British occupation of Greece 1944 OOB?

[5th Horseman]

Does anyone have an Order of Battle for the UK forces which occupied Greece after the German retreat?
I don't know if these exist, but links, maps or books would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[The_Enigma]

Lt-Gen Scobie, Commander Land Forces Greece (HQ 3rd Corps)

III Corps, order of battle 15-17 November 1944 (with additional details from second source, marked with an *):

4th Indian Infantry Division
-HQ and 7th Indian Infantry Brigade (Salonika)
-5th Indian Infantry Brigade (In Italy)
-11th Indian Infantry Brigade (Arriving at Patras)

23rd Aroured Brigade (Athens)
- 40 RTR (detached at this point and at Tripolis, one presumed they landed in Greece at a later date)
- 46 RTR*
- 50 RTR*
- 11 King's Royal Rifle Corps*
- 463 Battery, 104 Royal Horse Artillery (till 15.2.45)*
- 1238 Field Company, Royal Engineers*

2nd Parachute Brigade Group (Salonika)
-4th, 5th* and 6th Parachute Battalions (4th and 6th were detached at this point and at Athens, one presumed the 5th was in Salonika)
- 330 Airlanding Anti-tank Battery, Royal Artillery*
- 64 Field Battery, Royal Artillery (till 3.12.44)*
- 'A' Airlanding Light Battery, Royal Artillery (from 4.12.1944)*
- 2nd Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers*
- 2nd Independant Glider Pilot Squadron*
- 23rd Independant Parachute Platoon*

3rd Greek Mountain brigade (Athens)

2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry (Patras)
40th Royal Marine Commando (Corfu)
9th Commando (Salonika)
Special Boat Squadron and Long Range Desert Group, L.F.A (Athens)

Source:
*General Sir William Jackson, The Mediterransean and Middle East Volume VI, Victory in the Mediterraneas Part III - November 1944 to May 1945, pp.18, 22 (footnote)
*Lt.Colonel Joslen, Orders of Battle, pp. 171, 409

2nd Para Brigade left Greece on 28.1.1945 going to Italy, then onto the UK and was attached to the 6th Airborne Division (Joslen, p. 410)

4th Infantry Division arrived in Greece on 13.12.1944 and was attached to 3 Corps. (Joslen, pp. 45, 46)
- 10 Infantry Brigade
- 12 Infantry Brigade
- 28 Infantry Brigade
- 4 Recce Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
- 22, 30, 77th Field Regiments, Royal Artillery
- 14 Anti Tank Regiment
- 7, 9, 225 Field Companies, Royal Engineers
- 3 Bridging Platoon, Royal Engineers
- 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers

46th Infantry Division arrived in Greece on 14.1.45, it left on 7.4.45 going back to Italy. (Joslen, pp. 75, 76)
- 128th Infantry Brigade
- 138th Infantry Brigade
- 139 Infantry Brigade (the brigade was reattached to the division 4 days after the division was transfered to Greece so am not to sure if it arrived at the same time as the rest of the division)
- 46 Recce Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
- 270. 271, 272 Field Park Companies, Royal Engineers
- 201 Bridging Platoon, Royal Engineers
- 70, 71, 172 Field Regiments, Royal Artillery
- 58 Anti-tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 9 Battalion, The Manchester Regiment

Theres hundreds of brigades and pages in Joslen's book and i cant be assed checking through them all for various other brigades that MAY have been sent to Greece.

If i havent misunderstood 3 Corps was reinforced with more experianced staff (from 10th Corps) and Lt-Gen J.L.I Hawkesworth took command from Arkwright (CO of 23rd Arm Bde and in charge with securing Athens in December (Jackson, p. 76) and the command was retitled Military Command Athens (MCA). While Scobie's command was renamed HQ Land Forces and Military Liaison (Greece) (L.F and M.L (G).) (Jackson, p. 87)

It would seem that LF and ML (G) was later renamed Land Forces (Greece) as the various units in Greece moved command from the former to the latter (Joslen, various).

-----

I dont think it was a case of occupying Greece following the German withdrawal but more of a case of attempting to restore order then getting involved in the errupting middle stages of the Greek Civil War.

The above book by General Sir William Jackson may be a starting point, there are few chapters that deal with the British actions in Greece but most of the book is dedicated to the fighting in Italy. There are a few maps in the book including one showing the location of the various brigades in Athens - ill try and get a photo uploaded soon, ill have to find where my camera is first however.

Hope this helps

[5th Horseman]

Enigma,

Excellent - thanks for the quick reply.
Very useful info.

Thanks again.

