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Battle of Menina
Date 17 August 1944 Location Menina, Thesprotia Result EDES victory
Belligerents
National Republican Greek League (EDES)	Germany Balli Kombëtar
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Colonel Vasileios Kamaras Major Georgios Agoros Major David Wallace (British) †	Unknown
Strength
10th Division of EDES (400 engaged)	Company of the 1st Mountain Division Cham collaborationist militia
Casualties and losses
22 killed, 53 wounded	90 killed, 100 missing or taken prisoner

The Battle of Menina (Greek: Μάχη της Μενίνας) was conducted by the Greek resistance group EDES against the German garrison of the village Menina, Thesprotia, during the German occupation of Greece. They were successful and captured a large quantity of supplies.

Background

Guerilla units of the EDES resistance undertook several sabotage missions against the Wehrmacht as soon as the later began its withdrawal from Greece. The 10th Division of EDES was active in the wider region of Preveza and managed in various clashed to block the movement of the Germans from Preveza to the regional capital of Epirus, Ioannina. Nazi German and Cham Albanian collaborator units were stationed in various positions in the sectors of Filiates, Igoumenitsa and Filiates. Meanwhile, the Allied High Command in Middle East ordered the advance of the EDES units in strategic positions in the west coast of Epirus. The defense of Menina was of vital importance for the German army since it a main transportation hub in Epirus. As such the Germans as well as their collaborators have turned Menina into a major stronghold.

Offensive

The main thrust of the offensive in Menina was undertaken by EDES' Sacred Band which belonged to its 3/40 Regiment. After a 2-day battle the German-Cham units were dispersed and the area was secured.

Result

Among the Greek resistance there were 25 dead, while the Axis counted 87. After the victorious battle the Muslim Cham population under the state of panic and in fear of reprisals fled north to Albania. Moreover, EDES captured 109 Axis soldiers in addition to military material.

Sources

• Flitouris, Athanasios (1998). "Το αντάρτικο του ΕΔΕΣ στην Ήπειρο". Docplayer.gr. University of Ioannina. Retrieved 19 April 2021.

References

1. Hermann Frank Meyer, Αιματοβαμμένο Έντελβαϊς. Η 1η Ορεινή Μεραρχία, το 22ο Σώμα Στρατού και η εγκληματική δράση τους στην Ελλάδα, 1943-1944, Τόμος Β', Βιβλιοπωλείον της Εστίας, Athens 2009, pp. 249-251
2. Flitouris, 1998, p. 216
3. ^ Flitouris, 1998, p. 217
4. ^ Flitouris, 1998, p. 218
5. ^ Flitouris, 1998, p. 219

v t e Greece during World War II
1940–1941 Balkans Campaign Greco-Italian War (1940–1941) Battles Pindus Elaia–Kalamas Korytsa/Korcë Saranda Morava–Ivan Himara Klisura Pass Trebeshina Italian spring offensive Hill 731 Leaders Greece Ioannis Metaxas Alexandros Papagos Charalambos Katsimitros Konstantinos Davakis Markos Drakos and Ioannis Pitsikas Dimitrios Papadopoulos Georgios Kosmas Italy Benito Mussolini Galeazzo Ciano Sebastiano Visconti Prasca Ubaldo Soddu Ugo Cavallero Carlo Geloso Units Greece 8th Infantry Division Epirus Army Section Western Macedonia Army Section Italy 9th Army 11th Army German invasion (April–May 1941) Battles Operation Lustre Metaxas Line Vevi Kleisoura Pass Thermopylae Crete Leaders Greece King George II Alexandros Papagos Konstantinos Bakopoulos Georgios Tsolakoglou British Commonwealth Henry Maitland Wilson Thomas Blamey Bernard Freyberg Germany Wilhelm List Sepp Dietrich Kurt Student Units Greece Eastern Macedonia Army Section Central Macedonia Army Section Epirus Army Section British Commonwealth 1st Armoured Brigade 2nd New Zealand Division 6th Australian Division Germany XVIII Army Corps XXXX Panzer Corps Luftflotte 4 1st Parachute Division 5th Mountain Division
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Resistance and Free Greece National Liberation Front (EAM) People Aris Velouchiotis Stefanos Sarafis Andreas Tzimas Georgios Siantos Alexandros Svolos Ilias Tsirimokos Markos Vafeiadis Evripidis Bakirtzis Organizations Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Socialist Party of Greece (SKE) Union of People's Democracy (ELD) Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) Greek People's Liberation Navy (ELAN) Political Committee of National Liberation (PEEA) and National Council United Panhellenic Organization of Youth (EPON) National Solidarity (EA) Organization for the Protection of the People's Struggle (OPLA) Slavic-Macedonian National Liberation Front (SNOF) Anti-Fascist Committee for a Free Germany (AKFD) Operations Drama uprising Ryka Mikro Chorio Gorgopotamos Bridge Meritsa Protests against labour mobilization Fardykambos Porta Sarantaporos Kournovo Tunnel 1943 Athens protest Pinerolo disarmament Steiri Agorelitsa Killing of Franz Krech Atrocities Feneos executions 5/42 Regiment dissolution Meligalas Kilkis Red Terror (Greece) Non-EAM resistance People Napoleon Zervas Georgios Kartalis Dimitrios Psarros Komninos Pyromaglou Antonis Fosteridis Kostas Perrikos Ilias Degiannis Vasileios Sachinis Lela Karagianni Konstantinos Ventiris Manolis Paterakis Petrakogiorgis Kimonas Zografakis Organizations National Republican Greek League (EDES) National Bands of Greek Guerrillas (EOEA) National and Social Liberation (EKKA) 5/42 Regiment Defenders of Northern Greece (YVE)/Panhellenic Liberation Organization (PAO) Panhellenic Union of Fighting Youths (PEAN) Prometheus II Apollo National Organization of Crete (ΕΟΚ) Hellenic Army (ES) Northern Epirus Liberation Front (MAVI) others... Operations ESPO bombing Gorgopotamos Bridge (Operation "Harling") Agia Kyriaki Milia Skala Paramythias Execution of Josef Salminger Xirovouni Trahili Menina Dodona Atrocities Expulsion of Cham Albanians British Military Mission (SOE) People Eddie Myers Monty Woodhouse Patrick Leigh Fermor Bill Stanley Moss Themis Marinos George Psychoundakis Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz Operations Operation "Albumen" Gorgopotamos Bridge (Operation "Harling") Operation "Animals" Asopos Bridge (Operation "Washing") Kidnapping of Heinrich Kreipe Damasta sabotage
Greek government-in-exile Greek government in exile Events/Battles Mareth Line El Alamein Wadi Akarit Dodecanese April 1944 mutiny Rimini Symi Santorini People King George II Emmanouil Tsouderos Sofoklis Venizelos Panagiotis Kanellopoulos Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos Christodoulos Tsigantes Pafsanias Katsotas Greek Armed Forces in the Middle East 3rd Mountain Brigade Sacred Band Vasilissa Olga Adrias Katsonis Papanikolis 13th Squadron 335th Squadron 336th Squadron
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