Battle of Olympus (1941)

Battle of Olympus
Part of the Balkans Campaign during World War II

Nazi Germany's attack on Greece
Date14–16 April 1941
Location
Result German victory
Belligerents
Axis:
 Germany
Allies:
 United Kingdom
 Australia
 New Zealand
Commanders and leaders
Nazi Germany Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel
Nazi Germany Major General Julius Ringel
United Kingdom Lieutenant-General Henry Maitland Wilson
Australia Lieutenant Colonel Ian Ross Campbell
Dominion of New Zealand Brigadier James Hargest
Dominion of New Zealand Lieutenant Colonel Neil Lloyd Macky
Dominion of New Zealand Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Andrew
Dominion of New Zealand Lieutenant Colonel A. S. Falconer
Dominion of New Zealand Lieutenant Colonel George Dittmer
Strength
Germany:
2nd Panzer Division
5th Mountain Division
100+ tanks
[1]
New Zealand:
5th Infantry Brigade
28th (Māori) Battalion
21st Battalion
22nd Battalion
23rd Battalion
Australia:
2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion
Unknown number of artillery
Casualties and losses
Germany:
Unknown number of men killed or wounded
12 trucks
2 tanks
New Zealand:
40 men killed
50 wounded
130 captured
9 artillery
10 Bren gun carriers
20 trucks

The German invasion of Greece on 6 April 1941 had already been anticipated by the Allied forces. So a defense line was created across the mountain passes near Mount Olympus consisting of British, Australian and New Zealand troops which would prevent the German forces from capturing Thessaly and thereby denying them the opportunity to advance into mainland Greece. However, the speed of the German invasion force had made sure that the endurance of the defending troops and the strength of their defences were very quickly going to be put to the test.[1]

  1. ^ a b "When hell came to the Olympus Pass". neoskosmos.com. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2021.