The IV Army Corps "Thrace" ( el, Δ΄ Σώμα Στρατού «Θράκη», abbr. Δ΄ ΣΣ) is an

army corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...

of the

Hellenic Army The Hellenic Army ( el, Ελληνικός Στρατός, Ellinikós Stratós, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece. The term ''Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is th ...

. Established before the

First World War 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 ...

, it served in all conflicts Greece participated in until the

German invasion of Greece The German invasion of Greece, also known as the Battle of Greece or Operation Marita ( de , Unternehmen Marita, links = no), was the attack of Greece by Italy and Germany during World War II. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usu ...

in 1941. Re-established in 1976, it has been guarding the Greco-Turkish land border along the

Evros River Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Kavala Kavala ( el, Καβάλα, ''Kavála'' ) is a city in northern Greece, the principal seaport of eastern Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia and the capital of Kavala (regional unit), Kavala regional unit. It is situated on the Bay of Kavala, across ...

, Eastern Macedonia, during the reorganization of the Hellenic Army following the Balkan Wars. When Eastern Macedonia was

occupied ' (Norwegian: ') is a Norwegian political thriller TV series that premiered on TV2 on 5 October 2015. Based on an original idea by Jo Nesbø, the series is co-created with Karianne Lund and Erik Skjoldbjærg. Season 2 premiered on 10 October ...

by Bulgarian and German forces during

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 ...

, the entire Corps, under its commander Col.

Ioannis Hatzopoulos Ioannis Hatzopoulos ( el, Ιωάννης Χατζόπουλος, c. 1862–1918) was a Hellenic Army officer, who commanded the IV Army Corps in 1916 and was interned with his men in Görlitz, Germany. Hatzopoulos was born in Patras in about 18 ...

, demobilized and forbidden to offer resistance by the government in Athens, was carried by rail to Görlitz,

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, as "guests" of the German Government, where they remained for almost three years. During the Greco-Turkish War it was renamed the

Army of Thrace The Army of Thrace ( el, Στρατιά Θράκης) was a field army of the Hellenic Army in 1920–1922. It was created out of the National Defence Army Corps on 3 June 1920, and proceeded to occupy Eastern Thrace, defeating the local Ottoman f ...

and was stationed in Adrianople. In 1922, after the defeat of the Hellenic forces in Asia Minor, it covered the withdrawal of many units to Thrace, and formed part of the

Army of Evros The Army of the Evros ( el, Στρατιά Έβρου) was a field army of Greece, stationed in Western Thrace between December 1922 and August 1923. History The Army of the Evros was formed following the defeat and evacuation of the Army of Asi ...

. In November 1940, during the

Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (Greek: Ελληνοϊταλικός Πόλεμος, ''Ellinoïtalikós Pólemos''), also called the Italo-Greek War, Italian Campaign in Greece, and the War of '40 in Greece, took place between the kingdoms of Italy and G ...

, it was renamed again as ''Eastern Macedonia Army Section'' (ΤΣΑΜ) joining the rest of the army which was fighting in Albania. In April 1941 it surrendered to German forces. In 1976 the Corps was reformed in

Xanthi Xanthi ( el, Ξάνθη, ''Xánthi'', ) is a city in the region of Western Thrace, northeastern Greece. It is the capital of the Xanthi regional unit of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace. Amphitheatrically built on the foot of Rhodope m ...

and currently is the most powerful formation of the Hellenic Army.

Structure

** IV Army Corps (), headquartered at

Thrace Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to ...

consisting of ***1st Artillery Regiment-MLRS (''1o ΣΠΒ''), based at

Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

, Macedonia **** HQ Company (''ΛΔ/1ο ΣΠΒ'') **** 193rd Multiple Rocket Launcher Battalion (''193 ΜΠΕΠ'') **** 194th Multiple Rocket Launcher Battalion (''194 ΜΠΕΠ'') **** Observation Battery (''ΠΠΑΠ'') *** 1st Communications, EW, Surveillance Regiment (''1ο ΣΕΗΠΠΕΠ''), based at

*** Corps Field and Air Defense Artillery Command and units (''ΔΠΒ/Δ' ΣΣ'') *** Corps Engineer Command and units (''ΔΜΧ/Δ' ΣΣ'') *** Corps HQ Battalion ***

12th Mechanized Infantry Division (Greece) The 12th Mechanized Infantry Division "Evros" ( el, ΧΙΙ Μηχανοκίνητη Μεραρχία Πεζικού «ΕΒΡΟΣ» ''Dodekati Mihanokiniti Merarhia Pezikou «EVROS»'') is a military formation of the Hellenic Army, based at Alexand ...

