History of Europe

Kaymara Testimony:The Dissolution of the 5/42 Psarros Regiment by ELAS

After the failure of the negotiations held between EAM - EDES - PSARROU for the unification of the Rebel Struggle, EAM - ELAS began to create new episodes and clashes with 5/42, with the aim of putting the In addition to giving this the occasion of the rift and civil strife. However, because Governor Psarros, due to his flexible policy and relative concessions, was able to avoid challenges and reasons for the rupture, the EAM - ELAS carried out a lot of aggressive actions against 5/42, which were unpredictable in the established under of this leadership's plan for the total dissolution and extermination of 5/42, as a complete obstacle to its political domination and the realization of its treacherous goals.

The events unfolded in time as follows:

a. A section of the Nikiforos Battalion of ELAS, on the night of March 3-4, 1944, surrounded the village of Sernikaki and took away the military equipment of licensed Syn/tos rebels, beat its followers, took away food and kidnapped 11 Syn/tos followers, including Mr. Blaikon Sp.

b. After a two-day section of the Saturn Battalion of ELAS, he disarmed the rebels of Lieutenant Colonel Kokoris S. in Erateini.

c. Captain Dedousis, being with his company in Penagiou and informed by a messenger of the above, took extraordinary security measures, i.e. arrested the members of the Regional Committee of EAM Fokidos, disarmed the ELAS fighting groups of the neighboring villages and took the hostages and the weapons went to the area of ​​N. Mornou, where the Capetzoni Battalion was located.

d. Governor Psarros, informed of the above, ordered and released the arrested hostages.-

e. ELAS sent an ultimatum to Governor Psarron and demanded the surrender of Dedousis and Capetzonis, but Psarros refused to commit such a dishonor, declaring that he would try Dedousis on 5/42, as long as ELAS would do the same for Nikiphoron. At the same time, he did not request the intervention of the English Mission to settle the differences and avoid a more general conflict.-

f. On the night of March 30, Lochos Dedousi, being in Eupalion Doridos and having fun with Syn/tos fans inside the Gymnasium building, received a surprise attack on behalf of the Saturn Order of ELAS. The aforementioned Company repulsed the attacking Elasitas and made them flee with many prisoners.-

g. General Psarros, realizing that he was facing a general attack by ELAS, took security and defense measures and made new proposals to ELAS for the immediate start of negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the disputes and to avoid a general conflict, requesting at the same time the intervention of the Allied Mission. ELAS did not respond to this invitation. On the other hand, he continued his aggressive actions against units of 5/42 in the provinces of Doridos and Parnassidos. Following this, Commander Psarros was forced to order the recall of the licensed rebels and the gathering of the Commander in the area of ​​TRIKORFON KLIMATA and for fear of impending liquidation operations on the part of the Germans.-

h. Lieutenant Langouranis K., Deputy Commander of 5/42, went to PALEOXARION Doridos as communication by phone after the representatives of the V Brigade of ELAS and a successful meeting for a peaceful settlement of the created conflicts, was arrested by a section of ELAS on the night of the 5 April and joined ELAS. He then issued a proclamation, urging the rebels of 5/42 to renounce Psarron and his allies and join ELAS. This treacherous action of the aforementioned Ax/kos was a heavy blow for Psarron and 5/42.-

i. Commander Psarros and the English Mission actively continued their efforts to avoid a general conflict, but ran into the intransigence of the leaders of ELAS and the already established PEEA (Political Committee for the National Liberation of EAM - ELAS). They demanded that 5/42 be disbanded, that it hand over its armaments to ELAS and that its officers and men be also handed over to ELAS.-

j. ELAS mobilized large forces from all over Greece (ten times the size of 5/42) and dispatched them to the Doridos area with the sole purpose of disbanding 5/42 as soon as possible, so that ELAS, during the upcoming conference in Cairo, would present itself as the only National Army in Greece.

