1st Infantry Division (Greece)

1st Infantry Division "Smyrni" 1η Μεραρχία Πεζικού «ΣΜΥΡΝΗ» (Ι ΜΠ)
Flag and Emblem of the 1st Infantry Division
Active	1897-1941, 1946-Present
Country	Greece
Branch	Hellenic Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Special Forces
Size	5 Brigades
Part of	First Army
Garrison/HQ	Veroia, Macedonia
Motto(s)	(Like The) Wind ΑΕΡΑ Aéra
Engagements	First Balkan War, Second Balkan War, Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922), Greco-Italian War, Battle of Greece, Greek Civil War

The 1st Infantry Division "Smyrni" (Greek: I Μεραρχία Πεζικού «ΣΜΥΡΝΗ» (Ι ΜΠ); I Merarkhía Pezikoú "Smýrni", I MP) is an historic and elite division of the Hellenic Army. It was founded in 1897 as an infantry division and has fought in all major conflicts in which Greece has been involved. During the Balkan Wars, it acquired the sobriquet "Iron Division" (Greek: «Σιδηρά Μεραρχία»; Sidirá Merarkhía).

It is currently headquartered in Veroia, Macedonia. Despite its title, it is no longer a conventional infantry division, but a formation comprising the various special forces of the Hellenic Army - a role similar to that once held by the now disbanded 3rd Special Forces Division.

The 1st Infantry Division was established in Larissa on 19 March 1897 before the outbreak of, and in response to, the Greco-Turkish War. Formed, predominantly, from personnel recruited from Thessaly, it originally comprised two infantry brigades (1st and 2nd) and three independent light infantry (Evzone) battalions, and was tasked with the defence of the frontier from the Thermaic Gulf (near the Tria Platania heights) to the Bogazi pass, near Tyrnavos.

Based in Rapsani, on the division's right flank, was the Nezerou Detachment (Greek: Απόσπασμα Νεζερού; Apóspasma Nezeroú), consisting of the three Evzone battalions and two companies from the 5th Infantry Regiment). The left flank - from Godoman to Bogazi - was controlled by the 2nd Infantry Brigade, based at Tyrnavos. The 1st Infantry Brigade was kept in reserve at Larissa. Divisional Command, under Major-General Nikolaos Makris, was also based in Larissa.