| 41st Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
| 41 Σύνταγμα Πεζικού, 41 ΣΠ | |
| Engagements | |
The 41st Infantry Regiment (Greek:41 Σύνταγμα Πεζικού, 41 ΣΠ) is a historic unit of theHellenic Army. Today its name and tradition are borne by the military command ofSamothrace island in the northernAegean Sea, as the41st Infantry Regiment "Saranta Ekklisies" Tactical Command (Τακτική Διοίκηση 41 Συντάγματος Πεζικού "ΣΑΡΑΝΤΑ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΕΣ", ΤΔ/41 ΣΠ).
The 41st Infantry Regiment was formed in September 1920 in Saranta Ekklisies inEastern Thrace (Kirk-Kilise, nowKirklareli inTurkey), at the time under Greek control, as part of the Xanthi Division, soon to be renamed into the12th Infantry Division.[1] On 1 June 1921, the regiment landed atSmyrna and took part in the Greek offensive in July–September, which culminated in theBattle of Sakarya. After the Greek withdrawal, the regiment, along with the rest of the 12th Division, was placed on the heights northeast ofAfyon Karahisar. Following the Turkish breakthrough in theBattle of Dumlupinar, the regiment retreated westwards to the Aegean coast and embarked atÇeşme on 31 August forChios.[1]
As part of theArmy of the Evros, the regiment was then successively moved toAlexandroupoli,Didymoteicho andFerres in late 1922/early 1923, before being moved to its peacetime quarters inXanthi after the signing of theTreaty of Lausanne in July 1923.[1] The regiment was re-formed anew with the general mobilization after theItalian invasion of Greece on 28 October 1940, and undertook garrison duties in theMetaxas Line, in the area ofAchladochori. After theGerman invasion of Greece and the capitulation of the Greek Army, the regiment was disbanded.[1]
On 20 February 2004, the title of the 41st Infantry Regiment, as well as the honorific name "Saranta Ekklisies", were given to the 289th Infantry Battalion Tactical Command (Τ∆/289 ΤΠ) which formed the garrison of the island ofSamothrace. The island had been devoid of military presence until theTurkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. After that it was successively defended by a company from the 290th National Guard Battalion in nearbyLemnos, by the separate Samothrace Command until 1982, and by the 289th National Guard Battalion, reduced in 1995 to a Tactical Command level.[1]
The Tactical Command's emblem is the statue of theWinged Victory of Samothrace, superimposed on an outline of the island and surrounded by a wreath, on a light blue background. The top bears the unit's motto ΚΛΕΟΣ ΑΦΘΙΤΟΝ ΕΣΤΑΙ ("glory is imperishable"), a quote byAchilles inHomer'sIliad (I.413). Below the statue is a scroll with the unit's honorific name. The unit flag consists of the whole emblem superimposed on three horizontal bands of black, red, and green, the distinctive colours of artillery, infantry and armour in the Hellenic Army, separated by thin gold stripes.[2][3]