Metaxas Linie

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Gerst
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Metaxas Linie

#1

Post by Gerst » 04 Sep 2006, 05:15

My father served with the staff of the German XXX Armeekorps which served as the eastern flank of the German attack into Greece on 6 April 1941. The two corps divisions - 50th and 164th -- seemed to have a relatively easy time until they reached Hill 510. Who can tell me about Hill 510? My father told me a long ago that it was very tough going - he is gone now. How can I learn about this action? Was the 190th Assault Gun Detachment committed during this attack?

Did the XXX Armeekorps deploy any tanks? My father had photos of Mark I's and III's at Kirdzali in Bulgaria in April, 1941. What unit did these belong to?

Is there an OOB available for "Marita?" and a decent map?

Vati often spoke of the dedication and honor of the Greek soldiers. He loved the Greek countryside and took the opportunity to visit the country when combat ceased.

Thanks,

Gerst

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Christoph Awender
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#2

Post by Christoph Awender » 04 Sep 2006, 06:17

Hello

50.Inf.Div. on 6.April 41
Kdr. I.R.122 with II./121 (on trucks), Pz.Jg.Abt.150, 1 s. and ½ le.Bttr. of I./Flak 64, 3./Pi.71 (mot), 10cm Bttr. Of II./Art.Rgt.65. Later Stg.Abt.190 is added. Prepared for advancing east is A.A.150. Waiting to advance through the opened mountain passes were II./122 (Div.reserve), I.R.122 (without II.), Art.Rgt.109, II./A.R.63, II./A.R.65 (without 1 Bttr.) as Korps-reserve.
More info in the daily reports on my site
http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/1941/apr/6apr41.htm

\Christoph


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Mr Holmes
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#3

Post by Mr Holmes » 04 Sep 2006, 15:07

Gerst, while not as detailed as Mr Awender's excellent and detailed site, this is all I could come up with, with regards to the 50th Division on the first and second night of hostilities. The following is taken from an abridged version of the official history of Martika and Merkur as commisioned by the Hellenic Ministry of Defence, thereby presenting the Greek view of events. I am almost certain that the non-translated, unabridged version would contain much more detail as well as, possibly, accuracy, but I wouldn't know where to procure it from.
In the zone of the Evros Brigade (Sector of Evros), the German attack commenced at 0505hrs with the 50th Division along the axis Kirdzali-Nymphaea-Komotini. The screening forces of the Evros Brigade withdrew, delaying the enemy, in accordance with the existing plan. At 0700hrs, Fort Nymphaea was subjected to the effective fire of the artillery at the openings and the exits from a distance of 600-1,500 meters and by 1100 hours it had become encircled. Attempts on the part of the Germans to ascend to the surface of the fort were contained by the effective fire. The pounding of the Fort, which was conducted by the greatest part of the XXX Army Corps artillery in conjuction with the Airforce, continued until eight o'clock that evening.
pp. 188-89.

That was for April 6, 1941. The following accounts for April 7, 1941:
In the Sector of Evros, the screening forces, (approximately 100 officers and 2,000 soldiers), after having withdrawn according to the existing plan, crossed over to the Turkish territory where they were disarmed, except for a small section that withdrew towards Makri and was afterwards transported inland by steamboat.

The Commander of the Brigade, Major General Ioannis Zissis, taking the disarmament of his Brigade to heart, committed suicide on April 9, at Ypsala of Eastern Thrace. Most officers and about 1,300 soldiers that had taken refuge in Turkey went to the Middle East in July, 1941, whereas the rest returned to Greece in February, 1942.

In the meantime, the German troops by-passed Fort Nymphaea and, during the night of April 6 to 7, reached Komotini.

Fort Nymphaea continued to resist, although it was isolated within an area which was totally controlled by the Germans, who were urgently seeking to breaking through the advance routes from Komotini to Alexandroupolis and Kavala. Despite the night attacks, the pounding of the artillery, the successive assaults of the infantry and the severe air bombardment, the Germans were unable to ascend to the surface of the Fort for the whole day (April 7). Late in the evening at approx 2100hrs, after the effective fire of more than a hundred guns of all calibre against the openings of the Fort and the destruction of its weapons and exits, the Germans managed to set foot on its surface. Nevertheless, the Fort continued the defence until 2330hrs, whereupon it was forced to surrender, since the atmosphere inside it had by then become suffocating, due to the smoke agents thrown by the Germans through the wrecked openings of the pill-boxes.
pp. 191-92.

I hope, that in part, this provides you with what you are looking for. Unfortunately, although the book contains maps of the various sectors, there is nothing detailed about the "Evros sector" to warrant a scan.

