National Experiences - British Commission for Military History

126 ai r p o w e r in 20 t H Ce n t u ry do C t r i n e s a n d em p l o y m e n t - nat i o n a l ex p e r i e n C e s
Officer Evangelos Giannaris, was
4 fatally injured and was the first officer
of the Hellenic Armed Forces
to be killed in action during the
Hellenic – Italian War. In the course
of the same incident the Italians
shot down the second Hs 126 as
well, causing the death of the crew
(Figure 4).
On November 1, 1940, the
RHAF bomber squadrons undertook
their first strike. Three Blenheims
attacked Korytsa Air Base. One of
the planes zoomed on the target and
struck it causing the death of 40
Italians and the injury of another 20.
A few hours later two Italian fighters
crashed on craters created by the
bombing of the runway.
Early morning on November 2,
1940, one Bréguet Bré 19 of No.
2 (Army Co-op) Squadron, undertook
a reconnaissance mission over
the Pindos Gorge. At 07:00 hrs the
aeroplane approached what appeared to be a heavy concentration of military units
along the Samarina – Distraton road. These turned out to be part of “Julia” Division
which was moving towards Metsovon, infiltrating Hellenic defence lines through
paths and ravines. The Kozani Command ordered the Cavalry Division to move rapidly
from Thessaloniki and occupy the Metsovon Pass before the enemy could reach
it. Overall, spotting the “Julia” Division was one of the most important events of the
Hellenic – Italian War and played an important role in determining the outcome of
the Italian invasion5 Fi g u r e 4: Pilot Officer Evangelos Giannaris
(Archive of the History Museum, HAF).
.
In the early hours of the same day, another well- known episode of air fighting also
occurred. 6 P.Z.L.s of No22 Fighter Squadron got involved with 15 Italian bombers
and 7 fighters. Flying Officer Marinos Mitralexis, having exhausted his ammunition
during a harsh pursuit of an Italian three – engined bomber, instead of returning
to his base, pushed his throttle and “rammed” the rudder of the bomber with his
4 Register of Officer and War Action Report of No3/2 Independent Flight during the period 28-10-
1940 until 4-11-1940 and summary of No 3 (Army Co-op) Squadron, under Flight Lieutenant P.
Mpakola, Athens, 24-7-1941, Archive of the History Museum, HAF.
5 War report of No2 (Army Co-op) Squadron, under Flying Officer D. Karakitsou and D. Politi, Gaza,
16-11-1942, Archive of the History Museum, HAF.