The Archipelago Division ( el, Μεραρχία Ἀρχιπελάγους, Merarchia Archipelagous) was an
infantry division
A division is a large military unit or formation, usually consisting of between 6,000 and 25,000 soldiers.
In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically make up a corps. Histo ...
of
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and the early stages of the
Asia Minor Campaign
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
.
Establishment
The division began being raised in September 1916 by the
Provisional Government of National Defence, as part of its efforts to
create its own army for service alongside the
Allies on the
Macedonian front. Initial planning called for the establishment of four
infantry division
A division is a large military unit or formation, usually consisting of between 6,000 and 25,000 soldiers.
In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically make up a corps. Histo ...
s to be recruited in the areas controlled by the National Defence government (
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...
, the
Aegean islands, and
Macedonia).
As its name signifies, the Archipelago Division (Μεραρχία Ἀρχιπελάγους) was recruited in the Aegean islands, chiefly
Chios
Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of masti ...
,
Lesbos
Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Asia Minor by the nar ...
, and
Samos
Samos (, also ; el, Σάμος ) is a Greece, Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of western Turkey, from which it is separated by the -wide Mycale Strait. It is also a se ...
. Its core were men already serving in the islands, as well as the classes of 1915 and 1916; this proved insufficient to complete recruitment, and in March 1917 eight older classes were mobilized to fill the division's ranks. Further difficulties were encountered due to the lack of weapons and qualified NCOs, leading to the establishment of an NCO training centre in
Mytilini
Mytilene (; el, Μυτιλήνη, Mytilíni ; tr, Midilli) is the capital of the Greek island of Lesbos, and its port. It is also the capital and administrative center of the North Aegean Region, and hosts the headquarters of the University o ...
. The division comprised three infantry regiments (originally the 7th, 8th, and 9th, but in late 1916 renumbered 4th, 5th, and 6th respectively) and support services. The 4th Archipelago Regiment (4ο Σύνταγμα Ἀρχιπελάγους) with two battalions was headquartered at Lesbos, the 5th Archipelago Regiment (5ο Σύνταγμα Ἀρχιπελάγους) with one battalion at Lesbos and one at
Lemnos
Lemnos or Limnos ( el, Λήμνος; grc, Λῆμνος) is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos regional unit, which is part of the North Aegean region. The p ...
, and the 6th Archipelago Regiment (6ο Σύνταγμα Ἀρχιπελάγους) at Samos, with one battalion at Chios. Its first commander was Colonel (later Major General and Lt. General)
Dimitrios Ioannou, with Lt. Colonel
Dimitrios Katheniotis as his chief of staff.
Among the men recruited into the division was the writer
Stratis Myrivilis, whose anti-war novel ''Life in the Tomb'' describes life on the Macedonian front based on the author's own experiences with the division.
Macedonian front, 1917–1918
First front deployment at Monastir
After training was completed in March 1917, the division was ferried to
Toumba
In archaeology the term Toumba ( el, Τούμπα) or Magoula ( el, Μαγούλα) in Thessaly is a Greek word which describes mounds created by Bronze Age, Bronze and early Iron Age settlements in northern Greece. At first they were considere ...
in
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
in April. From 1 May on, it began its move to the front, and by 18 May 1917 the division had assembled around the village of
Kladorachi in the
Florina
Florina ( el, Φλώρινα, ''Flórina''; known also by some alternative names) is a town and municipality in the mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'.
The town of Florina is the capital of the F ...
area, and placed under the command of the French ''
Armée d'Orient''. There the division was trained in
trench warfare
Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which troops are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery. Trench warfare became ar ...
and the use of mortars, handgrenades, etc.
From 24 May, the division's battalions began occupying front sectors in the
Monastir area, under the control of the French
57th Infantry Division: one each of the battalions were attached to the French division's regiments to gradually accustom them to front conditions. By July, the division held its own continuous front sector. In August 1917, Lt. Colonel
Achilleas Protosyngellos took over as the division's chief of staff.
Battle of Skra
On 20 October the division was moved east to the
Polykastro
Polykastro ( el, Πολύκαστρο, before 1928 , ''Karasoúli''; ''Pandektis: Name Changes of Settlements in Greece'', compiled by the/ref>) is a town and a former municipality in Kilkis regional unit of Central Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2 ...
–
Goumenissa
Goumenissa ( el, Γουμένισσα ) is a small traditional town in the Kilkis regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece. It was the capital of the former Paionia Province. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality ...
area, where it took over a front sector adjoining the
Crete Division
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...
to its right. Along with the
Serres Division
The Serres Division ( el, Μεραρχία Σερρῶν, Merarchia Serrōn) was an infantry division of Hellenic Army in World War I and the annexation of Western Thrace.
