(1943-1973) Minesweeper "Paralos"

One of four BYMS class wooden motor minesweepers that were transfered from the Royal Navy to Greece during World War II. Her sisters were Afroessa, Karteria and Salaminia. The BYMS class minesweepers were built in the US and were originally offered to the Royal Navy as part of the lend-lease programme between 1941 and 1943. They were able to perform magnetic, acoustic and mechanical minesweeping. Paralos did not serve with the Royal Navy at all. It was transfered brand new to the Greek Navy.

Operational History
9 June 1943 - Accepted to the Greek Navy in Grimsby by Lt Cdr Ch. Foufas HN, Squadron Commander of these four minesweepers.
1 Sep. 1943 - Sails to Alexandria. Used in minesweeping operations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
From 1945 - Participates in the post-war large-scale minesweeping of the Greek waters.
11 Sep. 1973 - Decommissioned.

Specifications
MMS class minesweeper "Paralos"
Displacement: 223 tons
Propulsion: Diesel 1,000 hp
Length: 41.45m
Width: 7.5m
Draft: 1.8m
Speed: 12 knots
Armament: 1 × 3 inch/50 gun, 2x 20mm guns, and four machine guns
Crew: 33

For Gamers and Game designers
A relatively modern minesweeper with adequate armament.

(1943-1959) Flower class "Apostolis"

A British ship, originally named HMS Hyacinth, with two successes against Italian submarines (one sunk, one captured) and one German submarine sunk (U-617). It was transfered on loan to the Hellenic Navy in 24 October 1943 and was renamed "Apostolis" after the Admiral from Psara that participated in the 1821 War of Independence. With the Greeks, the ship operated in the Mediterranean for the remainder of the war and in the civil war between 1946 and 1949. It war given back to the Royal Navy in 1959.

Operational History
as HMS Hyacinth
1940 - Commissioned in the Royal Navy.
28 September 1941 - Sinks Italian submarine Fisalia near Tel Aviv.
9 July 1942 - Damages and captures Italian submarine Perla. Perla is repaired and is put into operation with the Hellenic Navy under the name Matrosos.
12 September 1943 - HMS Hyacinth and the Australian minesweeper HMAS Wollongong sink the German submarine U-617.
as Apostolis
23 Oct. 1943 - Transfered to the Greeks in Alexandria and renamed "Apostolis".
1946 - 1949 - Participates in the Greek civil war on the side of the National Army.
1959 - Returns to the Royal Navy.

Specifications
Flower class corvette "Apostolis"
Displacement: 1,060/1,250 tons
Propulsion: 2,750 hp
Length: 62.4m
Width: 9.75m
Draft: 4.4m
Speed: 16 knots
Armament: 1 × 3-inch gun, 1 x 40mm, 4 x 20mm
Crew: 85

For Gamers and Game designers
HMS Hyacinth had a remarkable war record, with three anti-submarine successes, but was not equally successful in Greek service as Apostolis.

For Modellers
A model of Apostolis in the Hellenic Maritime Museum:


and a model competing at IPMS Hellas 2008:


Notice that contrary to other Flower class corvettes, like Kriezis and Tompazis, Apostolis had never had her forecastle extended. That is because both in British and in Greek service, it operated exclusively in the East Mediterranean, far from British shipyards. Also, she carried a 3-inch instead of a 4-inch gun.

More photos:

(1946-1962) Centaur Mk.I

The first tank that the Greek army acquired after World War 2 was the Centaur Mk.I. In May 1946, 52 such tanks were offered from Britain to the Greek government as part of the British commitment to help fight the communists during the Greek Civil War. For over two years, these tanks remained inactive as their crew were being trained and waiting for British technical support. They became operational in the summer of 1948.

The Greek Centaurs had considerable differences between them. For example, some had a 57 mm 6pdr quick firing Mk.V gun, some had different (type A or B) hulls and some were fitted with a Browning M2 machine gun mounted on the turret for Anti-aircraft purposes. Some had the older Liberty engine.