Source: Hellenic Army General Staff, An Abridged History of the Greek-Italian and Greek-German War 1940-1941 (Land Operations), The Army History Directorate Editions, Athens (ISBN 960-7897-01-3)

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Gerst
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#4

Post by Gerst » 04 Sep 2006, 18:04

Thank you Chris and Sepp. Sepp, you must be using a cane by now! How old are you anyway?

And Chris, your website has been one of the most helpful and reliable surces in all areas. I have sent you a message - let me know if you want scans of my father's wartime photos for your site.

Father's service from the Westwall to Barbarossa was enjoyable for him. As a staff officer, he was not often in "the line of fire," and he often acted more like a tourist than a soldier. I have dozens of snapshots of Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and the Crimea. That's were it got tough. After the summer of 1942, everything changed, and the picures became less and less until there were none. Father put away his camera and picked up a machine pistol and later, when the Russian Cavalry Corps hit Debalzevo, he had a machinegun, just like old times in his regiment in the Reichswehr when he was an NCO.

Thanks, friends for your input.

Arnim

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Mr Holmes
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#5

Post by Mr Holmes » 05 Sep 2006, 11:36

hehe, a cane. I'll be 31 in a few days (...).

I'm just sorry that I was not able to amply cater to your needs or address your thirst for finding about your father's service in Greece (my parent's place of birth incidentally); it is, unforutnately, a most neglected campaign in terms of English literature, and the Greek literature that I would like to get my hands on, is almost impossible to obtain unless I travel there again to pick up more books. Both of my grandparents fought in the campaign, my mother's father on the Italian front of 40-41 in Epirus and my father's father in Crete (apparently wounded on the first day of the battle there); so threads such as these I always look out for. :-)

Cheers

Nick

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#6

Post by PzGren » 05 Sep 2006, 19:29

Since you are interested in XXX AK what follows below is the OOB for the operation

http://www.orbat.com/site/ww2/drleo/011 ... ps_30.html

Gerst, will you be so kind to answer me - What did your father told you about Bulgaria? What were his impressions? I won't bother you about photos though... They are family relics.

Best regards

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Gerst
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#7

Post by Gerst » 09 Sep 2006, 06:55

PanzerGrenadier!

My father entered Bulgaria in March, 1941 at Turnu Magurele. He traveled extensively in your country and inter-acted with a number of Bulgarian officers and met their families. They became very close in the short time he spent there. I have a number of photos some of them already on other posts, but I am happy to e-mail these to you. They can be found under the XXX Armeekorps in my postings. Dad even met King Boris and I have posted photos of him (2) also visiting the XXX AK HQ.

If you would like photos, I am happy to scan and e-mail these, my friend! Just send an e-mail to [email protected] and you will have them!

Nick - I made a joke! The real Sepp would be about 100 by now, right! My father was born in 1904 - he would be 102! By the way, if you want a reproduction of Sepp's ribbon bar(s), I know of a man who can make one up for you!

My father had great respect for the Greek soldiers. They fought hard and gave up only when hope was gone. Father loved the Greek countryside and once the shooting was over, he and his camera were everywhere!

It's funny - he also loved Romania, Bulgaria, the Ukraine and Krimea. He met local people in all these places who greeted him as friends. That's the way we should all greet each other, isn't it?

Gerst

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oRion
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#8

Post by oRion » 17 Oct 2006, 22:22

To say the truth Metaxa's line was the gratest defensive constraction created in Greece
at WW2. If you wait a couple of days i will tell you more and maybe i will scan some pictures for you! Do you have any pictures of your futher from this campaine cause i'm Greek and i'm really interested ti know how the others think for the greek army at WW2.

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Gerst
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#9

Post by Gerst » 17 Oct 2006, 23:14

Thank you Orion. My father spoke well of the Greek soldiers. Send me an e-mail at [email protected] and I will send photos of the line and of Greece in April/May 1941.

Gerst

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tigre
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Re: Metaxas Linie

#10

Post by tigre » 06 Mar 2010, 14:05

Hello to all :D; for all interested in (if you haven't stumbled with it so far).................

http://www.deutsches-afrika-korps.de/vi ... 121&t=2943

http://www.deutsches-afrika-korps.de/vi ... 121&t=2944

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

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Re: Metaxas Linie

#11

Post by oRion » 03 Jun 2011, 15:53

Very nice and a bit painful though, but really nice photos, thanks Xavier!
Anthony/

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nuyt
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Re: Metaxas Linie

#12

Post by nuyt » 19 Jun 2011, 19:02

Does anyone have pictures of the refurbished Krupp 75 mm guns the Greeks used in the Metaxas lines?

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