Added: Mar 26, 2008

From: tourkosfukti

Duration: 6:29

During the Greek Revolution, several attempts were made to form a modern, regular army. These units were dressed, equipped and trained in the "European" fashion, distinct from the irregular companies of the klephts, who retained their traditional garb. Only during the reforms of John Capodistria in 1828-1829 were the irregulars grouped into regular units, and their dress standardized to resemble a uniform. After the arrival of King Otto, the Greek Army was organized in 1833 along new lines. The Bavarians that had come with Otto formed the majority of the "European" Line Infantry battalions (Τάγματα Γραμμής). In these units, one rifle company, designated "Sharpshooter" (Λόχος Ακροβολιστών) or "Evzone" (Λόχος Ευζώνων), existed. In addition, ten light "Sharpshooter" battalions (Τάγματα Ακροβολιστών) were formed from Greeks, dressed in a uniform based on the garb of the klephts. In 1836 these battalions were reduced to four, and eight "Mountain Guard" battalions (Τάγματα Οροφυλακής) were formed in their stead, which were grouped into four regiments in 1843. These units were primarily engaged in patrolling the Greco-Turkish border, combating insurgents and hunting down the many brigands that infested the countryside. The Mountain Guard was incorporated in the strengthened "Sharpshooter" battalions in 1854. Evzones in the 1880sIn December 1867, the first four elite "Evzone" light battalions were formed, of four companies each (soon expanded to five), with the task of guarding the frontier. On 12 December 1868, the Royal Guard detachment (Άγημα, later Ανακτορική Φρουρά) of two Evzone infantry companies and a cavalry troop was formed. In 1880-1881, the Evzone units were expanded to nine battalions, and participated in the disastrous War with Turkey in 1897 forming part of the infantry divisions. In the aftermath of the war, through various reorganizations, the number of Evzone battalions varied from eight to six, operating either independently or divided between the infantry divisions, and were among the first units to be equipped with machine guns. During the Balkan Wars, the eight Evzone battalions operated independently on the vanguard or the flanks of the army and distinguished themselves for their fighting spirit, but suffered high casualties, especially among officers. The Evzone units, totalling at their height five regiments, fought with distinction as elite shock troops in the First World War, the Asia Minor Campaign and the Greco-Italian War. During the German invasion, a memorable event occurred: On April 27, 1941, as the German Army was entering Athens, the Germans ascended to the Acropolis and ordered the young Evzone who was guarding the flag post, Konstantinos Koukidis, to haul the Greek flag down and replace it with the swastika flag. The young soldier did so, but refused to hand over the Greek flag to the Germans, and instead wrapped himself in it and fell off the Acropolis to his death. After the occupation of the country, in 1943, the collaborationist government raised a number of "Security Battalions" (Τάγματα Ασφαλείας), which were dressed in the Evzone uniform, and participated in operations against the ELAS partisans. They were derisively known as Germanotsoliades or Tagmatasfalites, and were disbanded after liberation in 1944. After the war, the reconstituted Hellenic Army did not raise the Evzone regiments again, their elite status and role being assumed by the newly established LOK special forces, with the exception of the ceremonial unit of the Royal Guard (Βασιλική Φρουρά). In 1974, with the abolition of monarchy in Greece, the Guard was redesignated as the Proedriki Froura (Προεδρική Φρουρά - "Presidential Guard").

Channel: Education

Tags: 1821  eu  evzones  greece  greek  hellas  language  revolution  tsolias 

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