Battle of the Forts(Metaxa line) ! April 1941 Hellas(Greece)

On March 26th 1941, Italian troops sufferd a total defeat on hill 731 at Kleisoura . You can read this post here:
https://steemit.com/history/@giosou/thermopylae-of-of-ww2-battle-of-hill-height-731

Germany, decided to help their Axis ally Italy and invaded Hellas(Greece) on April 6th 1941 , with the excuse that Hellas is helping the British. Operation ''Marita'' is starting. Hellenic Army once again , exceeded its capability and defended at the North,-Hellenic-Bulgarian borders(Bulgary had taken Axis part by that time)- of the country for 4 days as the Yogoslavian forces collapsed in 3 days and the road to Thessaloniki was open .

In this video you can hear the radio anouncement for the German attack(in Hellenic language) and see some of the places that suffered a holocaust from ''SS''.

German troops consisted from:

Land forces:

3 Bulgarian Divisions
3 Armored Divisions,
2 Mountain,
4 Pedestrian and 1 Reserve,
2 Independently Enhanced regiments (1 Motorized Division and 3 Army Corps with Non-Divisional Units.
Also provided the main force of the Artillery,Engineering , Anti-tank and other means of the Army against Hellas.

Air forces:

The 8th Air Force, under the commander Reichshoffen, which had been placed at the 12th Army from the beginning and consisted of 650 aircraft (280 bombers, 150 stukas, 90 single-engine straddling aircraft, 90 double-engine straddling/bombers and 40 identification aircrafts).The 4th Air Fleet, which was formed after the Yugoslav Transfiguration and included 744 aircraft of various types.

Hellenic Forces consisted from:

4 Divisions

According to plan ,forts should be defended by 329 officers and 9.740 soldiers but the total troops defended were 5.630 men.
For some of the forts we know the number of the defenders:

''Rupel'' fort - 27 officers and 950 soldiers
''Karatas'' fort - 28 officers and 785 soldiers
''Kali'' fort - 30 officers nad 902 soldiers

From 05:15 on Sunday April 6th , without keeping at least the usual diplomatic customs of the ultimatum and the deadline for reply, the German troops invaded both Hellenic territory and South Yugoslavia simultaneously. (Operation "MARITA").
The main effort of the Germans came to the forts of the ''Beles'' area in the XVIII Division's zone. There was a violent bombardment against the Forts of ''Istibeis'' and ''Kelkagia'', which constituted the "key" of the site, and was extended to the ''Popotlivitsa'', ''Arpalouki'' and the ''Paliouriones'' forts. ''Istbei'' the Germans called it "The Hook of Death," and is 200 meters from the border at an altitude of 1347 meters.

In the XIV Division's zone , the German attack also took place on 0515 with great force against the ''Rupel'', ''Karatas'' and ''Kalis'' Forts. The attack began with fire and air bombardment with the 125th Independent Regiment, very experienced, because it had also fought on the Massino line. All day, 100-200 aircraft flew over the ''Rupel''. Three of them were shot down.
In the VII Division's zone, the German attack initially repelled the defending troops and came into contact with the Pyramid Forts, ''Lisse'' and ''Perithori'', without being able to proceed by the strong resistance of Forts' defenders.
In the Nestos Brigade's zone, in the region of Xanthi, the Germans overturned the border posts and during the afternoon they were in contact with the Fort of ''Ehinos'', where they were blocked by the Fort's Fire.

Finally, in the Evros Brigade's zone, the attack took place on 05.05. The Hellenic troops only managed to delay the enemy, and at 1100 hours the Fort ''Nymphaea'' was surounded. The brave resistance of the defenders of the Fort continued until late evening.

While the Forces vigorously defended the front line, the occupation of the western part of ''Belles'' and the penetration of German troops into the ''Rodopi'' valley created a danger for the entire ''Beles'' area. The collapse of the Yugoslav resistance helped the advancement and entry of the 2nd Armored Division into Hellenic territory. East of Strymonas and up to the Nestos River, the region remains untouched and the Forts impregnable, with the order to defend "to the last man standing".

The Guard of the ''Istibei'' fort (200 meters from the Bulgarian border) due to air bombing, artillery fire, munitions, machine guns, gully gas and burning gas used by the Germans, surrended at 16.00 hours on April 7th.
The Fort ''Nymphaea'' was forced to surrender at 23.30 hours on April 7, due to the smoke gasses that the Germans threw into the Fort.
The fort of ''Kelkaja'' due to gasses and smoke was forced to surrender at 11.30 on April 7.
The Fort of ''Arpaluki'' on the night of 7/8 April after a hard struggle on the bridges of Strymonas was handed over to the Germans.
The German skiped the ''Nymphaia'' fort during the night 6/7 April and arrived in Komotini.
The hard and epic struggle of the heroic defenders of all Forts did not allow the German forces to break the "Metaxa Line"(Ioannis Metaxas was the dictator of Hellas at the time and was the one who designed the fort lines), nor on the third day of the attack. However, the rapid collapse of the Yugoslav resistance on the very first day, particularly in the valley area of the Axios River, and the lack of available forces to cover the left side of the fortified site of Beles, gave the opportunity to the 2nd German Armored Division to invade the Hellenic territory through the valleys of Stroumnitsa and Axios river.
Most of the forts, remained impregnable, their defenders left or surrendered on April 10, after the signing of the relevant Protocol (April 9, 1941) and following an order by their superiors.

The surender of Thessaloniki was made on April 9th by a committee consisted of the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, the Mayor and the Police Chief of the city. On April 9, 1400, the protocol was signed at the German Consulate of Thessaloniki between the Commander of the Part of the East Macedonia Army and the commander of the 2nd German Armored Division. In spite of the repeated attacks of the Germans against the Fort ''Palouriones'' in Belles, it remained impregnable. At 17.00, German preachers informed the fortress guard about the capitulation. It was then decided to make a ceasefire during the night. The surender of the Fort took place at 09.00 on 10 April. A German battalion was toed the line for honoring the defenders, while the German Colonel who received the Fortress, congratulated the Commander and Fort's men.

The German flag was raised in Fortress after the defenders left. Similar honorable events took place in the Rupel, Lisse, Pyramid, Perithori, Nymfaea, Istibei and Kelkaja.

''An unhonoured incident''

Dimitrios Hitsios

In one case ,a German officer named ''Shorner'' honoured a defender by shoting him after he surendered and after he congratulated him. The Defender was sergeant ''Dimitrios Hitsios'' who had been ordered with 5 more soldiers to cover from the machine-gun post ''P8'' at the area of ''Omorfoplaja'' of ''Belles'' mountain, the retreat of Hellenic troops and when condition allowed it , retreat too. Dimitrios Hitsios ordered his men to leave after the violent German bombing. 2 of them stayed with him and shot about 38.000 bullets to the enemy causing more than 230 causalties. When their armor run out, they surrendered . The German commander ''Shorner'' asked who was in charge . ''Hitsios'' answered. ''Shorner'' accused him for killing so many men. ''Hitsios'' said : ''I was just doing my duty''. ''Shorner'' said: Now i have to do mine. Ordered his troops to give him honours and then shot him in the head.

The other 2 defenders were left free and told the story.

''Honor to Heroes''

videos in Hellenic language

English language

''Stuka'' pilot talks about the attack

''Sabaton'' Coat of arms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=211&v=4PeHeGZrqO4

Sources:

youtube

http://arthrografia-xaos.blogspot.gr/2015/03/6-9-1941.html

for images i searched in google for Battle of the forts pictures(In Hellenic language)

Thanks for stoping by .
Till next post,take care !