Establishment
The division began being raised in September 1916 by the Pro ...
, these formed the "National Defence Army Corps" under Major General
Emmanouil Zymvrakakis, although operationally the Greek divisions came under the 1st Group of Divisions, under , commander of the French
122nd Infantry Division.
The division held this sector until May 1918, when it participated in the
Battle of Skra-di-Legen. The Archipelago Division with its 5th and 6th regiments (Lt. Colonels
Efthymios Tsimikalis and
Konstantinos Exarchakis respectively), reinforced with the 1st Serres Regiment (Lt. Colonel
Georgios Kondylis
Georgios Kondylis DSO (; 14 August 1878 – 1 February 1936) was a Greek general, politician and prime minister of Greece. He was nicknamed ''Keravnos'', Greek for "thunder" or " thunderbolt".
Military career
Kondylis was born in Prouss ...
), took the brunt of the attack on the fortified positions of Skra on 16–18 May 1918, aided on its flanks by attacks from the Crete and Serres divisions.
Following its victory at Skra, the Archipelago Division was withdrawn to the village of Karpi near Goumenissa on 20 May for rest. On 10 July it replaced the Crete Division at the front in the
Loumnitsa sector, again under the 1st Group of Divisions under
Philippe Henri Joseph d'Anselme. The division took over the
29th Infantry Regiment as the third divisional regiment, since the 4th Archipelago Regiment remained in southern Greece assigned to internal security duties.
Vardar Offensive and end of the war
During the
Vardar Offensive in September 1918, the 1st Group of Divisions was assigned a supporting role, connecting the two main prongs of the Allied attack, while pinning down its opposing forces through an attack along the
Vardar
The Vardar (; mk, , , ) or Axios () is the longest river in North Macedonia and the second longest river in Greece, in which it reaches the Aegean Sea at Thessaloniki. It is long, out of which are in Greece, and drains an area of around . Th ...
valley to the
Demir Kapija
Demir Kapija ( mk, Демир Капија ) is a small town in North Macedonia, located near the ominous limestone gates of the same name. It has 3,725 inhabitants. The town is the seat of Demir Kapija Municipality.
Etymology
The name of the tow ...
gorge. The Archipelago Division was tasked with supporting the French towards
Davidovo. As the Bulgarian retreat began on 8 September, the division crossed the trenches on 9 September, and advanced through
Strumica to
Plačkovica.
Following the
Armistice of Salonica
The Armistice of Salonica (also known as the Armistice of Thessalonica) was signed on 29 September 1918 between Bulgaria and the Allied Powers in Thessaloniki. The convention followed a request by the Bulgarian government for a ceasefire on 2 ...
on 16 September, the division assembled at
Kočani
Kočani ( mk, Кочани ) is a town in the eastern part of North Macedonia, situated around east from Skopje. It has a population of 28,330 and is the seat of the Kočani Municipality.
Geography and population
The town spreads across the Nor ...
on 23 September and then at
Tsarevo Selo, under the reconstituted National Defence Army Corps. Along with the rest of the corps, on 29 October the division was moved to the
Gevgelija
Gevgelija ( mk, Гевгелија; ) is a town with a population of 15,685 located in the very southeast of the North Macedonia along the banks of the Vardar River, situated at the country's main border with Greece (Bogorodica-Evzoni), the point ...
–
Axioupolis area as a reserve of the Allied commander-in-chief. From there the division moved to
Langadas
Lagkadas ( el, Λαγκαδάς, ) is a town and municipality in the northeast part of Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. There are 41103 residents in the municipality and 7764 of them live in the town of Lagkadas.
Lagkadas is located northeast o ...
on 9 November, and to eastern Macedonia in December. In October–November 1918, the division was commanded by Colonel Manganaras, before Major General
Periklis Pierrakos-Mavromichalis.
Asia Minor, 1919–1920
Piecemeal arrival and first operations at Bergama
The Archipelago Division remained in eastern Macedonia until May 1919, when it was shipped to
Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
to take up occupation duties in the
Smyrna Zone. The 6th Archipelago Regiment was sent in early May, soon after the
Greek landing at Smyrna
The Greek landing at Smyrna ( el, Ελληνική απόβαση στη Σμύρνη; tr, İzmir'in İşgali, Occupation of İzmir) was a military operation by Greek forces starting on May 15, 1919 which involved landing troops in the city of S ...
