Battle of Elaia–Kalamas

Battle of Elaia–Kalamas
Part of the Greco-Italian War
Trench construction in Elaia–Kalamas line by Greek military personnel, March 1939
Date 2–8 November 1940 Location Epirus 39°35′12″N 20°08′32″E / 39.58667°N 20.14222°E / 39.58667; 20.14222Coordinates: 39°35′12″N 20°08′32″E / 39.58667°N 20.14222°E / 39.58667; 20.14222 Result Greek victory
Belligerents
Fascist Italy	Kingdom of Greece
Commanders and leaders
Ezio Rossi (XXV Army Corps) Gen. Giannini (23rd Div "Ferrara") Gen. Maglie (131st Armoured Div "Centauro")	Charalambos Katsimitros (8th Infantry Division) Nikolaos Lioumbas (Thesprotia Sector) Dimitrios Giatzis (Kalamas Sector) Georgios Dres (Negrades Sector)
Strength
42,000 men 23rd Infantry Division Ferrara 6 battalions 2 battalions of blackshirts 44 guns 131st Armoured Division Centauro 3 motorized battalions 170 light tanks 32 guns Elements 51 Infantry Division Siena Air Force: 400 aircraft	15 battalions 56 guns (14 batteries)
Casualties and losses
unknown total partial data: 28 October – 5 November: 160 killed 41 missing 561 wounded	unknown total partial data: 1–5 November: 59 killed 208 wounded

The Battle of Elaia–Kalamas (Greek: Μάχη Ελαίας-Καλαμά) took place in Epirus from 2–8 November 1940. The battle was fought between the Greeks and the Italians during the initial stage of the Greco-Italian War. The Italian Army, deployed on the Greek-Albanian border, launched an offensive against Greece on 28 October 1940. The main thrust of the Italian invasion occurred in the Epirus sector, with a further flanking move through the Pindus mountains. In Epirus, the Greeks held the Elaia–Kalamas river line and even though the Greek army was outnumbered the local Greek forces, under Major General Charalambos Katsimitros, managed to stop the Italian advance. Along with the Italian failure in the Battle of Pindus, these Greek successes signified the complete failure of the Italian invasion, leading to the dismissal of the Italian commander in Albania, Sebastiano Visconti Prasca, on 9 November. In the next few weeks, the Greek forces managed to initiate a counter-offensive which forced the Italians to retreat deep into Albania.

After the Italian invasion of Albania in April 1939, the Greek General Staff became alerted to a potential Italian attack from Albanian territory. Faced with the strong likelihood of a concerted Italian-Bulgarian attack against both Epirus and Macedonia-Thrace, the main Greek contingency plan, codenamed "IB" (for "Italy-Bulgaria"), essentially prescribed a defensive stance in Epirus. Two versions of the plan existed: the first suggested forward defence on the border line, while the second dictated initial defense in an intermediate position prior to a gradual retreat to the Arachthos River–Metsovo–Aliakmon River–Mt. Vermio line, leaving most of Epirus in Italian hands. It was left to the judgment of the local commander of the 8th Infantry Division, based in Ioannina, Charalambos Katsimitros, to choose which plan to follow. A significant factor in Greek favor was that they had managed to obtain intelligence about the approximate date of the attack, and had just completed a limited mobilization in the areas facing the expected Italian plans.

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