Operational History
May 1946 - The Greek Government receives 52 British Centaur Mk.I tanks.
1947 - Greek officers sent to England to be trained on Centaurs.
1948 - The officers return from training and three regiments are formed (II, IX and XI). They play significant role in operations against the communists.
January 1949 - The three regiments are renamed as 381, 382 and 383.
October 1949 - They form 391 "Kentavros" (Centaur) Regiment
1962 - Phased out. Gradually replaced by the newer M-47 Patton tank.

Specifications
A27L Centaur Mk.I
Crew: 5
Weight: 27.5 tons
Length: 20 ft 10 in
Width: 9 ft 6 in
Height: 8 ft 2 in
Engine: Liberty 395 hp
Speed: 27 m/h
Armour: 20/76 mm
Armament: 1x 6-pdr (57mm) main gun with 64 rounds and 1x 7.92mm Besa MG

For gamers and game designers
Centaur MkI tanks were used only for training in the British Army. In the Greek army, they faced only the significantly inferior Communist forces during the Civil War.

For modellers

1:35 model of the Centaur by Raw Shooter of www.modelclub.gr:

A scale model from the National War Museum, Athens:

(1940-1990s) Marmon-Herrington

The Greeks were given a small number of Marmon-Herrington I armoured cars that participated in the defence against the Germans. Later, the Greek army in the Middle East received two Marmon-Herrington III armoured cars, and several more, of the IVf type, after the liberation in 1944. IV was a complete redesign. It had a monocoque hull, had its engine mounted at the rear, not the front, and had a larger, two-man, turret, in place of the original one-man turret. Some IVfs remained in service until the 1990s.

I recorded this video during the Bovington Tank Fest of June 27, 2010. It's a Marmon Herrington IV which was given to Greece after World War II, probably during the Civil War:

Operational History

1945-1949 - During the Greek civil war, IVF armoured cars have their mechanical parts removed and are placed on flat wagons to protect trains.
1974 - At the time of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the Cypriot army has 45 Marmon Herringtons.
1990s - The Greek army is still using Marmon Herringtons in mechanised infantry battalions in the Aegean Islands.

Specifications
Marmon Herrington Mk.II/III armoured car
Crew: 4
Weight: 6 tons
Length: 5.31 m
Height: 2.49 m
Width: (II) 1.98m / (III) 2.29 m
Armour: 12 mm
Engine: 8-cylinder Ford petrol. 85 hp
Speed: 80 km/h
Operational Range: (on-road) 322 km, (off-road 193 km)
Armament: 1x 0.55" Boys Anti Tank rifle, 1x 7.92mm Bren MG, 1x 7.7mm vickers AA MG

Marmon Herrington Mk.IVF armoured car
Crew: 4
Weight: 6.4 tonnes
Length: 5.51 m
Height: 2.29 m
Width: 1.83 m
Armour: 20 mm
Engine: 8-cylinder Ford V90 petrol. 95 hp (71 kW), 3600 rpm
Speed: 80 km/h
Operational Range: (on-road) 322 km, (off-road 193 km)
Armament: 1x 40mm QF 2-pdr, 2x 7.92mm Browning MG

For gamers and game designers
Being one of their few modern armoured vehicles, the Marmon Herrington was invaluable to the Greek forces.

For modellers


A Marmon-Herrington IV from the Army's Grove in Goudi, Athens. Photos by Xristos of modelclub.gr:


A scale model of the Marmon-Herrington from the War Museum in Athens.

