19th Mot Division

Last Updated:
07 November, 2009

| home | email

Overview:

The 19th Motorised Division was a belated attempt by Greece to form a mechanised unit capable of matching the capabilities of the Armoured divisions of Italy and Germany. Britain promised resources but little of these were delivered. The Greek Army's Mechanised Cavalry Regiment served as the Cadre for the Division, the Regiment being disbanded and incorporated into the new formation between the 14 and 17 March 1941.

Mechanised Components:

191st Motorised Regiment
192nd Motorised Regiment
193rd Motorised Regiment

Divisional Artillery:

19th Motorised Artillery Group - 8 x 75mm (Foreign/Captured)
19th Motorised Anti-Aircraft Group - 4 x 37mm & 4 x 20mm FlaK
19th Anti-Tank Gun Group - 8 x 47/32 Italian Anti-Tank Guns
19th Anti-Tank Rifle Group - 4 x 20mm Solothurn ATRs
IVb Mountain Artillery Group - 8 x 75/19 Howitzers
Motorised ('English') Battery - 4 x 75mm (supplied by British)

Other Divisional Components:

19th Motorised Reconnaissance Group
19th Engineer Company
Krússia Detachment (see below)

Operational History & Detailed OOBs:

Greek Formations were normally designated with Letters of the Greek Alphabet or Roman Numerals. However three formations differed from this, the 19th Motorised and 20th Infantry Divisions, and the 21st Infantry Brigade. All are consistently identified in contemporary Greek records and histories with Arabic Numerals, and this has been continued here.

191st Motorised Regiment:

I Pezomáchon Battalion:

II Armoured Battalion:

192nd Motorised Regiment

19th Divisional Artillery:

19th Motorised Artillery Group

19th Motorised Anti-Aircraft Group:

19th Motorised Anti-Tank Gun Group:

4 Anti-Tank Gun Sections, each 2 - 47/32 Italian Anti-Tank Guns

19th Motorised Anti-Tank Rifle Group:

2 Anti-Tank Rifle Sections, each 2 - 20mm Solothurn Anti-Tank Rifles

IVb Mountain Artillery Group:

Motorised (English) Battery

19th Motorised Reconnaissance Group:

Group HQ
1st Motorcycle Squadron
2nd Carrier Squadron (11 Carriers)
Motorised MG Troop (4 - MMGs)

19th Engineer Company

Krússia Detachment:

II Athens Security Battalion

I Salonica Security Battalion

2nd Cavalry Regiment:

I Cavalry Group:

II Cavalry Group:

XI Frontier Sector (see notes):

B3 Corps Artillery Group:

Heavy Artillery Section

The Division's title in Greek was the 19th Michanokínitos Division - which translates as either Motorised or Mechanised, however Motorised would seem the most appropriate interpretation given the Division's organisation. The Division began to form on the 24 January 1941 and once completed (mid-March) numbered about 8,500 Officers, NCOs, and Enlisted Men.
The I Pezomáchon Battalion of each Motorised Regiment translates as Dismounted. These battalions were formed from the old Mechanised Cavalry Regiment, and although their organisation is not known for sure, it would seem reasonably certain it was close to that presented above. The Battalions used an assorted selection of Cars & Trucks for transport.
The II Armoured Battalion of each Regiment was actually a compromise unit formed from what was available. The 1st Motorcycle Company primarily used Italian Motorcycles, a large quantity had been captured in an earlier battle with the Italian 131st Centauro Armoured Division at Eléa. The 2nd Tank Company used L3 Italian Tankettes, the Greeks had captured over 45 of these during the campaign. Officially the Tank units were supposed to have British Mk.VIb Light Tanks, but most sources confirm that 27 L3's were used by the Division. One source does disagree, saying only 18 L3's were used, and that the rest were Vickers tanks (presumably implying 9 Mk.VIb Light Tanks did actually reach the Division). The 3rd & 4th Carrier Companies officially had an organisation of 22 Bren Carriers each, however on the 06 April 1941 only 77 had been delivered, and since the Reconnaissance group is believed to have had a Company (of 11) this leaves 66 for the 3 Armoured Battalions (22 each, in 2 Companies of 11). There is some confusion over the Carriers.
The 19th Motorised Reconnaissance Group's exact organisation is unknown, it appears to have had some Bren Carriers, and probably followed the same organisation of the other (equestrian) Divisional Reconnaissance Groups.
The Anti-Tank Weapons were all captured Italian equipment, some from Albania and some from North Africa.
The Motorised (English) Battery probably means that it was equipped with Italian 75/27 Field Guns captured by the British in Egypt and shipped to the Greeks. Alternatively it could mean it was actually some old or obscure British 75mm weapon (such as a 3" Howitzer) supplied to Greece.
The Krússia Detachment was a battle-group who's job was to hold Mount Krússia along the Greek-Bulgarian border. It was originally part of the "Group of Divisions" in "AS Eastern Macedonia". The Security Battalions had been formed from the 20 assorted rear-area "Anti-Paratrooper" Companies scattered around Greece. They were intended to guard LOCs but these units ended up in the front line! The 2nd Cavalry Regiment had been formed from the old D Corps Reconnaissance Group, so its two Groups were weak (about 50% of establishment) and its not clear whether the MMG or Mortars were present. The Frontier troops were regular army units stationed along the frontier (even in peacetime). They were technically equivalent to a Regiment (or a Division) but the XI was only about as strong as a Battalion. Its 1st Company was detached to the adjacent X Frontier Sector. The names of the Companies are the border towns/villages where they are based.

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Cavalry Bde ] [ Cavalry Div ] [ I Division ] [ II Division ] [ III Division ] [ IV Division ] [ V Division ] [ VI Division ] [ VII Division ] [ VIII Division ] [ IX Division ] [ X Division ] [ XI Division ] [ XII Division ] [ XIII Division ] [ XIV Division ] [ XV Division ] [ XVI Division ] [ XVII Division ] [ XVIII Division ] [ 19th Mot Division ] [ 20th Division ] [ 21st Brigade ] [ Nestos Brigade ] [ Evros Brigade ] [ Alexandroupoleos Bde ]