Battle of Yenidje

Battle of Yenidje
Part of First Balkan War
A relief map of modern day Greece, with the location of the battle marked.
A Greek lithograph of the battle.
Date19–20 October 1912 (O.S.)
Location40°47′24″N 22°22′48″E / 40.7900°N 22.3800°E / 40.7900; 22.3800
Result

Greek victory

Belligerents
Greece Greece  Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Greece Crown Prince Constantine Ottoman Empire General Tahsin Pasha
Units involved

Army of Thessaly

Thessaloniki Garrison
Strength
5 divisions 25,000 men
Casualties and losses
188 killed
785 wounded
250+ killed
1,000+ wounded
200 captured
11–14 artillery pieces
2 flags
Giannitsa is located in Greece
Giannitsa
Giannitsa
Location of the battle in present day Greece

The Battle of Yenidje, also transliterated as Yenice (Greek: Μάχη των Γιαννιτσών, Battle of Giannitsa), was a major battle between Greek forces under Crown Prince Constantine and Ottoman forces under General Hasan Tahsin Pasha and took place between October 19–20 (O.S.), 1912 during the First Balkan War. The battle began when the Greek army attacked the Ottoman fortified position at Yenidje (now Giannitsa, Greece), which was the last line of defense for the city of Thessaloniki.

The rough and swampy terrain surrounding Yenidje significantly complicated the advance of the Greek army, most notably its artillery. In the early morning of 20 October, an infantry charge by the Greek 9th Evzone Battalion caused the Greek army to gain momentum, leading to the collapse of the entire western wing of the Ottomans. Ottoman morale plunged and the bulk of the defenders began fleeing two hours later. The Greek victory at Yenidje opened the way for the capture of Thessaloniki and the surrender of its garrison, helping shape the modern map of Greece.