Liberation of Lemnos

Operation

By 1944, the German occupation of Lemnos was nearing its end, and Germany’s defeat was only a matter of time. As the Germans began to withdraw towards Moudros, they started destroying their surplus ammunition and armaments. As the Germans retreated towards the port of Moudros to leave the island, three forces converged on Lemnos to liberate it.

October 16th, 1944.

The first to arrive are 65 ELAS (Greek People’s Liberation Army) andartes, arriving in two groups from nearby Lesvos. This island had been abandoned by the Germans on September 18^th, 1944. Commanded by Captain Stratos Makris of the Hellenic Army reserve, they initially meet with the local resistance leaders on Agios Efstratios before sailing on the caique Eleni and landing at Platy on Lemnos’ southern coast.

The villagers welcome their liberators. They march over the hills from the capital, Myrina, carrying the Greek flag and singing liberation songs. The resistance fighters sing, “To arms! To arms! In this new battle for the cause of freedom!” as they march to the village square.

The andartes quickly movedtowards Moudros to harass and attack the departing Germans.

Soon after, detachments of the Allied raiding parties of Force 142 land on Lemnos, commanded by Scottish-born Major Jock Lapraik. These parties include soldiers of the Greek Sacred Squadron, an elite Greek military unit, led by Colonel Alkiviadis Bourdaras.

Photographs from the time show Greek soldiers landing at Myrina and being welcomed by townsfolk and the local EAM leader on Lemnos, Andreas Noulas. They then proceeded to Diapori and onwards to Moudros, following the andartes and seeking out remaining German forces.

The combined Allied forces eventually confront the Germans as they prepare to depart Lemnos from Moudros. The ensuing battle sees a German ferry armed with mortars shelling the town, resulting in significant destruction, the wounding of Major Lapraik, and the death of Sacred Squadron Lieutenant Panayiotis Dimoulas from Larissa.

The remaining German vessels are sunk by the British warship H.M.S. Argonaut. As legend has it, Jason and the Argonauts once came to Lemnos, and another Argonaut had now come to aid its inhabitants.

At the end of the Battle of Moudros, many Germans lay dead, and over 375 German soldiers are taken prisoner, with only one Allied soldier killed.

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