The 3rd Infantry Division ( el, III Μεραρχία Πεζικού, III ΜΠ; ''III Merarchia Pezikou'', ''III MP'') was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

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 ...

History

The 3rd Infantry Division was established by Royal Decree on 8 September 1900 at

Missolonghi Missolonghi or Messolonghi ( el, Μεσολόγγι, ) is a municipality of 34,416 people (according to the 2011 census) in western Greece. The town is the capital of Aetolia-Acarnania regional unit, and the seat of the municipality of Iera Polis ...

, comprising the 5th Infantry Brigade at Missolonghi with 6th and

10th 10 (ten) is the even natural number following 9 and preceding 11. Ten is the base of the decimal numeral system, by far the most common system of denoting numbers in both spoken and written language. It is the first double-digit number. The re ...

Infantry Regiments, and the 6th Infantry Brigade at

Nafplio Nafplio ( ell, Ναύπλιο) is a coastal city located in the Peloponnese in Greece and it is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis and an important touristic destination. Founded in antiquity, the city became an important seaport in the ...

with 8th and 9th Infantry Regiments, plus the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, the 3rd Artillery Regiment, and the 3rd Evzone Battalion. In December 1901, the seats of the brigades changed, with 5th Brigade moving to Corfu and 6th Brigade to

Kalamata Kalamáta ( el, Καλαμάτα ) is the second most populous city of the Peloponnese peninsula, after Patras, in southern Greece and the largest city of the homonymous administrative region. As the capital and chief port of the Messenia regi ...

. On 9 September 1904, as part of a major army reorganization, the 3rd Division's component units were fixed as: 5th Brigade at Missolonghi, comprising 6th Regiment (Missolonghi) and 10th Regiment (Corfu); 6th Brigade at Patras, comprising 9th Regiment (Kalamata) and 12th Regiment (Patras); and the 3rd and 7th Evzone Battalions ( Arta), 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Engineers Battalion, 3rd Train Company and 3rd Nursing Company, and the 3rd Military Music Command. In January 1912, the brigades were abolished and divisions organized as

triangular division A triangular division is a designation given to the way military divisions are organized. In a triangular organization, the division's main body is composed of three regimental maneuver elements. These regiments may be controlled by a brigade hea ...

s. The 3rd Division remained at Missolonghi, but now comprised 6th Regiment (Missolonghi), 10th Regiment (Corfu), and 12th Regiment (Patras), plus supporting units.

Balkan Wars

At the outbreak of the

First Balkan War The First Balkan War ( sr, Први балкански рат, ''Prvi balkanski rat''; bg, Балканска война; el, Αʹ Βαλκανικός πόλεμος; tr, Birinci Balkan Savaşı) lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and invo ...

in October 1912, the division was commanded by Major General Konstantinos Damianos. Consisting of three infantry regiments (6th, 10th and 12th), two squadrons of field artillery (1/3rd and 2/3rd), and one mountain artillery squadron (3rd), it was attached to the Army of Thessaly, commanded by Crown Prince Constantine. During the Battle of Sarantaporo on 9 October 1912, the 3rd Infantry Division, along with the 1st and

2nd A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). Second, Seconds or 2nd may also refer to: Mathematics * 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'') * Second of arc, an angular measurement unit, ...

, executed a frontal attack on Ottoman forces, across open ground. The Greek divisions suffered heavy casualties due to enemy artillery in the advance, but by night had reached the Turkish lines. Ottoman forces retreated when the 4th Infantry Division attacked the western flank of the Turkish Army and captured the Porta Pass.''The Hellenic Army during the Balkan Wars 1912-1913'', Volume 1, p. 60, (Hellenic Army General Staff, Army History Directorate, Athens 1988)

World War I

From 25 April 1918, the division fought 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 ...

on the Macedonian front, and remained active in the area around

Lake Prespa The Lake Prespa is located on the tripoint of North Macedonia, Albania, and Greece. It is a system of two lakes separated by an isthmus: the Great Prespa Lake, divided between the three countries, and the Little Prespa Lake, mostly within Gree ...

until August 1920, when it was transferred to 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 ...

Greco-Turkish War

In November 1920, the 3rd Infantry Division was part of the Army of Asia Minor during the Greco-Turkish War, assigned to the III Army Corps. Consisting of two infantry regiments (6th and 12th) and one

light infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

regiment ( 2/39 Evzone), the division fought in the Battle of Sakarya and the

Battle of Dumlupınar The Battle of Dumlupınar ( el, Μάχη του Τουμλού Μπουνάρ, translit=Máchi tou Toumloú Bounár, tr, Dumlupınar (Meydan) Muharebesi, lit=Dumlupınar (Field) Battle), or known as Field Battle of the Commander-in-Chief ( t ...

Interwar period

The 3rd Division was based at Patras as part of I Army Corps. By 14 October 1940 it was in the reserve of the Greek Army's three-corps defence against Italy 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 ...

References

Sources

* * {{Greece divisions Infantry divisions of Greece Military units and formations of Greece in World War I Military units and formations of Greece in World War II 1900 establishments in Greece Military units and formations established in 1900 Military units and formations of Greece in the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) Military units and formations of Greece in the Balkan Wars