Battle of Meritsa

The Battle of Meritsa (

Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), under Nestoras Vokas (nom de guerre "Tzavellas"), Nikos Zaralis ("Chasiotis"), Ilias Kafantaris ("Adamantios") and artillery 2nd Lieutenant Aristidis Bloutsos (MIDAS) against a Royal Italian Army

battalion.

The Battle of Meritsa was the first victorious battle of the Greek National Resistance and had tremendous impact on Greek morale.

It was fought at the village of Meritsa (modern

Kalambaka. In the battle, 137 Italians were killed, and 160 were taken prisoner, along with their entire equipment, including 4 mortars, 20 automatic weapons, and over 2,000 grenades. The partisans released their prisoners, but kept the equipment.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The Greek side had only seven casualties.

References

^ Αρχεία Εθνικής Αντίστασης, 1941-1944, p. 331.
^ Eudes 1973, pp. 43–44.
^ Mazower 1993, p. 135.

Sources

Eudes, Dominique (1973). The Kapetanios: Partisans and Civil War in Greece, 1943-1949. Translated by John Howe. New York and London: Monthly Review Press.
ISBN 978-0-85345-275-1
.

Hellenic Army History Directorate (1998). Αρχεία Εθνικής Αντίστασης, 1941-1944 [National Resistance Archives, 1941-1944]. Athens: Hellenic Army History Directorate.
ISBN 978-9607897060
.

ISBN 0-300-06552-3
.

[FOOTNOTEΑρχεία_Εθνικής_Αντίστασης,_1941-1944331-1] Αρχεία Εθνικής Αντίστασης, 1941-1944, p. 331.

[FOOTNOTEEudes197343–44-2] Eudes 1973, pp. 43–44.

[FOOTNOTEMazower1993135-3] Mazower 1993, p. 135.

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[2]

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