On April 14, 1941, the Germans had occupied North Macedonia, despite the heroism of the Greek forces at the Metaxas Line. Their forces prevailed over the Greek-British forces in Central Macedonia. The victorious Greek forces in Northern Epirus were in danger of being encircled.
Belatedly the administration gave the order to collapse them towards the Greek-Albanian border. The 1st Army Corps (Lieutenant General Demestichas) held the western part of the front with the III, VIII and II Infantry Divisions (MP) from west to east. The Italians, watching the Greek retreat maneuver, launched their last major attack against the Greek forces along the entire front of the First SS.
The Italians pressed mainly in the center of the 1st SS formation, which was held by the VIII MP of Lieutenant General Charalambos Katsimitros . In the sector of II MP the Italian attack of April 14 was repulsed with serious losses for the attackers and practically was not repeated. In the sector of III MP (western - coastal) the Italians attacked with intensity in the area of Chimara but were repulsed. However, they threw the weight of their effort against the VIII MP.
VIII MP fights and wins
At 07:30 on April 14 the front of the VIII MP was disturbed by Italian artillery fire. The Italians attacked not only the first line but also the second location of the division, its reserve and artillery positions. The preparation continued with terrifying intensity until 09.15 when the Italian infantry rushed out. the Italians, if they split the front of the VIII MP, could easily encircle the III MP and, moving from west to east, strike laterally the II MP and then the forces of the II SS.
The Italians attacked with particular ferocity against the eastern sector of VIII MP, in Mali Spat (the so-called "graveyard" sector due to the miserable climatic conditions that cost blood, hunger, death during the months of January - March in the division).
The Italians, attacking en masse, managed to set foot on the site, pushing back Greek sections in places. A direct counterattack by the sector's local reserves stabilized the situation and limited the Italian success. In the western sector of the division, however, the Italian attack was repelled.
Thus the Italians persisted in their attempt to widen the breach they had achieved at Mali Spat but despite their momentum and heavy casualties they did not succeed as Katsimitros reinforced the sector with two battalions of the 85th Infantry Regiment .
In the afternoon the Italians tried their luck again against the western sector of Nivitsis. But the 15th SP holding the area repelled them . Throughout the day, the Greek artillery worked wonders, preventing the Italians from enlarging the (now) achieved enclave.
As night fell the Italian attacks stopped. But they were repeated at first light on April 15 with the same ferocity. Katsimitros responded to the Italian pressure in Mali Spat by reinforcing his sector with the 34th SP which constituted the reserve of the 1st SS and was made available to him. The overworked 85th SP withdrew from the fight.
The Italian attack did not succeed in the slightest. The men of Colonel Alexandros Tsigounis, commander of the 34th SP, stopped them. Failing throughout the day to break through the Greek positions at Mali Spat and suffering serious losses, the Italians tried again in the western sector on the morning of April 16.
The Italians pressing hard and closely supported by their artillery managed to occupy Greek advanced positions. But they were happy for a while. Greek counterattack of an ulama (two platoons) of infantry with a lance pushed them away. Not an iota of ground was lost. What if the VIII MP simply retreated? The Italians DID NOT PASS.