1st Infantry Regiment (Greece)

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1st Infantry Regiment
Active1885–1941
1951–1998
2013–present
Country 
Kalambaka (1951–1952), Florina
(1952–1998, 2013–)
Engagements
Decorations Commanders Cross of the Cross of Valour
War Cross 2nd & 3rd Class
Medal for Outstanding Acts
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Timoleon Vassos

The 1st Infantry Regiment "Sangarios" (Greek: 1ο Σύνταγμα Πεζικού «ΣΑΓΓΑΡΙΟΣ», 1ο ΣΠ)[1] is a motorized infantry regiment of the Hellenic Army. Established in 1885 at Athens, it fought in all conflicts in which Greece participated until World War II, when it was disbanded following the German invasion of Greece. It was re-established as the 21st Brigade (21η Ταξιαρχία) in 1945, and participated in the Greek Civil War. Receiving the designation 1st Infantry Regiment again in 1951, it was headquartered in Florina from 1952 until its disbandment in 1998. In 2013 it was re-established at Florina.

History

From the establishment of the Hellenic Army until the 1880s, the largest units created were battalions, due to the small extent of the Kingdom of Greece and the small size of its army. Only following the annexation of Thessaly in 1881 did both expand enough to warrant the establishment of regimental-sized units, and on 26 June 1885,[2] by royal decree, the 27 available battalions were formed into nine regiments. As part of this reorganization, the 1st Infantry Regiment was established at Athens.[3] During the Greco-Turkish crisis of 1886, the regiment was ordered into Thessaly, but owing to the extremely poor state of the transportation network and the lack of sufficient means, the move proceeded very slowly, with only one battalion reaching as far as Thebes, and another Livadeia. With the end of the crisis, the regiment returned to Athens.[3]

The regiment took part in the

2nd Infantry Division, except for one battalion that was sent to Crete as part of an expeditionary force under Colonel Timoleon Vassos. During the war in Thessaly, which was disastrous for Greece, the regiment fought in the battles of Mati, Domokos, Farsala, and Taratsa. It returned to Athens after the signing of the Treaty of Constantinople in November 1897.[3]

Balkan Wars

In the lead-up to the

Gjirokaster. In March 1913, it returned to Thessaloniki.[3]

With the outbreak of the

Strymon River valley, capturing Strumica and Gorna Djumaya, where the armistice of 18 July found it.[3]

World War I and Ukraine

Following Greece's official entry into the

First World War in June 1917, the 1st Infantry Regiment was mobilized in February–March 1918. In April–May it was moved to Thessaloniki, continuing its training, along with the rest of the 2nd Division. On 5–9 June the 2nd Division was moved to the Strymon sector of the Macedonian front, in the area of Provatas, replacing the British 28th Division. On 26 August, the entire division was moved to the Ammoudia–Dasochori–Chrysochorafa line. Following the armistice with Bulgaria on 16 September, on 23 September the division was moved to the Topolnitsa–Neo Petritsi area. Four days later it was relocated to the mouths of the Strymon, in the Vrasna–Irakleitsa area.[3]

Entry of the Red Army in Odessa, April 1919

In order to gain support for Greece's territorial claims after World War I, the Greek government decided to participate in the

Odessa on 22 February. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were sent to assist other Allied troops in the occupation Kherson two days later, while the 3rd Battalion landed at Odessa. On 25 February, the remainder of the regiment returned to Odessa. On 28 February, the 3rd Battalion moved by rail to Berezivka, where it was placed under the command of the local French forces. On 1 March, the 2nd Battalion and the 1st Company moved to cover the southern approaches to Tylihul Estuary from the direction of Nikolaev, occupying their positions on 3 March. On the same day, the remainder of the 1st Battalion also moved to Berezivka.[3]

On 5 March, following Bolshevik attack on the Berezivka position, the Greek and French forces retreated towards Odessa. On 20 March, the 1st Company, in danger of being cut off, abandoned the Popovka pass and returned to Odessa on the next day. On the same day, the 2nd Battalion likewise abandoned its exposed position and returned to the vicinity of Odessa, where it came under the command of the 7th Infantry Regiment. The remainder of the Regiment was moved to the suburb of Dalnyk on 22 March, and Frundstal on the next day, to cover the southward evacuation of Allied forces from Odessa, while 3rd Battalion moved to Josefstal and Peterstal. On 24 March 10th and 11th Companies, along with the 3rd Battery, established defensive positions at Tatarka, before moving to Mariental on 26 March, and reuniting with regimental command at Mayilki on the 27th. 2nd Battalion, which had remained behind, moved to Dalnyk and Gross-Liebental on the 24th, reaching Neuburg on 26 March, and Frundstal on 27 March. On the night of 27 March, the entire regiment crossed the Dnieper river into Bessarabia. After reassembling, from 30 March to 6 June it assumed responsibility of guarding the river, until relieved by Romanian troops. On 8 June the regiment moved to the area of Kuru Dere, and from 22 June it began moving toward the port of Galați. There, on 28 and 29 June, it embarked for Smyrna.[3]

