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Battle Of Kleisoura Pass
The Battle of Kleisoura Pass () took place from the evening of 13 April 1941, when first contact was made, until the midday of 14 April, when Greek organized resistance collapsed. The battle was fought over the narrow pass that crosses between Verno, Mt. Vitsi and Askio, Mt. Siniatsiko, between elements of the Greek 20th Infantry Division (Greece), 20th Infantry Division which were occupying the pass and the German ''Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler'', a mechanized infantry unit of brigade level. The pass was strategically important for it stood on the main Allied defensive line (Verno, Mt.Vitsi– Askio, Mt. Siniatsiko– Aliakmon, river Aliakmon – Mount Olympus, Mt. Olympos), behind which passed the withdrawal route of the Greek army Greco-Italian War, engaged against the Italians in Albania.ΔΙΣ,''Το Τέλος Μιας Εποποιίας'', Αθήναι 1959, page 61 Background The rapid German advance through south Yugoslavia prompted Gen. Henry Maitland Wilson, 1st Bar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
German Invasion Of Greece
The German invasion of Greece or Operation Marita (), were the attacks on Kingdom of Greece, Greece by Kingdom of Italy, Italy and Nazi Germany, Germany during World War II. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Greco-Italian War, was followed by the German invasion in April 1941. Battle of Crete, German landings on the island of Crete (May 1941) came after Allied forces had been defeated in mainland Greece. These battles were part of the greater Balkans campaign (World War II), Balkans Campaign of the Axis powers and their associates. Following the Italian invasion on 28 October 1940, Greece, with British air and material support, repelled the initial Italian attack and a counter-attack in March 1941. When the German invasion, known as Operation Marita, began on 6 April, the bulk of the Greek Army was on the Greek border with Albania under Italy, Albania, then a vassal of Italy, from which the Italian troops had attacked. Wehrmacht, German troops i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British 1st Armoured Brigade
The 1st Armoured Brigade, raised as the 1st Light Armoured, on 14 April 1940 its designation changed to 1st Armoured Brigade Group, an armoured formation of the British Army. History At the start of World War II, the brigade was based in the United Kingdom, initially as part of the 1st Armoured Division and then as part of the newly formed 2nd Armoured Division. In November 1940, it was shipped to Egypt, arriving on 1 January 1941. In March 1941, the brigade was dispatched to Greece as part of General Maitland Wilson's unsuccessful attempt at stopping the German invasion. On 29 April 1941, the brigade was evacuated to Egypt. The 1st Armoured Brigade served in the Western Desert Campaign with the 7th Armoured Division at the Battle of El Alamein. The brigade was used for tank delivery from August to October 1942 before being disbanded on 21 November 1942. Order of Battle The Order of battle of the brigade during the war was:Joslen, pp.144–5. (day/month/year), u ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theodor Wisch
__NOTOC__ Theodor Peter Johann Wisch (13 December 1907 – 11 January 1995) was a high-ranking member of the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a commander of the SS Division Leibstandarte (LSSAH) and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He assumed command of the LSSAH in April 1943. He was seriously wounded in combat on the Western Front by a naval artillery barrage in the Falaise Pocket on 20 August 1944, and replaced as division commander by SS-''Brigadeführer'' Wilhelm Mohnke. Awards * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (24 September 1939) & 1st Class (8 November 1939) * German Cross in Gold on 25 February 1943 as SS-''Standartenführer'' in the 2. Panzergrenadier-Regiment SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords ** Knight's Cross on 15 September 1941 as SS-''Sturmbannführer'' and commander of the II./LSSAH ** 393rd Oak Leaves on 12 February ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fritz Witt
Fritz Witt (27 May 1908 – 14 June 1944) was a Waffen-SS commander during the Nazi era. During World War II, he served with the SS Division Leibstandarte before taking command of the SS Division Hitlerjugend. He was killed in action in June 1944. Early life and career Born in 1908 into the family of a merchant, Witt worked in the textile industry until he lost his job in June 1931. Witt joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP) (Nr. 816,769) in December 1931 and the Schutzstaffel, SS (Nr. 21,518). In March 1933, Witt became a member of the SS-''Stabswache'' Berlin, a bodyguard unit protecting Adolf Hitler. It was renamed to SS-''Sonderkommando'' Berlin in September and in the following month, Witt was appointed a platoon leader. This unit was the nucleus of the later SS Division Leibstandarte (LSSAH). In January 1935, Witt was appointed company commander in the SS-Standarte (Nazi Germany), Standarte Deutschland, a unit that later became part of the SS Division Das Reich. World War II Witt p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amyntaio
Amyntaio (, before 1928: Σόροβιτς – ''Sorovits''; Macedonian: Суровичево, Сорович), is a town and municipality in the Florina regional unit of Macedonia, Greece. The population of Amyntaio proper is 4,348, while that of the entire municipality is 14,169 (2021). The town is named after the ancient king of Macedon, and father of Philip II and grandfather of Alexander the Great, Amyntas III. History The village mosque was destroyed and located at the site of the present Municipal Centre building. The Church of St. Konstantinos and Helen was declared a hazard to public safety and demolished with tanks in the late twentieth century. Archaeological excavations On March 4, 2007, an unknown civilization around four lakes that lasted from 6000 BC to 60 BC has been uncovered in two important excavations of a Neolithic and an Iron Age settlement in the Amyntaio district of Florina, northern Greece. A 7,300-year-old home with a timber floor, remnants of food s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mountain Pass
