas, but he considered that the route would be relatively easy.

On July 14-15, in the village of Katafourko in Aitoloakarnania, the first ambush of the guerrillas was prepared. In the vanguard of the procession were groups of motorcyclists who received the first fire and a tank was destroyed by a mine. Italian infantry led by Lieutenant General Felice Arthuro tried to attack the mountain but suffered heavy losses. On July 16, in the village of Anoixiatiko, the Italians captured 20 villagers to be used as a shield for the procession with an advance vehicle. Three of them were executed. Between the positions "Hani Katsouli" and "Hani Tolia" was, in a fighting position, the next ambush of the guerrillas. In this attack, 1 truck was blown up and 2 more fell off the cliff. The hostages were all rescued. On the same day, a tank was blown up by a mine in Menidi, Aitoloakarnania.

On July 17, the EDES forces were limited to a break and the Italians regrouped. No major clashes occurred. On July 18, the EDES forces were reinforced by the groups of K. Vassilakis, the Anth/gos Economou I. and K. Bouros.

On 19 July, the Italians attacked from Katafourko towards Anninou - Lagada, but all the prepared attacks were repelled. At Hani Katsouli, 2 more vehicles were destroyed and the EDES attacks continued at night, looting and destroying. On 20 July, German forces (Edelweiss) arrived from Vonitsa and Lefkada to reinforce the Italians. Italian-German infantry attacked the "Mavro Koutsouro" area on the ridge of Makrynoros, succeeding in stopping the guerrillas. The gap that was created created a pocket of enemy resistance, for a short period of time, until the guerrilla forces counterattacked, after regrouping, and the enemy forces withdrew. That same night, Makrynoros was bombarded.

Στις 21 Ιουλίου, εχθρικό πεζικό επιτιθόταν, με τη σύμπραξη πυροβολικού, επί του όρους χωρίς να καταφέρει τη διάλυση των ελληνικών τμημάτων. Οι Ιταλοί είχαν χάσει το ηθικό τους και περιορίζονταν μόνο σε βολές πυροβολικού και μόνο γερμανικά τμήματα επιτίθονταν, χωρίς κάποια επιτυχία. Στον οικισμό Μενιδίου οι εκεί ελληνικές δυνάμεις κατέστρεψαν 2 ακόμη οχήματα και ένα ανετράπη. Την 22α Ιουλίου, οι αντάρτικες δυνάμεις είχαν ολοκληρώσει την αποστολή τους, αφού το Στρατηγείο Μέσης Ανατολής εζήτησε την κατάπαυση του πυρός διότι ο αντικειμενικός σκοπός της επιθέσεως είχε επιτευχθεί. Οι συμμαχικές δυνάμεις είχαν αποβιβαστεί στη Σικελία. Με το τέλος της επιχείρησης, οι αντάρτικες δυνάμεις αποχώρησαν εγκαθιστώντας φυλάκια και παρατηρητήρια για λόγους αντιποίνων στις περιοχές του Μακρυνόρους. Η Ιταλική δύναμη, στις 22 Ιουλίου, κινήθηκε προς Άρτα όπου παρέμεινε για ανασυγκρότηση. Συνέπεια της επιχείρησης ήταν να καθυστερήσει για τον τελικό προορισμό της 17 μέρες.

Communiqué of the National Resistance EOEA - EDES

On July 18, Napoleon Zervas issued a communiqué based on information he was gathering at his headquarters, in Voulgareli, Tzoumerka

Free Mountainous Greece National Groups of Greek Insurgents General Headquarters - Office III

ANNOUNCED

"On July 14, an enemy motorized column of 680 vehicles carrying the strength of a division and protected by 4 tanks and a strong infantry flank guard attempted to pass from Amphilochia to Artan, via the Makrynorous road, driven down by our other units over a large area. The enemy's first attack was crushed, with one tank being blown up and 4 trucks full of troops and ammunition being destroyed. The flank guards, suffering serious losses, began to collapse and the entire enemy force was pinned down near the Anoixiatiko position, in front of our resistance lines. Our attacks against it continued from then until July 16, when the enemy attacked with new strong flank guards and tanks, after heavy artillery fire. All the enemy's attempts to seize the heights east of the road failed with serious losses for him. Four cars were destroyed, another was blown up. The enemy remained pinned down in this position for two days, suffering great losses in men and material. "On July 14, an enemy motorized column of 680 cars carrying the strength of a division and protected by 4 tanks and a strong infantry flank guard attempted to pass from Amphilochia to Artan, via the Makrynorou road, passing by our other units over a large area. The first enemy attack was crushed, with one tank blown up and four trucks full of troops and ammunition destroyed. The flank guards, having suffered heavy losses, began to withdraw and the entire enemy force was pinned down near the Anovixiatiko position, in front of our lines of resistance. Our attacks against it continued from then on until July 16, when the enemy attacked with new strong flank guards and tanks, following heavy artillery fire. All the enemy's attempts to seize the heights east of the road failed with heavy losses for him. Four cars were destroyed, another was blown up. The enemy remained entrenched in this position for two days, suffering great losses in men and material.

On July 16, protected by airplanes and artillery and hostages from the surrounding villages, whom he placed in front of his difficultly moving columns, he began to advance towards Artan, being thrown from the flanks by our guerrillas. Our attacks continued as far as the gates of Artan, into which he finally managed to enter after a three-day battle, during which the enemy suffered enormous damage. Two tanks were destroyed by falling into our trap, 9 large cars full of troops and war material, and there were over 100 dead and wounded from the enemy's flank guard forces. "A 47/32 gun, many shells, machine guns, and plenty of clothing fell into our hands. The collection of the spoils continues. Our losses, one dead and five wounded. All the Greek hostages were freed."

Losses

According to a report by Major General M. Pantelidis, a member of the EDES, the enemy's losses were enormous. The dead were around 800, including the wounded (approximately), of whom 32 officers, 2 tanks, 47 vehicles of all kinds and another 100 with serious damage. The enemy's losses are clearly overestimated.

Cretans of the Battle

Explaining the decisive importance of the Battle of Makrynoros, Chris Woodhouse, speaking at an EMPROS event in Athens on 31 October 1984, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the liberation, said: "Operation Zoa was accomplished. It was completely successful - more successful than Gorgopotamos, because its timing was more precise. We know in retrospect that it was successful because Hitler's surviving operational instructions show conclusively that he was convinced that Greece was the Allied target. He ordered six divisions to be transferred from the Russian front to the Balkans and sent General Rommel to assume supreme command in Thessaloniki".

In the same speech, the head of the British military mission in Greece had pointed out: "In a battle that lasted more than a week at the Makrynoros crossing, German and Italian forces trying to reach Arta from Amphilochia were essentially stopped by a force of 450 men under Stylianos Houtas and suffered losses of almost a thousand men. In the EDES area, a total of five major road bridges were destroyed and two enemy divisions, one German and one Italian, numbering approximately 7,000 men".

At the site of the battle, on the Amfilochia - Arta National Road near Menidi, Aitoloakarnania, is the EDES monument.

Broader Context

It is worth mentioning that in the same area another battle was fought in the area of ​​Agios Georgios - Tsaknochori with the German garrison of Menidi (October 3, 1943) in which 35 German soldiers were annihilated and the EDES chieftains, Tolias and Riganis Ev. and Lieutenant Papakonstantinou were killed.

Sources

• The Nightmare of the National Resistance, Themis Marinos
• The Battle of Makrynoros 14 - 22 July 1943, Houtas Stylianos, Publisher Sideris I. 1983

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