The Kodza Déré Decauville Railway ( Greek: Κοτζά Ντερέ ντεκοβίλ) was a long narrow-gauge

military railway The military use of railways derives from their ability to move troops or materiel rapidly and, less usually, on their use as a platform for military systems, like very large railroad guns and armoured trains, in their own right. Railways have ...

, which was built and operated by French troops 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 ...

from 1917 to 1918 at

Paionia In antiquity, Paeonia or Paionia ( grc, Παιονία, Paionía) was the land and kingdom of the Paeonians or Paionians ( grc, Παίονες, Paíones). The exact original boundaries of Paeonia, like the early history of its inhabitants, a ...

near Polykastro in Makedonia.

History

The valley of the Kodza Déré River was of strategical importance to the Allied Forces of World War I because the French headquarters were based near

Axioupoli Axioupoli ( el, Αξιούπολη), known until 1927 as Boymitsa (Боймица, Μποέμιτσα), is a small town and a former municipality in the former Paionia Province of Kilkis regional unit, Greek Macedonia. Since the 2011 local gover ...

s and a camp of the 122nd Division and military hospital was located near Pigi. The front line was just a few kilometers above on the height of the Skra-di-Legen Canyon ( el, Σκρα ντι Λέγκεν), where the

Battle of Skra-di-Legen The Battle of Skra-di-Legen (Skora di Legen) was a two-day battle which took place at the Skra fortified position, located northeast of Mount Paiko, which is north-west of Thessaloniki, on May 29–30, 1918, on the Macedonian front of World War I ...

( el, Μάχη του Σκρα) was fought. Similar to the nearby Battles of Doiran in 1917 and

1918 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...

there were lengthy battles with heavy losses in the area.

Route

The Decauville railway with a gauge of started from the railway station Axioupolis (Αξιούπολης). The station was known until 1927 as Goumentja. The railway crossed the town of Axioupolis, historically known as Bohemitsa (Μποέμιτσα) passing two churches and a mosque. To gain height quickly, it went through an elaborately built Vróncho Spiral (βρόγχο), to Pigi (Πηγή), then known as Isvor. From there it followed the valley of the Kodza Déré River to the terminus Black Tree (μαύρο δένδρο) below the Koúpa Mountain (Κούπα), to supply the Allied Forces at the

Macedonian front The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of German ...

with supplies and ammunition. The track and most of the bridges were lifted after the war, but the route with its deep cuts and high embankments is partially still recognisable in the countryside.''Kodza-Dere (Macédoine). Pont construit par le Génie pour le Decauville. Mai 1917, Tétart.'' (PDF)
p. 28. In
''Les Petits Trains de la grande guerre. (HTML)''
Archives E.C.P.A.D.

Gallery

Kodza Déré River Railway 030.png, Military supplies stores on Axios River (Vardar) Kodza Déré River Railway 026 (sap40 or142620 p).jpg,

Military logistics Military logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement, supply, and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it is those aspects or military operations that deal with: * Design, development, acqui ...

train on a high embankment Kodza Déré River Railway 003.jpg, Military camp in Kodza Déré Valley Kodza Déré River Railway 016 (sap40 62t000127 p).jpg, Axioupolis railway station (Goumentja) Kodza Déré River Railway 005.jpg, Churches and mosque of Axioupolis (Bohemitsa) Kodza Déré River Railway 006 (sap40 or142607 p).jpg, Spiral enroute to Pigi (Isvor)

References

{{Coordinate, NS=41.0029, EW=22.5169, type=landmark, region=GR 600 mm gauge railways in Greece Kilkis (regional unit) Railway lines in Greece Military railways Macedonian front Decauville