Battle of Lake Kastoria facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Kastoria
Part of the German invasion of Greece
Lake Kastoria viewed southeast from Korisos. The plains in the background were the area where the German artillery deployed.
Date 15 April 1941 Location Kastoria, West Macedonia, Greece Result German victory
Belligerents
Greece	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Mj. Gen. Sotirios Moutousis Col. Efstathios Liosis	SS-Ogruf Josef Dietrich Standartenführer Staudinger Sturmbannführer Kurt Meyer
Strength
Cavalry Division 13th Infantry Division (elements) 1 reconnaissance battalion (horse cavalry) 2 understrength infantry battalions (understrength) 1 machine-gun battalion 7 batteries of light and heavy artillery	Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (elements) 1 armoured reconnaissance battalion 2 motorised infantry battalions 6 medium and heavy artillery batteries 3 companies of infantry guns 40 light bombers
Casualties and losses
160+ killed 12,000 captured 34 guns destroyed 2 anti-air guns destroyed	unknown

The Battle of Lake Kastoria (Greek: Μάχη λίμνης Καστοριάς) was a fight between Greek and German forces on April 15, 1941. It happened near Lake Kastoria in Greece. This battle was actually two smaller fights happening at the same time, one north and one south of the lake. The Greeks were trying to stop the German army from moving forward. They wanted to protect the main road used by Greek troops to retreat.

Why the Battle Happened

The Battle of Lake Kastoria followed another important fight called the Battle of Kleisoura Pass. In that battle, Greek soldiers could not stop the German forces from breaking through. After this, the German army, known as the LSSAH brigade, kept moving forward. They were heading towards the Greek troops gathering around Lake Kastoria. The Greek commanders quickly tried to set up new defenses. They hoped to block the German advance and protect their retreating army.

Who Fought in the Battle

Greek Army Forces

The Greek army had two main groups fighting in this battle. North of Lake Kastoria, the Cavalry Division was positioned. South of the lake, the 13th Infantry Division took up defensive spots.

The Greek Cavalry Division had already been retreating from Albania. They had successfully held back some German attacks before. However, their position became dangerous after the Kleisoura Pass fell. They sent out scouting groups and anti-tank guns to help.

The 13th Infantry Division had also been fighting in Albania. They had even captured some Italian positions. But they had to retreat quickly to avoid being surrounded. They marched long distances, sometimes for many hours without rest. One of their battalions, I/23, was sent to Argos Orestiko. Their job was to defend the hills and cover the main Greek army's retreat. This unit was reinforced with machine guns and artillery.

German Army Forces

Armored reconnaissance vehicles belonging to the LSSAH during the Balkan campaign

The German forces were part of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH). This was a powerful motorized unit. They had a strong reconnaissance (scouting) battalion led by Sturmbannführer Kurt Meyer. This group acted as the main attacking force. They also had two motorized infantry battalions and a full artillery regiment. Meyer's group was very well-equipped. It included armored cars, motorcycles, heavy machine guns, tank hunters, and anti-aircraft guns. They also had powerful howitzer cannons.

Battle Plans

The Greek plan was to keep the Germans away from the main road that led to Grevena. This road was vital for their army's retreat. The Cavalry Division would defend the Foteini Pass north of the lake. Meanwhile, the 13th Division would create a defensive line south of the lake. They hoped to stop the Germans from reaching the road. However, the Greek commanders didn't know that another Greek division had already left its position further south. This meant the German army could potentially attack from another direction.

The Battle Unfolds

The fighting began early on April 15, around 5:30 AM. Greek soldiers saw German motorized troops and what they thought were "tanks." These were likely the armored reconnaissance vehicles of the LSSAH. The first German attack happened around 6:00 AM. The Greeks managed to push them back. They claimed to have hit many German vehicles. However, the Greek right side of the defense was weak.

Around 11:00 AM, the Germans attacked again. This time, they had more troops and heavy artillery. The German artillery fired intensely, causing many Greek casualties. The Greek soldiers were in rocky terrain, which made the bombardment even more dangerous. Around noon, a German battalion tried to go around the Greek line. They wanted to cut off the Greek retreat path. But the Greek infantry and artillery fought back hard. The Greek artillery was very effective, often silencing the German guns.

At 1:30 PM, the Germans launched another attack. They had strong support from tanks and artillery. By 2:00 PM, they captured the village of Ampelokipoi on the Greek right side. The Greek cavalry defending this area suffered heavy losses. Their commander was killed, and many soldiers were captured. The Greek command became worried about their weak right flank. They started using anyone available, even engineers, to fill the gaps in their defense.

The situation worsened around 3:00 PM. A Greek scouting group left its position on a key hill. This created a large gap in the Greek lines. German armored vehicles were soon seen moving towards Argos Orestiko. The Greek commander quickly sent another battalion to retake the hill. They managed to reach it by 4:30 PM, which gave the Greeks some hope.

However, at 5:00 PM, the Germans attacked again. This time, about 40 German airplanes joined the fight. They bombed the Greek artillery, destroying several guns. The two Greek anti-aircraft guns were also silenced. The German artillery then fired with full power. Without the threat of Greek artillery, German armored vehicles moved freely. Greek units began to report being surrounded and surrendered.

At 6:00 PM, the Greeks were ordered to retreat. They had to destroy a bridge to slow down the Germans. The remaining Greek artillery fired their last shells directly at the enemy. By 7:00 PM, German armored vehicles had surrounded and captured Argos Orestiko. Any Greek units that could not retreat were taken prisoner. The Germans claimed to have captured 12,000 prisoners and 36 guns by the next morning.