Our Navy in the Epic of 1940–41

OF DRYINOUPOLIS, POGONIANI & KONITSA

Prot. No.: 768

                                                                                                                                                                              Delvinaki, October 14, 2019

                                                                                            CIRCULAR No. 223

SUBJECT: "The Glorious Struggle of Our Navy During the Epic of 1940–41"

My dear Christians,

-A-

When, on August 15, 1940, a submarine of "unknown nationality" sank the *Elli* in the harbor of Tinos, the Government knew—and the people sensed—that neighboring Italy was preparing for war against Greece. It was a war that would be waged not only in the mountains of Pindos and Northern Epirus by the Army and the Air Force, but also across the seas and open waters by our warships and submarines—vessels that wrote pages of glory and greatness. Thus, when Greece—through the voice of Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas—rejected the insolent Italian ultimatum, the news spread like lightning among the anchored ships, stirring a massive wave of indignation at this despicable act of audacity by our neighbor. The crews were filled with enthusiasm; officers and sailors alike could hardly wait to set sail. Never before had the engineers and stokers worked with such alacrity to get the engines running. Everyone was consumed by a burning desire to head out into the open sea and fight the brazen yet cowardly enemy—an enemy who had so shamelessly desecrated the feast day of the Virgin Mary.

-B-

Our destroyers—the *Psara*, *Hydra*, *Spetses*, *Kountouriotis*, *Vasilissa Olga*, *Vasilefs Georgios*, and others—as well as our submarines—the *Papanikolis*, *Protefs*, *Katsonis*, and *Triton*—patrolled the Adriatic Sea, reaching as far as Brindisi without encountering any resistance. Meanwhile, our Army was defeating enemy forces in the Pindus massif, the mechanized "Centaurs" were suffering a crushing defeat at Kalpaki, and before long, the Greek Army—victorious and acting as a liberator—entered Agioi Saranta. Consequently, by order of the Commander of the Submarine Force, our submarines were now able to extend their patrol ranges.

-C-

Although our destroyers were targeted by enemy submarines, they managed to evade them with extraordinary skill. As a result, throughout all these missions, not a single soldier, pack animal, or piece of military equipment was lost. Indeed, within the first two weeks of the war, these ships transported 80,000 men, 120,000 pack animals, 10,000 trucks, and thousands of tons of ammunition to the theater of war. And for this to be achieved—it must be emphasized—the officers and crews literally wore themselves to the bone, yet without a single complaint. All for the salvation and glory of the Fatherland.

-D-

Before long, the remarkable feat of the submarine *Papanikolis* took place. An Italian convoy, consisting of many ships, was passing through the Strait of Otranto, heading toward Albania. Upon undertaking this mission, the commander of the *Papanikolis*, Miltos Iatridis, had declared: “With the help of God and the blessings of our King, I sail forth with unstoppable momentum toward victory.” And indeed, victory was achieved through the neutralization of the enemy convoy. For nine hours, the Italian destroyers escorting the convoy hunted the *Papanikolis*, with depth charges exploding all around it—to the right, to the left, behind, in front—everywhere! Yet, on the evening of Christmas 1940, the glorious *Papanikolis* was found safe and sound between Kefalonia and Zakynthos. There, it was encountered by the torpedo boat *Sfendoni*, whose crew—lined up on deck—greeted it with cheers. And as they clinked their glasses together, they said to one another, deeply moved: “Disrespect toward the Theotokos is repaid with interest—and then some!”

I shall stop here, dear brethren, though there are many more heroic feats performed by our ships. I stop because I am overcome with emotion at the achievements of our Navy—achievements that have brought glory and splendor to our homeland.

Best wishes to all. May Christ and the Theotokos protect and watch over our Nation.

                                                          An ardent intercessor before Christ,

                                                                     THE METROPOLITAN

                                                † Andreas of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani, and Konitsa

15/10/2019