(1877-1949) Gras rifle

The Gras rifle is an example of military equipment that reached legendary status in Modern Greece. Despite the fact that it could fire only one shot at a time, its robustness and lethality made it a favourite weapon of guerilla fighters for 70 years, from the local revolts against the Ottoman Empire to the resistance against the Germans. In fact, the name "Grades" (Γκράδες) entered the Greek language to represent all kinds of rifles and was used in this manner until a few decades ago. The name "gradia" (γκραδιά) meant the shot of a Gras. Also, weak students and people that were not intelligent were often called "Grades" (Γκράδες). The colourised photo above shows guards of a Greek monastery in Mount Athos after having repelled Bulgarian invaders (1913). Some are possibly monks and there is one Gendarme among them. The front row, from left to right, carry Gras rifle, Gras cavalry carbine, two Gras musketoons and Gras rifle, while all three at the back carry Gras rifles.

The Gras is mentioned in numerous works of literature and in folk songs.

Operational History
1877 - Greece purchases about 60,000 Gras rifles from Steyr.
22 March 1886 - Last recorded order (1,000 Gras rifles). In total 129,000 have been bought since 1877 (118,000 infantry rifles, 6,000 artillery musketoons and 4,800 cavalry carbines).
24 Jul. 1923 - At the time of the Treaty of Lausanne, the Greeks have 77,000 Gras rifles & carbines, which corresponds to about 25% of the total number of rifles.
28 Oct. 1940 - At the time of the Italian invasion, the Greeks have 60,000 Gras rifles, which corresponds to about 13% of the total number of rifles.

Specifications
Greek Gras Mle 1874 infantry rifle
Weight: 4.2 kg
Length: 1.32 m
Barrel Length: 0.82 m
Caliber: 11 mm
Action: Bolt-action
Feed System: Single shot
Muzzle velocity: 450 m/s

Greek Gras Mle 1874 artillery musketoon
Weight: 3.3 kg
Length: 0.99 m
Barrel Length: 0.49 m
Caliber: 11 mm
Action: Bolt-action
Feed System: Single shot
Muzzle velocity: 410 m/s

Greek Gras Mle 1874 cavalry carbine
Weight: 3.75 kg
Length: 1.171 m
Barrel Length: 0.72 m
Caliber: 11 mm
Action: Bolt-action
Feed System: Single shot
Muzzle velocity: 430 m/s

For gamers and game designers
At the time of its introduction, the gras was a very potent rifle. Later, it was considered too slow in comparison to more modern rifles. Still, although it could fire only one shot at a time, its 11mm caliber made it particularly lethal.

For modellers
Being a close ally of the French, Greece had tried to order Gras rifles from them, but at the time France was frantically re-arming as a result of the disastrous Franco-Prussian war and could not supply Greece. Then, the Greeks turned to Austrian Steyr for Gras rifles. The Gras rifles produced by Steyr for Greece were identical to the French Gras rifles, with the exception of the left receiver flat that is marked with Styer proofs and the left buttstock that carries a Greek cartouche. The rifle is chambered for the French Mle 1874 Gras cartridge.
The Gras Musketoons are a bit shorter than the rifles and the carbines are practically identical to the French Gras cavalry carbines, but with brass buttplate and barrel bands and turned down bolt handle.

(1949-1953) SB2C Helldiver

Most of the bombing missions of the Royal Hellenic Airforce (RHAF) were performed with Spitfires and Dakota transport aircraft. A few months before the end of the Greek Civil War, RHAF acquired their first dive-bombers, 42 Helldiver aircraft from the United States Navy. It was clearly the best strike aircraft in the arsenal of the National Army, but it entered the civil war when the result had been more or less decided. Still, it was useful at bringing an end to the civil war faster by accurately and effectively bombing the mountain bases of the Democratic Army of Greece, a task that was beyond the capabilities of the Spitfires and the Dakotas. On 24 August 1949, when General Papagos attacked the Grammos base of the communists once again, the helldivers used rockets, conventional bombs and napalm bombs. Napalm is the name given to any flammable liquid used in warfare, and is often jellied gasoline. In the form of a bomb, it was used for the first time in the final stages of World War 2 and in the Greek Civil War, long before the Vietnam War, where it gained worldwide notoriety. According to the Greek Communist Party (KKE), 388 napalm bombs were dropped on the mountain line Grammos-Vitsi since September 1948 (see the relevant colourised photo below: a person examining the result of such an attack, during the civil war or shortly after). 114 of these were in operations that Helldivers participated in. Today, a preserved Greek SB2C-5 helldiver (BuNo. 83321) can be seen at the Hellenic Airforce Museum, Tatoi Air Base, Greece.

