Search Results for: greco

The Greco-Italian war of 1940-41. Harsh winter conditions on the mountains of Albania

Pierre Kosmidis The fascist Italian regime under Benito Mussolini decided to invade Greece on October 28th, 1940. The Italian offensive soon turned into a large-scale fiasco, with the Greeks throwing back the “fratelli” inside Albania. The Italians were routed and soon the Greeks took initiatives that lead the battle well inside occupied Albania’s territory. Christmas […]

Battlefield Archaeology: The mountains of doom in northwestern Greece, by Ntinos Mpampakos

By Pierre Kosmidis Photos © Ntinos Mpampakos, submitted to www.ww2wrecks.com and used by permission One of Nature’s wonders in Greece, is the mountainous region on the northwestern part of the country. Now serene, a haven of wildlife, which attracts trekkers from across the world, these mountains were once the setting of fierce fighting, during the Greco […]

The 155mm naval gun battery of Trahilas and the Greek Sacred Squadron special operations in Milos island

By Pierre Kosmidis Photos © Andreas Galanos, exclusively submitted to www.ww2wrecks.com and used by permission. The Greek Sacred Squadron was a special operations unit, which was formed in September 1942 in the Middle East, by volunteer officers, who had escaped from Axis occupied Greece. Its aim was to fight the Axis troops and contribute to the liberation of Greece. Following the […]

The wreck of the Polish Destroyer ORP Kujawiak – The history of a heroic ship sunk in 1942

Text by Marinos Giourgas, submitted to www.ww2wrecks.com and used by permission Photos: www.aegeantec.gr © Marinos Giourgas and Vasilis Spyropoulos, published under license ORP Kujawiak was originally a British Hunt-class Type II destroyer built as HMS Oakley. She  had a length of 85m and was weighing more than 1,000 tonnes. She was handed over by the Royal navy to […]

Stepping back in time: Greek Army soldiers on the train to the front, 1940-2022

By Pierre Kosmidis Photos by Giorgos Vergados © all rights reserved, submitted to www.ww2wrecks.com and used by permission A group of reenactors from the Greek Historical Revival Group, along with photographers of the “Greek Instagramers Events” participated in an event, reviving the Greek Army mobilisation, following the unprovoked Italian aggression against Greece, on 28 October 1940. The reenactors staged […]

Quota 731: Nemici in vita, fratelli nella morte

Pierre Kosmidis Photos: George Krikelas La quota 731 era un campo di dure battaglie tra i greci e gli italiani, marzo 1941, durante l’attacco fallito primavera degli italiani, sotto lo sguardo di Mussolini. Quota 731 (dal nome l’elevazione di esso) si trova a circa 20 chilometri a nord di Kleisoura e per la sua posizione strategica, l’occupazione […]

Italian war crimes and atrocities in Greece during WW2

By Pierre Kosmidis The Italian occupation of Greece, from 1941 up until 1943, when the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini collapsed and the Italians swiftly changed sides, was a dark period, which was full of atrocities. Almost all of mainland Greece, the Ionian Islands and the Lasithi Prefecture of Crete were under the domination of […]

The Italian hospital ships in the Aegean Sea, by Vincenzo Giacomo Toccafondi

By Vincenzo Giacomo Toccafondi, author of the book “Storia di una Nave Bianca” (“Story of a White Ship”). All photos are owned by their respective owners, as credited and were kindly submitted by Mr. Toccafondi to www.ww2wrecks.com for publication in this feature article.  A relatively unknown chapter of WW2 is unveiled, thanks to respected researcher […]

The story of the Greek battleship “Kilkis” sunk by Stuka bombers on April 23, 1941

By Pierre Kosmidis Battleship Kilkis (Greek: Θ/Κ Κιλκίς) was a 13,000 ton Mississippi-class battleship originally built by the US Navy in 1904–1908. The Stuka dive bombers hit “Lemnos” in the background, with “Kilkis” visible in the middle of the photo As Mississippi she was purchased by the Greek Navy in 1914, and renamed Kilkis, along […]