Asia Minor Campaign

After the withdrawal from southern Russia, the regiment landed at Smyrna on 5 July 1919, moving to quarters in Turbali, and thence to

Theira.[3]

In March–May 1920, the regiment was involved in a series of clashes with Turkish forces in the area of Kisak Dağ. It then participated in the

Battle of Sakarya, the regiment crossed the Sakarya River (Sangarios in Greek) on 7 August, and fought fierce battles at Taburoğlu (12 August) and Soğolaci (16–17 August). When the Greek retreat began, the regiment re-crossed the Sakarya on 31 August, and was obliged to fight off a number of Turkish attacks on 6, 18, 20, 21–25 September, and 7, 13, 14 October, until it reached the new Greek lines at Çivril in November, where the regiment went into winter quarters.[3]

Following the decisive Turkish victory at the Battle of Dumlupınar, on 30 August 1922 the regiment began to retreat towards the western coast of Asia Minor. Marching via Sardis and Nif, it reached the port of Çeşme, where it embarked for the Greek islands of Chios and Lesbos on 3 September. The regiment joined the 11 September 1922 Revolution that broke out among the surviving Greek units in the Aegean islands, and on 12 September sailed with the fleet and the rest of the army to Athens. On 14 September, with the revolution having prevailed, the regiment encamped in Syntagma Square in front of the Old Royal Palace, and took over the police directorate of Athens, the Athens garrison command, and the offices of the Attica and Boeotia Prefecture.[3]

Interwar and Greco-Italian War

Following the end of the Asia Minor war, the regiment remained in Athens, as part of 2nd Infantry Division, throughout the interwar period.[3] On 28 November 1935, the late King Constantine I (r. 1913–1917, 1920–1922), the father of the reigning King George II, was declared the regiment's honorary colonel-in-chief. Its men thereafter wore the royal cypher, a capital kappa topped by a crown (golden for staff officers, silver for junior officers, red for NCOs and other ranks), on their epaulettes.[4]

Erseka, Konitsa, and Zagori, reaching Metsovo, where it was ordered disbanded after the capitulation of the Greek army in Epirus to the Germans (21 April).[3]

Greek Civil War

Following the liberation of Greece in autumn 1944, the Greek army bean to be re-established in spring 1945. The

Chalkida, with recruits from Euboea, Lamia, and Amfissa. Originally placed under the newly re-established 2nd Infantry Division, in October 1945 the brigade was moved to Kozani, under the control of the Superior Military Command of Western Macedonia, which later became the 15th Infantry Division.[3]

From April 1946, the brigade participated in clean-up operations against the Communist guerrillas, in the first stages of the

Kalambaka, where it assumed a role as a training centre.[3]

History since 1951

By order of the

9th Infantry Division.[3] The regiment remained there until its disbandment on 31 March 1998, as part of the reorganization of the 9th Infantry Division as the 9th Infantry Brigade.[1]

The regiment was re-established on 1 November 2013, again at Florina, after the 9th Infantry Brigade was moved to Kozani.[1][5]

Casualties

The data are approximate, as the casualty lists are incomplete.[3]
Conflict Officers Other ranks
War of 1897 2 18
Balkan Wars 17 250
Ukraine campaign 4 126
Asia Minor campaign 26 874
Greco-Italian War 5 50
Civil War 5 110

Honours

The regimental flag was honoured by the award of the Commander's Cross of the Cross of Valour,[6] the Cross of Valour in Gold (2 times), the War Cross 2nd and 3rd class, and the Medal of Outstanding Acts.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c "1ο Σύνταγμα Πεζικού «ΣΑΓΓΑΡΙΟΣ». Ενημερωτικός οδηγός νεοτοποθετημένων στελεχών" (PDF) (in Greek). 1st Infantry Regiment "Sangarios". June 2021.
  2. Old Style
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Ιστορία Ιου Συντάγματος Πεζικού.
  4. ^ "Περὶ ἐπιτίμου Διοικήσεως τῶν 1 καὶ 5/42 Συν/των Πεζικοῦ, ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀειμνήστων Βασιλέων Κωνσταντίνου καὶ Σοφίας". Ἑφημερίς τῆς Κυβερνήσεως τοῦ Βασιλείου τῆς Ἑλλάδος. A (615). National Printing Office. 12 December 1935.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ "Ε.Σ. και Νέα Δομή Δυνάμεων: Ο "Μεγάλος Ασθενής" αναζητά θεραπεία". e-amyna.gr (in Greek). 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  6. ^ Royal Decree of 19 June 1921, published in ΦΕΚ Γ' 163/17-7-1921

Sources

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