Operational History
Spring 1949 - At least 41 Helldivers (some sources mention 42) are obtained from surplus United States Navy stocks. Squadron 336 is equipped with them.
Aug. 1949 - The Helldivers are used in the final operations of the civil war.
6 Sep. 1949 - 18 Helldivers perform a fake dive-bombing show at the center of Athens.
1953 - The Helldivers are retired from the Greek airforce.

Specifications
Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver dive-bomber
Origin: United States
Crew: 2 (pilot and radio operator / gunner)
Wingspan: 15.16 m
Length: 10.90 m
Height: 3.94 m
Range: 1,773 km
Wing area: 39.2 m²
Weight: Empty 4,870 kg, loaded 6,202 kg, max. takeoff 7,471 kg
Powerplant: 1× Wright R-2600-20 Cyclone radial engine, 1,900 hp (1,400 kW)

Speed: 473 km/h at 4,940 m
Service ceiling: 7,240 m
Rate of climb: 8.9 m/s
Armament: wings 2x20mm, rear cockpit 2x7.62mm Browning MGs, internal bay 450 kg of bombs, underwing hardpoints 450 kg of bombs and 8 rockets or 2 napalm bombs (The American navy used it as a torpedo bomber too)

For gamers and game designers
The helldiver is by far the most modern and most accurate bomber of the RHAF in 1949. It can make rocket, torpedo, bomb and napalm strikes against ground targets, and does not have any opposition during the civil war, apart from the few antiaircraft guns of the communists.

For modellers

All Greek helldivers were painted in semi-gloss Sea Blue overall. They wore white serials on the rear fuselage and under the wing. Some were seen also with single tail-numbers on the top of the fin and engine cowling
(2: 3480, 6: 9386, 8: 3353, 9: 3329, 10: 3719, 11: 9250, 15: 9193, 17: 3350).

A MS Flight Simulator model of the Greek Helldiver made by Manuele Villa:


A model from IPMS Hellas 2007:

(1940-1949) L3/35 tankette

Before World War 2, Greece had tested and considered ordering Renault NC2 tanks from France, but the breakout of the war forced France to refuse. The Greeks also ordered 14 Vickers 6-ton MkVI from Britain, but these weren't delivered in time for the Italian invasion. As a result, they started the war without any armoured fighting vehicles at all. However, they quickly captured L3/35 tankettes from the Italians and efforts were made to form the mechanised 19th Division, with truck borne Infantry supported by them.

Operational History
Late 1940 - About 40 L3/35 tankettes are captured from the invading Italians and are turned against them.
1941 - All are destroyed during the German invasion of Greece.
1945 - More captured Italian L3/35 tankettes are obtained from Greece's allies. They are used during the Greek civil war.

Specifications
L3/35 Tankette
Weight: 3.2 tonnes
Length: 3.17 m
Width: 1.4 m
Height: 1.3 m
Armour: front and driver - 13.5mm, front angled - 8.5 mm, side and rear - 8.5 mm, top - 6 mm
Speed: 42 km/h on road
Range: 120 km
Crew: 2 (commander and driver)
Armament: 2×8 mm Machine Guns (in Greek service some were re-armed with .50 cal)
Engine: FIAT-SPA CV3 water cooled 43 HP (32 kW)
Operational Range: 125km

For gamers and game designers
The tankettes can be used only in anti-personnel role. They are relatively fast and their machine guns can be quite effective. However, they are vulnerable even to machine gun fire.

For modellers