12th Mechanized Infantry Division (Greece)

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12th Mechanized Infantry Division "EVROS"
ΧΙΙ Μηχανοκίνητη Μεραρχία Πεζικού "ΕΒΡΟΣ"
Alexandroupoli, Thrace
Motto(s)Until one of them falls
Έως αν τον ετέρον προπεσείν
Eos an ton eteron propesin
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian
Periklis Kallidopoulos

The 12th Mechanized Infantry Division "Evros" (

Alexandroupoli, Thrace
.

History

The division was formed in the reorganization and expansion of the

III Army Corps.[1] The original formation was disbanded during the National Schism and did not take part in any engagements during World War I
.

In February 1920, the Xanthi Division (Μεραρχία Ξάνθης; Merarkhia Xanthis) was formed at

Eastern Thrace.[1]

Following the

1920 elections and the victory of the anti-Venizelist royalist
coalition, the Xanthi Division was renamed as the 12th Infantry Division.

In early 1921, it was reformed under the command of

Battle of Sakarya. The division was commanded from 15 July by Colonel Periklis Kallidopoulos.[1] The division remained in Anatolia under I Army Corps until the great Turkish offensive in August 1922. The division was practically destroyed as a fighting force after the Battle of Dumlupınar; its remnants—155 officers, 2,240 men, 1,010 animals, 18 guns and 15 machine-guns—embarked at Çeşme for Chios on 31 August.[1]

In Greece, its remnants were merged with the

Aliakmon line. Coming under German attack at the Battle of Siatista Pass, the division retreated to the southwest and lost much of its force to desertion; finally, with the Greek capitulation on 24 April, the division, by now reduced to some 1,000 men, was disbanded.[1]

12th Infantry Division was reformed on 26 August 1964 at

Evros".[1]

Organization

7th Mech. 31st Mech.
12th Mechanized Infantry Division (Greece)
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Locations of 12th Mechanized Infantry Division units
Structure of the 12th Mechanized Infantry Division
  • HQ Company (ΛΣ/ΧΙΙ Μ/Κ ΜΠ)
  • 3rd Armoured Cavalry Squadron (Γ'ΕΑΝ)
  • 12th Support Battalion
  • 12th Signal Company (12ο ΤΔΒ)
  • 966th Military Police Company
  • Tactical Command/41st Infantry Regiment (ΤΔ/41οΣΠ), based at
    Samothraki
  • Division Artillery Command (ΔΠΒ/ΧΙΙ Μ/Κ ΜΠ)
    • HQ Company
    • 156th Self Propelled Artillery Battalion (156 Α/K ΜΜΠ pzh 2000Gr)
    • 187th Observation Battery (187 ΠΠΑΠ)
  • 7th Mechanized Infantry Brigade (7η M/K ΤΑΞ Σαραντάπορος), based at Lykofos.
    • HQ Company (ΙΣΤ)
    • 7th Armoured Battalion (7 ΕΜΑ)
    • 640th Mechanized Infantry Battalion (640 M/K ΤΠ)
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion (M/K ΤΠ)
    • Self Propelled Artillery Battalion (131 Μ Α/K ΠΒ)
    • 7th Antitank Company (7 ΛΑΤ)
    • 7th Engineer Company (7 ΛΜΧ)
    • 7th Signal Company (7 ΛΔΒ)
    • 7th Support Battalion (7 ΤΥΠ)
  • 31st Mechanized Infantry Brigade (31η M/K ΤΑΞ Κάμια), based at Feres
    • HQ Company (ΙΣΤ)
    • 12th Armored Battalion (12 ΕΜΑ)
    • 526th Mechanized Infantry Battalion (526 M/K ΤΠ)
    • 561st Mechanized Infantry Battalion (561 M/K ΤΠ)
    • 535th Mechanized Infantry Battalion (535 M/K ΤΠ)
    • 536th Mechanized Infantry Battalion (536 M/K ΤΠ)
    • 110th Self Propelled Artillery Battalion (110 Μ Α/K ΠΒ)
    • 31st Antitank Company (31 ΛΑΤ)
    • 31st Engineer Company (31 ΛΜΧ)
    • 31st Signal Company (31 ΛΔΒ)
    • 31st Support Battalion (31 ΤΥΠ)

Emblem and motto

The division's emblem depicts two roosters confronting each other. It and the divisional motto, Έως αν τον ετέρον προπεσείν (Eos an ton eteron propesin; "Until one of them falls") are inspired by a quote of the historian

Carthaginians during the First Punic War:[2] "We may compare the spirit displayed by both states to that of game cocks engaged in a death-struggle. For we often see that when these birds have lost the use of their wings from exhaustion, their courage remains as high as ever and they continue to strike blow upon blow, until closing involuntarily they get a deadly hold of each other, and as soon as this happens one or the other of the two will soon fall dead."[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Ενημερωτικός οδηγός νεοτοποθετημένων στελεχών στη φρουρά Αλεξανδρούπολης (PDF) (in Greek). XII Μ/Κ Μεραρχία Πεζικού, Γραφείο Μέριμνας Προσωπικού. May 2012. pp. 5–10. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  2. ^ Ενημερωτικός οδηγός νεοτοποθετημένων στελεχών στη φρουρά Αλεξανδρούπολης (PDF) (in Greek). XII Μ/Κ Μεραρχία Πεζικού, Γραφείο Μέριμνας Προσωπικού. May 2012. p. 3. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  3. ^ Polybius, History, I.58.7–8