A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human and animal migration throughout history. At lower elevations it may be called a hill pass. A mountain pass is typically formed between two volcanic peaks or created by erosion from water or wind. Overview Mountain passes make use of a gap (landform), gap, saddle (landform), saddle, col or notch (landform), notch. A topographic saddle is analogous to the mathematical concept of a saddle surface, with a saddle point marking the minimum high point between two valleys and the lowest point along a ridge. On a topographic map, passes can be identified by contour lines with an hourglass shape, which indicates a low spot between two higher points. In the high mountains, a difference of between the summit and the mountain is defined as a mountain pass. Passes are o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kastoria
Kastoria (, ''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 Greece, geographic region of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains. The town is known for its many Byzantine Empire, Byzantine churches, Byzantine architecture, Byzantine and Ottoman architecture, Ottoman-era domestic architecture, its lake and its fur clothing industry. Name In the 6th century, the historian Procopius wrote the name Kastoria was used for the lake. The first reference to the town of Kastoria is by historian John Skylitzes writing about the late 10th century. The toponym Kastoria means "place of beavers" and is derived from ''kastori'' (καστόρι), the Greek word for European beaver, beaver and an animal whose local habitat was along ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ptolemaida
Ptolemaida (, Katharevousa: Πτολεμαΐς, ''Ptolemaïs'') is a town and a former municipality in Kozani regional unit, Western Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Eordaia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is known for its coal (lignite) mines and its power stations. Name During the Ottoman period the city was called Kayılar (English: Kailar, German: Kajilar), rendered into English as ''Kaïlar''. This name was retained in Greek as ''Kailaria'' (Καϊλάρια) until 1927. Kayılar refers to the Kayı tribe, the tribe of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Empire. The modern name Ptolemaida was introduced by decree on January 20, 1927, honoring Ptolemy I Soter, son of Lagus, comrade-in-arms of Alexander the Great and founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and his daughter Ptolemaïs, who are said to originate from that region. His statue stands in the central square of the city. History According to arch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Komnina, Kozani
Komnina () is a town in the Kozani regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece. It was the seat of the municipality of Vermio. As of 2021, it had a population of 517 permanent residents. The town's altitude is 688 meters (2260 feet) above sea level. In the square of the village exists a splendid park with the Monument of the Fallen and the Municipal School. The vast majority of the population is Pontian. The predominant language of the area is the Pontian language, a dialect of ancient Greek that was spoken in Pontus. Between the 1950s and 1990s about half of the population emigrated abroad, mostly to Germany, Australia, and the United States. The name Komnina refers to the residents, who are considered descendants of Emperor Komninos of Trapezounta (Trabzon). Previously, Komnina was referred to as Paleohori in the Byzantine era, before it was destroyed after the conquest of the region by the Ottoman Turks. During the Ottoman rule, Komnina was known as Utsena or Üçane, from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Vevi (1941)
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force commitment. An engagement with only limited commitment between the forces and without decisive results is sometimes called a skirmish. The word "battle" can also be used infrequently to refer to an entire operational campaign, although this usage greatly diverges from its conventional or customary meaning. Generally, the word "battle" is used for such campaigns if referring to a protracted combat encounter in which either one or both of the combatants had the same methods, resources, and strategic objectives throughout the encounter. Some prominent examples of this would be the Battle of the Atlantic, Battle of Britain, and the Battle of France, all in World War II. Wars and military campaigns are guided by military strategy, whereas batt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iven Giffard Mackay
Lieutenant General Sir Iven Giffard Mackay, (7 April 1882 – 30 September 1966) was a senior Australian Army officer who served in both world wars. Mackay graduated from the University of Sydney in 1904 and taught physics there from 1910 until 1914, when he joined the Australian Imperial Force shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. He served with the 4th Infantry Battalion at Gallipoli, where he distinguished himself in hand-to-hand fighting at the Battle of Lone Pine. In April 1916, he assumed command of the 4th Infantry Battalion on the Western Front and led it at the Battle of Pozières, Battle of Bullecourt and Battle of Broodseinde. He was promoted to brigadier general in June 1918, and led the 1st Infantry Brigade at the Battle of Hazebrouck, the Battle of Amiens and in the attack on the Hindenburg Line. After the war, Mackay studied physics at the University of Cambridge under Ernest Rutherford before returning to Australia and his old ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