[NJ Schueller]

I am trying to find information regarding the 4th Indian Division in Salonica (Thessaloniki) Greece, specifically the AMC. When did this division arrive in Salonica? My father, who was with this division, left in February of 1946 on the Strathnaver. I am interested in ANY details available. If you have any suggestions of sources I could look up, I'd be very grateful. All I know is that he was there in 1945 to Feb 1946, having come from Italy (but I do not know where in Italy he might have been, so any details of that posting would be very much appreciated)...
Also anything regarding the return on the Strathnaver to India. Thank you!

[Andy H]

Hi

I have the 4th Indian Divsional History by Lt Col Stevens

The 7th Brigade left Tarnto on November 3rd and it started to disembark at an emergency B/H next to Salonika power station on November 11th. By the following day, the 12th, the Brigade was ashore. 1 Royal Suusex undertook guard dutie, 2Royal Sikhs manned the B/H, 11 Field Park Co RE began a survey of the docks, 12 Field Co Sappers & Miners RE were working on the roads, whilst 1/2 Gurkha and 31 Field Regt RA were deployed to the town as a garrison force.

What does AMC stand for?

Regards

Andy H

[NJ Schueller]

Thank you, Andy. Sorry for only getting back today. I am still very eager for any available details and grateful for any help you or anybody else can give me.

AMC stands for Army Medical Corps. Regarding my father and his stay in Greece: He must have arrived sometime in the summer (perhaps even spring) of 1945, landing on the Peloponnese (I believe in the city of Patras) from Italy with the 4th Indian Division.

From there he came north to Thessaloniki (Salonica). He met my mother there in November of 1945; they were married in February of 1946 in Salonica, and left on the Strathnaver which docked at Karachi. For a short while he may have been stationed on the coast just south of Salonica in a town called Michaniona -- I have seen pictures of him on horseback, so possibly the cavalry was there too? But he also lived in a home that the British Army was using in an area known as Krini within the city limits.

[The_Enigma]

I feel that anything horseback related would be a private affair; the only cavalry division in the British army was converted to an armoured division early in the war. Regards.

[NJ Schueller]

I feel that anything horseback related would be a private affair; the only cavalry division in the British army was converted to an armoured division early in the war. Regards.

Thank you for this info. Appreciate any input that would bring me closer to filling in the missing puzzle pieces. Again also anything on the voyage of the Srathnaver from Salonica to Karachi.

[Andy H]

I am trying to find information regarding the 4th Indian Division in Salonica (Thessaloniki) Greece, specifically the AMC. When did this division arrive in Salonica? My father, who was with this division, left in February of 1946 on the Strathnaver. I am interested in ANY details available. If you have any suggestions of sources I could look up, I'd be very grateful. All I know is that he was there in 1945 to Feb 1946, having come from Italy (but I do not know where in Italy he might have been, so any details of that posting would be very much appreciated)...
Also anything regarding the return on the Strathnaver to India. Thank you!

Hi

From the same previous source:-

In Macedonia and Thrace the medical situation was at its worst......the medical services undertook a heath survey of northern Greece. 17th Field Ambulance (RAMC) was based in Kavalla, 26th Field Ambulance (RAMC) was based in Verroia whilst the 32nd Field Ambulance (RAMC) was based in Salonika. Detachments of 15th Field Hygiene Section, 2,3,12 & 131 Dental sections and a number of malaria control units were under (divisional) command.

and

On January 22nd the first four troopships arrived in Salonika harbour......The relief (by 4th British Infantry Division) was complicated by bitterly cold weather and deep snow. Over a month pased before the last troopship sailed. One by one the liners reached western Indian ports.

It also notes in the back the various awards individual's recieved by unit. 17th Field Ambulance members were awarded 1 DSO, 6 MC's, 3 IDSM's and 7 MM's. 26th Field Ambulance members were awarded 1 DSO, 3 MC's, 1 IOM, 4IDSM's and 1 MM. The 32nd Field Ambulance members recieved 2 MC's and 4 MM's.

Regards

Andy H

[NJ Schueller]

"....whilst the 32nd Field Ambulance (RAMC) was based in Salonika.."

Hello again Andy,
From what you wrote, it is most likely that my dad was in the above section then. Also, I believe that my father's General went by the name of something like Reese..??
I do not know what his specific resposibilities were. I know only that because word spread that he was in posession of the new wonder drug "penicillin," he was approached by many patients with serious infections (for instance, meningitis). He helped many private people; performed surgery successfully on a newborn only two weeks old, which the Salonica pediatricians could not help, so that the infant would have probably died..

Could you perhaps name a site or source where I might find info pertaining to this period in Greece and Italy?
Thank you so much again. And anything you may still have on this period (names, places, dates, etc.), I appreciate..
Thanks!