, to augment the
1st Infantry Division there, and the 5th Regiment followed later in the month. The Greek occupation immediately faced armed resistance by irregular forces, and was hampered due to political considerations: as the Smyrna Zone was still officially Ottoman territory, Turkish officials remained in place, censorship was not imposed, and even the disarming of the civilian population (including demobilized Ottoman soldiers) was prohibited by the Allies. The rapid growth of organized resistance emerged into the open with the events of the
Battle of Bergama, necessitating the dispatch of the 5th and 6th Archipelago Regiments to recapture
Bergama
Bergama is a populous district, as well as the center city of the same district, in İzmir Province in western Turkey. By excluding İzmir's metropolitan area, it is one of the prominent districts of the province in terms of population and is l ...
on 7 June.
The problems faced by the Greek forces in Asia Minor resulted in a first wave of reinforcements, including the rest of the Arcipelago Division. On 18 June 1919 Colonel (later Major General)
Charalambos Tseroulis assumed command of the division, which now held the northernmost part of the Greek occupation zone around Bergama and
Ayvalık
Ayvalık () is a seaside town on the northwestern Aegean coast of Turkey. It is a district of Balıkesir province. The town centre is connected to Cunda Island by a causeway and is surrounded by the archipelago of Ayvalık Islands, which fac ...
. In late July 1919, the Archipelago Division numbered on paper 340 officers and 8,421 other ranks, of which about 9.5% were missing or otherwise not available.
On occupation duty, July 1919 – May 1920
At the same time, the Allies strictly forbade the Greek troops to advance beyond the area already occupied, unless with prior Allied consent. As this allowed the Turks to launch raids against the Greek lines and then retreat with impunity behind the demarcation line, this was modified on 29 August so that Greek forces could pursue them to 1–1.5 km, on 28 September to the freedom to make minor and local advances to improve their tactical position, and on 16 October to pursue Turkish forces up to 3 km from the demarcation line. A final demarcation line was determined by the Allied leaders in November 1919, with Greek forces advancing to the new positions on 3 November. During this period, the Archipelago Division had only to contend with low-level activity by irregular forces, which cost it 2 killed and 15 wounded soldiers.
On 12 December, as the Greek forces in Asia Minor were grouped into the
Army of Asia Minor The Army of Asia Minor ( el, Στρατιά Μικράς Ασίας, links=no) was the field army-level command controlling the Greek forces in Asia Minor (Anatolia) during the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922.
History
1919
Following the Gree ...
, the division became part of the newly constituted
Smyrna Army Corps
Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...
under the division's former commander, Lt. General Ioannou. The division's sector remained relatively calm, except for occasional firefights and artillery shots during December, with almost complete quiet in the early months of 1920. In March–May 1920, the division suffered 14 dead and 21 wounded. The opposing Turkish forces, elements of the
56th and
61st divisions as well as irregulars, was estimated at around 10,000 men.
Summer offensive of 1920
During the
1920 summer offensive, the division captured
Akhisar
Akhisar ( ota, آق حصار) is a town and a district in Manisa Province; in the Aegean Region of western Turkey. Akhisar is also the ancient city of Thyatira (also known as ''Thyateira'').
With archaeological findings that are proving settle ...
,
Kırkağaç
Kırkağaç is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 48,303 of which 25,093 live in the town of Kırkağaç. The district covers an area of , and the to ...
,
Soma
Soma may refer to:
Businesses and brands
* SOMA (architects), a New York–based firm of architects
* Soma (company), a company that designs eco-friendly water filtration systems
* SOMA Fabrications, a builder of bicycle frames and other bicycle ...
,
Balikesir, and
Bursa, establishing defensive positions east of the latter.
Renaming
Following the victory of the royalist opposition in the
1920 Greek legislative election
Parliamentary elections were held in Greece on Sunday, 14 November 1920,John S. Koliopoulos and Thanos M. Veremis (2010''Modern Greece: A History since 1821''Wiley-Blackwell, p87 or 1 November 1920 old style. They were possibly the most crucial el ...
, on 10 November Tseroulis was replaced by Colonel
Polychronis Karakalos, and on 24 December the division was renamed from its "Venizelist" name to the
7th Infantry Division.
Casualties
During its front-line service from 1917 to 1920, the division suffered 139 officers killed or wounded, and 3,695 other ranks killed or wounded.
References
Sources
*
*
*
{{Provisional Government of National Defence
1916 establishments in Greece
1920 disestablishments in Greece
Infantry divisions of Greece
Military units and formations established in 1916
Military units and formations disestablished in 1920
Military units and formations of Greece in the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922)
Military units and formations of Greece in World War I
Macedonian front