(''XII Μ/Κ ΜΠ''), based at

Alexandroupoli Alexandroupolis ( el, Αλεξανδρούπολη, ), Alexandroupoli, or Alexandrople is a city in Greece and the capital of the Evros regional unit. It is the largest city in Western Thrace and the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. It h ...

organised in **** 7th Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Sarantaporos" (7η M/K ΤΑΞ ''Σαραντάπορος''), based at Lykofytos,

**** 31st Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Kamia" (31η M/K ΤΑΞ ''Κάμια''), based at Feres,

**** 23rd Armored Brigade "3rd Cavalry Regiment Dorylaeum" (XXIII ΤΘΤ ''3ο Σύνταγμα Ιππικού Δορύλαιον''), based at

****Tactical Command/41st Infantry Regiment (''ΤΔ/41ο ΣΠ''), based at Samothraki,

North Aegean The North Aegean Region ( el, Περιφέρεια Βορείου Αιγαίου, translit=Periféria Voríou Eyéou, ) is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece, and the smallest of the thirteen by population. It comprises the isla ...

****3rd Armoured Cavalry Squadron (''Γ' ΕΑΝ'') ****Division Artillery Command and units (''ΔΠΒ/ΧΙΙ Μ/Κ ΜΠ'') ****12th Signal Battalion (''12ο ΤΔΒ'') ****Division HQ Company (''ΛΣ/ΧΙΙ Μ/Κ ΜΠ'') *** 16th Mechanized Infantry Division (''XVI Μ/Κ ΜΠ''), based at

Didymoteicho Didymoteicho ( el, Διδυμότειχο, Didymóteicho ) is a city located on the eastern edge of the Evros regional unit of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, in northeastern Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name. The town ...

organised in **** 3rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Rimini" (3η M/K ΤΑΞ ''Ρίμινι''), based at Kavyli,

**** 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Tomoritsa" (30ή M/K ΤΑΞ ''Τομορίτσα''), based at

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

**** 21st Armored Brigade "Cavalry Brigade Pindus" (XXI ΤΘΤ ''Ταξιαρχία Ιππικού Πίνδος''), based at

Komotini Komotini ( el, Κομοτηνή, tr, Gümülcine, bg, Комотини) is a city in the region of East Macedonia and Thrace, northeastern Greece. It is the capital of the Rhodope. It was the administrative centre of the Rhodope-Evros super-p ...

****Tactical Command/21st Infantry Regiment "Drama" (ΤΔ/21ο ΣΠ ''Δράμα''), based at

Orestiada Orestiada ( el, Ορεστιάδα, formerly , ''Nea Orestiás''), is the northeasternmost, northernmost and newest city of Greece and the second largest town of the Evros regional unit of Thrace. Founded by Greek refugees from Edirne after the ...

****4th Armoured Cavalry Squadron (''Δ' ΕΑΝ'') ****Division Artillery Command and units (''ΔΠΒ/XVI Μ/Κ ΜΠ'') ****16th Signal battalion (''16ο ΤΔΒ'') ****Division HQ Company (''ΛΣ/XVI Μ/Κ ΜΠ'') *** 20th Armored Division (''XX ΤΘΜ''), based at

Kavala Kavala ( el, Καβάλα, ''Kavála'' ) is a city in northern Greece, the principal seaport of eastern Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia and the capital of Kavala (regional unit), Kavala regional unit. It is situated on the Bay of Kavala, across ...

, Macedonia organised in ****24th Armoured Brigade "1st Cavalry Regiment ''Florina''" (XXIV Τεθωρακισμένη Ταξιαρχία «1ο ΣΙ ΦΛΩΡΙΝΑ»), based at

Litochoro Litochoro ( el, Λιτόχωρο, ''Litóchoro''; Katharevousa: Λιτόχωρον) is a town and a former municipality in the southern part of the Pieria regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it has been part of the Dio-O ...

**** 25th Armored Brigade "2nd Cavalry Regiment Ephesus" (XXV ΤΘΤ ''2ο Σύνταγμα Ιππικού Έφεσος''), based at

****Division Artillery Command and units (''ΔΠΒ/ΧΧ ΤΘΜ'') ****20th Signal Battalion (''20ό ΤΔΒ'') ****Division HQ Company (''ΙΣ/ΧΧ ΤΘΜ'') *** 50th Independent Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Apsos" (50ή M/K ΤΑΞ ''Άψος''), based at

Soufli Soufli ( el, Σουφλί) is a town in the Evros regional unit, Greece, notable for the silk industry that flourished there in the 19th century. The town stands on the eastern slope of the twin hill of Prophet Elias, one of the easternmost spurs ...

*** 29th Motorized Brigade "Pogradets" (29η ΤΑΞΠΖ ''Πόγραδετς''), based at

{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 4 Military units and formations established in 1913 1913 establishments in Greece Xanthi Military units and formations of Greece in World War I Military units and formations of Greece in World War II History of Kavala