US Forces in Greece - Winter of 1944/45.

Hi everyone

Here is an interesting article about the 1269th ATC detachment who worked at ELEVSIS airfield in Greece but were accommodated in Athens.

https://archive.org/details/1945-09-21YankMagazine

Has anyone got any more information about this detachment? As up to now, I had no idea that any detachments of US forces were actually in Athens during the troubles with ELAS in late 1944.

I have read that they were declared operational on 01 Nov 44. But when did they arrive in Greece? And i assume they come over from somewhere in Italy?

Were there any more US forces in Greece between October 1944 and January 1945?

Thanks

Gus

 

That is news to me. I thought Greece was an all British show.

 

Hi

Extract from the diaries of the Kings Dragoon Guards covering the first few days in January 1945.

The Regiment arrived in Greece just after the most critical time and, for the first few days, were responsible for guarding the aerodrome, protecting the southern outskirts of Athens, feeding the local population, and operating as mobile patrols in Attica. This was a new type of warfare, of which the regiment had had no experience, the chief difficulty being the recognition of friend and foe, as the ELAS troops were generally dressed as any other civilian. Early in January a strong column, under the command of the Commanding Officer, and consisting of the Regiment, one squadron of tanks, and one battalion of infantry, broke out of Athens with a view to disrupting the enemy’s rear and doing as much damage as possible. Opposition at first consisted of mines and road blocks covered by small arms fire. By evening of the first day we had reached Elevsis and had been surprised to find armed American soldiers in charge of the aerodrome; these apparently had been running an air transport service for some months. Rather an exaggerated account of the incident, which is not without humour, appeared in a well known American paper; here is an extract:- Once a British task force from Italy landed somewhere along the coast and started invading the airfield. They had not been in contact with British Headquarters in Athens, and had no idea Americans were in Greece. They moved on the field mainly because their scouting Beaufighters had spotted an excited crowd of men clustered on the roof. One of the A.T.C. officers rode out to meet the British and found himself staring down the barrels of Bren gun and two rifled trained on him from the leading tank. Brave as lion he kept advancing. Then when he was about twenty yards away, a British captain popped his head out of the turret. When he saw the American he blew a gasket ‘’What the bloody hell are you doing here?’’ he yelled. ‘’The captain was a little teed-off because the Americans were not fighting ELAS. But most of them didn’t seem to mind very much, and after being given a cup of tea, remarked, ‘You’re the first decent Yanks we’ve met.

 

As long they liked the tea.