Three years after the occupation of Crete (the last Greek territory) and the decision adopted by the King and the Greek Government to keep on fighting by the side of the allied forces in the Middle East, the Hellenic Army formed a new mountain brigade, composed of selected officers and soldiers from the units that had been disbanded, as well as of soldiers that had not been involved in the rebellious movement of 6 April 1944.
The III Greek Mountain Brigade, as it was named, was formed in Lebanon on 9 June 1944 under the command of Colonel Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos, for the purpose of being transferred to Italy by the side of the allied forces. The allied operations aimed at breaking the “Gothic Line” and occupying the city of Rimini, which was considered to be a point of strategic importance due to its geographical location and the transport routes.
The 1st Canadian Division, to which the III Greek Mountain Brigade belonged, undertook the attack against Rimini. The Brigade, along with its three battalions, was ordered to launch a night attack to occupy the city. Despite the German resistance, the Greek units occupied the Rimini airport and on 19 September, they headed to the city together with the Canadian units. After neutralizing every local resistance from the Germans, a three-member committee of the antifascist party surrendered unconditionally the city to the Greek units, by signing an official protocol on 21 September.
The “Rimini Brigade” wrote new pages in the history of Greece, placing it among the winners. This success was associated with hope and the establishment of the conditions for the liberation of the country from Occupation.
#ΕλληνικόςΣτρατός, #HellenicArmy
