British Mission to Greece 1944-1945

[AFlynn]

I'm looking to write a 25-30 page paper on British action in Greece between October 1944 and January 1945, during which they fought the leading (and communist controlled, of course) Greek resistance force, the ELAS. I've found in the University library what seems to be a narrative of the 23rd Armoured Brigade (They were known as Monty's Foxhounds in North Africa), and I'm going to check it out first thing Monday. I'm interested in looking at how forces that were pretty much used to perfect limited war (the north africa desert campaigns) adapt to messy, political, civilian-rich, primarily urban (Athens) struggle.
Does anyone have any recommendations for books on this subject, or the Greek Civil War in general?

[bismark17]

The book, Guerrilla, by Charles W. Thayer discusses the Greek Civil War in general terms.

[TROUFION]

Robert Asprey has a summary of the Greek Civil War in his book War in The Shadows.

[Mike in Hilo]

Red Acropolis, Black Terror, The Greek Civil War and the Origins of Soviet-American Rivalry 1943-1949, by Andre Gerolymatos, Basic Books, 2004. Available from Amazon...This is a useful work--possibly even the definitive account...

Cheers,
Mike.

[Menning]

You might read the Marine Corps' The Guerrilla and How to Fight Him. It has a chapter on Greece, titled "Winning in the Mountains-Greece" by Col. J.C. Murry. The manual is FMFRP 12-25. Also, Hold the Balkans! could be valuable. It as a book concerning German antiguerrilla operations in the Balkans from 1941-1944.

[Stan]

If you're on a budget, my favorite is www.newspaperarchive.com.

Great downloads, some converted pictures and tons of history.

Good Luck !

[davidbfpo]

I do recall contemporary newsreel of the street fighting in Athens, when the tiny British force was surrounded and fought desperately. I am sure the narrator commented fighting Germans in Italy and flown to Athens to liberate an Allied city to find themselves fighting for their lives. Less certainly I think the initial troops were paratroopers.

There ia short succint chapter on the Greek Civil War in 'Intervention and Revolution by Richard J. Barnet (pub. 1972), which mentions 75,000 British troops being deployed. The footnotes refer to Edgar O'Ballance's 'The Greek Civil War' (pub. NY 1966), who was an ex-British Army officer.

Oddly Field Marshal Michael Carver's book 'Britains Army in the 20th Century' does not mention this! Scanned a few books here, nothing.

davidbfpo

[AFlynn]

I believe there was an initial glider-deployed force that was later reinforced. Thanks for the recommendations and keep them coming.

Any good general works on British armored units in N. Africa?

[davidbfpo]

Field Marshal Michael Carver's book 'Britain's Army in the 20th Century, is a very general history, but was a prolific author on the desert war, where he served and ended as a brigadier before Italy. He wrote: El Alamein ('62), Tobruk ('64), Dilemmas of the Desert War ('86) and less certain on the desert The Apostles of Mobility ('79).

I am sure there are general histories, but not my subject nor an my bookshelves.

Of subject try 'With the Jocks: A Soldier's Stuggle for Europe 1944-45' by Peter White (pub 2001). Best frontline account of the British Army in NW Europe I've read.

Good night.

Davidbfpo

[Menning]

For British action in North Africa, Brazen Chariots is always the classic. Written by Maj. Crisp, it details approximately 30 days of action against Rommel in the desert.

[Tom Odom]

My favorites on North Africa: Barrie Pitt's 3 Volume Series: The Crucible of War and Correlli Barnett The Desert Generals

There are many others of course.

Best

Tom

[wm]

From a great website
http://www.regiments.org/wars/20ww2/greece43.htm
The senior formation HQ was the 4th Infantry Division (10, 12, 28 Bde) and 11Ind Inf Bde.

1944 Dec. 2-
1945 Jan. 15 Athens Cav: DG1
Inf: 2/F7 2/F8 2/F13 2/F16 2/F37 1:4/F37 2:4/F37 5/F37 6/F42 ?/F44 1/F50 16/F68 2/F71 1/L16 4/Para 5/Para 6/Para


1944 Sep. 16-
1945 Jan. 15 Greece 1944-45 Cav: DG1 4/RTR 50/RTR 4Recce
Inf: 2/F5 F7 F8 6/F10 F13 F16 2:5/F17 1:6/F31 2/F32 1/F35 F37 F42 F44 5/F45 F50 2:4/F51 F60 6/F65 F68 F71 2/F79 L16 Para SAS Cdo9(CdoAssn) RSR
Cav: 21 Engr: BySM
Inf: 9/4 4/6 MG/6 2/11 1/GR2 2/GR7 1/GR9

[AFlynn]

I'm putting together the paper this weekend. I'm not sure how it'll turn out, but should it come out well I might put it up here for yays and nays. Thanks for the help.

[AFlynn]

In retrospect, the paper was kind of thrown together as a result of last-minute deadlines and related pressures. But I may try to give it a rewrite sometime this summer, should I get a decent block of spare time.