TheBattle of Meritsa (Greek:Μάχη της Μερίτσας) orBattle of Oxyneia (Μάχη της Οξύνειας) was fought from 11th–12th February 1943, between 800 men of theGreek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), under Nestoras Vokas (nom de guerre "Tzavellas"), Nikos Zaralis ("Chasiotis"), Ilias Kafantaris ("Adamantios") and artillery 2nd Lieutenant Aristidis Bloutsos (MIDAS) against aRoyal Italian Army battalion.

The Battle of Meritsa was the first victorious battle of the Greek National Resistance and had tremendous impact on Greek morale.

It was fought at the village of Meritsa (modernOxyneia) nearKalambaka. In the battle, 137 Italians were killed, and 160 were taken prisoner, along with all their equipment, including 4 mortars, 20 automatic weapons, and over 2,000 grenades. The partisans released their prisoners, but kept the equipment.^[1][2][3]

The Greek side had only seven casualties.

• Eudes, Dominique (1973).The Kapetanios: Partisans and Civil War in Greece, 1943-1949. Translated by John Howe. New York and London: Monthly Review Press.ISBN 978-0-85345-275-1.
• Hellenic Army History Directorate (1998).Αρχεία Εθνικής Αντίστασης, 1941-1944 [National Resistance Archives, 1941-1944]. Athens: Hellenic Army History Directorate.ISBN 978-9607897060.
• Mazower, Mark (1993).Inside Hitler's Greece: The Experience of Occupation, 1941–44. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.ISBN 0-300-06552-3.

• Conflicts in 1943
• Battles and operations involving the Greek People's Liberation Army
• Thessaly in World War II
• Battles and operations of World War II involving Italy
• February 1943 in Europe
• 1943 in Greece
• Italian occupation of Greece during World War II

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