The expansion of the business in question was entrusted to the bloodthirsty Arin Velouchiot. The units of ELAS, among which were the Corps of Aris Velouchiotis, made up of the man-slaughtering Black Berets, and the International Brigade, with a total strength of 6000 men, perfectly outfitted and equipped with German-made weapons and ammunition, moved from different directions converging towards the defensive location. TRIKORFON – h. N. MORNOU, which he had occupied in 5/42.-

Mahai Trikorfou (12-15/4/1944) under Arch. Vor. Gionas

From April 12-15, 1944, the Kaimara and Koutra companies led by Maj. Gen. Maizanon Il., despite their reduced strength, repelled furious attacks on TRIKORFOU by the Kronos and Nikiforos Battalions of ELAS, supported by heavy mortars and machine guns, and repulsed them repeatedly on the run with heavy loss of men and material due to ELAS. The brave insurgents of the Kaimara Company, though at a disadvantage in terms of location in terms of numerical strength and armament, fought heroically with all arms and especially grenades and saved the honor of 5/42. On the night of April 15/16, the Koutra and Kaimara companies arrived in MARATHIAN, following the order of the Syn/tos, and took over the security of it from Anatolon. Captain Dedousis returning with his company's guerrillas on April 14th from Galaxidi via a gas tanker to Klimata, received a murderous attack from a section of ELAS in TROIZONIA and repelled it.-

Battle of Marathia (16/4/44)

During the early morning hours of Easter (16.4.44) and while the church bells of Mornos were calling the inhabitants of the villages for "Christ is Risen", a fierce surprise attack with mortars and bullets was carried out by the men of the Battalion Nikiforou – Papazisi from Marathia village towards the Karaiskos stairs, where the Koutra – Kaimara companies had gathered. These companies, supported by the fire of the men Kokorelis and Petyhakis, not only repelled the furious attacks of the Elasites, but by a fierce counter-attack they caused them to flee in disorder beyond the village of Marathias.

ELAS had serious losses in dead, wounded and prisoners. The arrested 60 prisoners under 5/42 were sent to S.D. of the Council, where the Councilor Psarros let them go free. These passers-by in the opposite sections of ELAS took part in the general attack of the following night against 5/42. you are suffering from complete paralysis of the lower limbs and Ef. Anth/gos Prygis, who was killed on his bed the next day with a knife by ELAS rebels.

In the evening hours of Easter 1944, General Psarros issued a historic declaration that was sent to ELAS and the Middle East Headquarters and addressed to the Greek people, through which he strongly protested the unprovoked and murderous attack of EAM - ELAS against 5/42. On the 3rd morning of April 17, 1944, the 5/42 received a severe general attack from all the forces of ELAS. Lochos Dedousi, bearing the brunt of the attack, was repulsed and dragged the rest of the 5/42 units towards the direction of MARATHIA. Thus the defense group of the KLIMATOS collapsed and the defense formation of the 5/42 was disorganized. Kaimara Clan again saved the day. He charged with the bayonet and broke the cordon to L. and captured several Elasita prisoners. The Axkoi and rebels of 5/42, who followed Lohon Kaimara escaping capture and certain slaughter on behalf of ELAS.-

General Psarros remained at SKALAN KARAISKOU, together with several Ax/kos and rebels (more than 200). All of them, except for the few, died a martyr's death at the hands of the ELAS cannibals, after previously suffering medieval tortures (cutting off limbs with a knife, gouging out eyes, whipping them to the point of blood with wire whips, gouging the skin with a knife, using salt and boiled oil on the wounds of prisoners, etc.). General Psarros was executed with an automatic weapon on the order of ELAS General Zoula, and his body remained unburied for a day.

After the tragic end of 5/42 in Klimata, EAM - ELAS unleashed unprecedented terrorism against its followers throughout Roumelin (executions and massacres of pure Greek patriots, arson, looting, rape, etc.). This was the dramatic end of the legendary 5/42 Syn/tos Evzones, which, organized in the mountains of Roumeli with the sole purpose of fighting against the barbarian conqueror for the liberation of Greece, received seven (7) ultimatums on behalf of EAM - ELAS and three (3) murderous attacks, because he acted as an obstacle to the success of the treacherous and nefarious pursuits of the K.K.E. The heroic struggles of 5/42 and the sacrifice of many hundreds of victims of EAM - ELAS did not happen in vain. They fell as holy martyrs of the Christian faith and as crusaders of the National Idea, contributing through their sacrifice to the rescue of the Greek Race from black and red fascism.