Hello again Steemians!
In this post you 'll read about a Sacred Band that took over the control of Samos island during WW2 and were the 1st Hellenic Special forces and it was called the Band of the chosen immortals(Λόχος των επίλεκτων αθάνατων).
Story
During WW2 there were many cases that paratroopers were called to make air landings in hostile ground. After Italy's capitulation in 1943 , the Allied forces wanted to maintain the control of the islands that were captured by Italy especially in Aegean sea deter the Germans from doing so.
Samos and Leros island in Eastern central Aegean sea were very important as Turkey was ''neutral''in the war. In middle east , a Hellenic(Greek) company of 314 men took special training for special operations.
200 of them wer paratroopers and 114 were specialized in landing by water.
Until September 1943 the English comand was kepting the sacred band of Hellenes which belonged in the British Special Forces under comand of brigadier Turnbull in middle East where it was having great successes in Libya and Tunisia . Then the comand decided to bring them back to Egypt and sent them to take control of Samos island after retraining them for this special operation.
On October 18, 1943 the band was ready and waiting in As-Zimb of Egypt. Because of the vulnerable balances in diplmacy between England-Italy-Turkey , the operation was on delay.
Comander of the Hellenic band was colonel Christodoulos Tsigantes
source
who finally persuaded the English comand to give the OK in order the operation to start.
28th of October,1943
The order was given. The band would be devided in 114 men and 200 men and transfered to Samos island via steam ships and C-47 aircrafts respectively. For the first time the air landing of paratroopers would be at night .
The paratroopers would fall 100 men per time near the area of Vathi(still capital of the island)
Sacred band monument in Samos, Zoodohos Pigi area
source
30th of October,1943
At 21:55 the first 100 men group fell searching the signs of fire but the strong wind and the cross-country caused injuries in 12% of them .
31th of October,1943 also at 21:55 the 2nd group made the fall and also had injuries in 7% of the total group.
On November 1st,1943 the steam ships with the 114 men reached the island after dealing with many problems caused by German bombing planes .
The band remained and controled the island after dealing with 1000 Italian soldiers who were corporating with Germans, until the 19th of November suffering daily bombing. Finaly the English comand decided to withdraw the Sacred Company back to Middle East via Turkey , as the Germans were threatening to continue bombing inhabited areas ans cities like they did on 17th of November.
For the total action of the sacred band you can click here
For this article i used this site and this site
Thanks for reading. Till next post, take care !