4th Infantry Brigade (Greece)
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The 4th Infantry Brigade ( el, IV Ταξιαρχία Πεζικού, ''IV Taxiarchia Pezikou'') 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 marine i ...
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...
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 the ...
. Originally formed in 1897, it served until 1912. Re-formed in the lead-up to the
Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (Greek language, 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 kingdom ...
in 1940, it was expanded and renamed as the 15th Infantry Division after the war started. It was again reactivated in 1998, and served until 2013.


1897-1912

The 4th Infantry Brigade (Δ′ Ταξιαρχία Πεζικού) was first established on 24 October 1897, as part of 2nd Infantry Division, comprising the
8th 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...
and
9th 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...
Infantry Regiments. The divisional commands were abolished in August 1900, to be reconstituted in a major reorganization on 8 September. 4th Brigade, based at
Chalkis Chalcis ( ; Ancient Greek & Katharevousa: , ) or Chalkida, also spelled Halkida (Modern Greek: , ), is the chief town of the island of Euboea or Evia in Greece, situated on the Euripus Strait at its narrowest point. The name is preserved from ...
, remained under 2nd Division (based at
Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
), but no comprised the 2nd and 5th Infantry Regiments, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, the 2nd Artillery Regiment, and the 2nd Evzone Battalion. In the 1904 reorganization, the brigade was moved to
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 ...
, and comprised the 8th and 11th Infantry Regiments, again as part of the 2nd Division at Athens. The brigade was abolished in 1912, with the establishment of
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 head ...
s.


1940 Reformation and Expansion

The 4th Infantry Brigade was re-formed during the pre-mobilization period before the outbreak of the
Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (Greek language, 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 kingdom ...
in 1940. It was raised under the III Army Corps, which along with the II Army Corps comprised the
Western Macedonia Army Section The Western Macedonia Army Section ( el, Τμήμα Στρατιάς Δυτικής Μακεδονίας, ΤΣΔΜ; ''Tmima Stratias Dytikis Makedonias'', ''TSDM'') was a field army of the Hellenic Army active during the Greco-Italian War (1940–41 ...
. On 28 October 1940, from its base in
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 ...
, the brigade was deployed to the Albanian border to counter a possible Italian incursion into
Western Macedonia Western Macedonia ( el, Δυτική Μακεδονία, translit=Ditikí Makedonía, ) is one of the thirteen Modern regions of Greece, regions of Greece, consisting of the western part of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia. Located in north-western ...
. While Italian activity in the area was limited to artillery bombardment and raids on Greek outposts, the Greek Army General Headquarters (GHQ) ordered its forces to conduct aggressive attacks in the vicinity of the Devoll river valley. On 1 November 1940, the bulk of the 4th Infantry Brigade (under the command of
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Agamemnon Metaxas) attacked and captured Italian positions of the 29th Infantry Division ''Piemonte'' on the western peninsula of
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 Greece ...
, while another element of the brigade secured the villages of Vërnik and the nearby hill of Lizitsina. An attack further south also secured the villages of
Kapshticë Kapshticë is a settlement in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. It is part of the former municipality Qendër Bilisht. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Devoll. The village lies near the border crossing ...
and
Bilisht Bilisht ( sq, Bilisht) is a town and a former municipality in Korçë County, south-eastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision and the seat of the municipality Devoll. It was the seat of the former Devoll Distric ...
for the Greeks. On 5 November 1940 the order was given to prepare for a major offensive against Italian forces entrenched along the Morava-Ivan heights, a natural defensive line protecting the town of Korytsa, where the XXVI Italian Corps under
Gabriele Nasci Gabriele Nasci (3 October 1887, Venice – 12 April 1947) was a general of the Alpine Corps in the Royal Italian Army. Biography Gabriele Nasci fought in the First World War. Between the two World Wars, he was commander of the 2nd Alpine Div ...
was based. The next day, 6 November 1940, the 4th Infantry Brigade was reinforced by personnel conscripted from the
Kastoria Kastoria ( el, Καστοριά, ''Kastoriá'' ) is a city in northern Greece in the modern regions of Greece, region of Western Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria (regional unit), Kastoria regional unit, in the Geographic regions of Gree ...
and
Grevena Grevena ( el, Γρεβενά, ''Grevená'', , rup, Grebini) is a town and municipality in Western Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the Grevena regional unit. The town's current population is 13,374 citizens (2011). It lies about from Athe ...
regions of Western Macedonia and renamed as the 15th Infantry Division.Military History Magazine (περιοδ. Στρατιωτική Ιστορία), Vol. 3, ''Ο ελληνικός στρατός και το έπος της Β. Ηπείρου (1940-41)'' (Greek), October 2001


1998-2013

On 1 January 1998, a wide-ranging reorganization of the Army took place, and III Army Corps assumed the zone of II Corps as well, now comprising
6th Infantry Division 6th Division may refer to: Infantry divisions * 6th Division (Australia) * 6th Division (Austria) *6th (United Kingdom) Division * Finnish 6th Division (Winter War) *Finnish 6th Division (Continuation War) * 6th Division (Reichswehr) * 6th Divisi ...
(Kilkis), 10th Infantry Division (Serres), 11th Infantry Division (Kavala), 4th Infantry Brigade at Axioupolis, 3rd Support Brigade (Thessaloniki) and the 5/42 Evzone Regiment (
Skydra Skydra ( el, Σκύδρα, in modern Greek, before 1926: Βερτεκόπ - ''Vertekop'', Slavic: Вртикоп, ''Vrtikop'') is a municipality in the Pella regional unit of Macedonia in Greece. Municipality The municipality Skydra was forme ...
).


References

''This article includes material copied over from
15th Infantry Brigade (Greece) The 15th Infantry Regiment "XV Inf. Div." ( el, 15ο Σύνταγμα Πεζικού (15ο ΣΠ) , translit=15o Syntagma Pezikoú, 15o SP) is an infantry regiment of the Hellenic Army recently (2013) reduced in size from a brigade. The brigade was ...
. This italic notice has been inserted to comply with internal copyright requirements within Wikipedia. Please do not delete before the correct copyright-attribution template has been placed on the talk page.'' {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 1897 establishments in Greece Infantry brigades of Greece Military units and formations established in 1897 Military units and formations of Greece in World War II