Stuka attack on Metaxas line, Greece 1941

[biltongbru]

Here Heinz Migeod's ( I/St.G.3) account of how they attacked the Metaxas fortifications during my interview with him on 31 May 2010:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vM0LRLbxqU

If there are specific questions of members regarding his Luftwaffe experience then I could ask him.

[byron-]

very interesting interview

here a pic with stukas of St.G.3 attacking the Metaxas line. They didn`t achieve anything, the most of the bunkers have never been taken by the Gebirgsjäger.

[biltongbru]

Originally Posted by byron-

very interesting interview

here a pic with stukas of St.G.3 attacking the Metaxas line. They didn`t achieve anything, the most of the bunkers have never been taken by the Gebirgsjäger.

Thanks for the pic.

I am not a specialist of the Metaxas line battle but here is a piece I found on http://www.feldgrau.com/greecewar.html that seems to match exactly as Dr Migeod has told:

"The Metaxas Line

The frontal attack on the Metaxas Line, undertaken by one German infantry and two reinforced mountain divisions of the XVIII Mountain Corps, met with extremely tough resistance from the Greek defenders. After a three-day struggle, during which the Germans massed artillery and dive-bombers, the Metaxas Line w as finally penetrated. The main credit for this achievement must be given to the 6th Mountain Division, which crossed a 7,000-foot snow-covered mountain range and broke through at a point that had been considered inaccessible by the Greeks. The division reached the rail line to Salonika on the evening of 7 April and entered Kherson two days later.

The other XVIII Mountain Corps units advanced step by step under great hardship. Each individual group of fortifications had to be reduced by a combination of frontal and enveloping attacks with strong tactical air support. The 5th Mountain Division together with the reinforced 125th Infantry Regiment penetrated the Strimon defenses on 7 April and, attacking along both banks of the river, cleaned out one bunker after another. After repelling several counterattacks the division reached Neon Petritsi, thus gaining access to the Rupul Gorge from the south. The 125th Infantry Regiment, which was attacking the gorge from the north, suffered such heavy casualties that it had to be withdrawn from further action after it had reached its objective. The 72d Infantry Division, which advanced from Nevrokop across the mountains, was handicapped by a shortage of pack animals, medium artillery, and mountain equipment. Nevertheless, even this division got through the Metaxas Line by the evening of 9 April, when it reached the area northeast of Seres. Some of the fortresses of the line held out for days after the German attack divisions had bypassed them and could not be reduced until heavy guns were brought up."

[byron-]

There is a very good link about the Metaxas line and the battle in April 1941

http://www.festungsbauten.de/metaxas3.htm

[biltongbru]

Originally Posted by byron-

There is a very good link about the Metaxas line and the battle in April 1941

http://www.festungsbauten.de/metaxas3.htm

That site seems to contain a very detailed and accurate account of the battle: thanks very much!

[byron-]

I have a nice document (letter) of a german soldier of the "Gebirgsjäger" troops who fought at the Metaxas-line, the original and a translation in english, here is it:

This small flag was swivelled by the defender of a bunker of the fortress " Istibei" of the Metaxas-line after each of the innumerable bomb attacks by the StuKa on 6 and 7 April 1941 from its “loop-hole”
Herewith he signalled that the bombs did no harm, neither to him nor to the bunker and he warned that he would defeat each approach with well aimed machine gun fire.
Only after by evasion of the fortress a ventilation tunnel and an armored entrance door were blown up the Greek brigade " Nestos", the defenders of the fortress " Istibei" , were ordered by General Papagos to surrender.
Thus I became acquainted with my direct, courageous and clever opponent. Since no prisoners were made, “my” Greek bunker-defender joined me, in order to come home again as fast as possible.
He drove with me in my sidecar motorcycle towards Southand after a good two experience-rich weeks, we separated on 24 April 1941 at the small place called Tithorea at the foot of the Parnass. We became good friends and for the occasion of the parting he gave me his small flag, which I kept myself until today as a sanctuary.
Now my friend Dimitrios, Major of Atsipopoulo on Crete, receives this flag and the “Edelweiss” that I carried eight years at my uniform cap, as indication of the friendship, the attention and the gratitude.

[pelagonia]

Well... just to point out one thing: the Germans started their attack on Greece on April the 6th, reached Thessaloniki on the 9th and entered Athens on the 27th of the same month. Stating that they did not "achieve anything" against the Metaxas line (that was completely pierced through after three days of gallant but vain struggle on the Greek side) looks at least a very one-sided statement. What else they should have done?

[ErichB]

Originally Posted by biltongbru

Here Heinz Migeod's ( I/St.G.3) account of how they attacked the Metaxas fortifications during my interview with him on 31 May 2010:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vM0LRLbxqU

If there are specific questions of members regarding his Luftwaffe experience then I could ask him.

Could you ask him if he might have known Josef Wenigmann? He was in II/St.G.3 and III/St.G.3 but was also involved in the attack on the Metaxas Line and was awarded the RK of the Iron Cross in July 1941. I have some of Wenigmann's documents in my collection.
I'm also curious--did Dr. Migeod start with the Stukas in 1935-36? And what are his remembrances about the Ju87 itself?
Thanks!
Erich

[byron-]

Dear Pelagonia,

If you read carefuly what i wrote you will understand it better. The meaning is, the Stukas didn`t achive anything except some scratches on the reinforced concret of the bunkers.
I visited the fortifications several times and i know first hand the situation.
Please read the attached document of the 100. Gebirgsjägerregiment (5. Geb.Jäg.Division) and get a better impression.

Apart from that, Salonica was captured from the 2. Panzerdivision which penetrated the jugoslavian border while the defenders of the bunkers were still fighting. They abandoned them or capitulated on the 10th.of April and after the fall of Salonica.
Only a few of the bunkers were taken.

[biltongbru]

Originally Posted by ErichB

Could you ask him if he might have known Josef Wenigmann? He was in II/St.G.3 and III/St.G.3 but was also involved in the attack on the Metaxas Line and was awarded the RK of the Iron Cross in July 1941. I have some of Wenigmann's documents in my collection.
I'm also curious--did Dr. Migeod start with the Stukas in 1935-36? And what are his remembrances about the Ju87 itself?
Thanks!
Erich

I will ask him when I see him this week again, he is now out of the hospital.

Decided to put all the info of Dr Migeod on a web site: here is the concept home page:
http://heinzmigeod.yolasite.com/