British SOE operation in Greece 1943 1945

The “Greek Sacred Regiment” ( Ieros Lochos) was part of SAS/SBS and took part in operations in the Aegean mostly by Caique, but also in paratroop operations, like the one in Samos on December 1943.

“…1 S.A.S consisted of 500 men of 1 SAS, 100 men of the Free French S.A.S Squadron, 55 men of the S.B.S, and the 114 men of the Greek Sacred Squadron. Greek Sacred Squadron was formed in August 1942 by officers of the Royal Hellenic Army who had escaped from Greece after the German invasion. This was the unit’s third incarnation: the first was the Theban Sacred Band that had helped free Greece of Spartan domination at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC; the second incarnation, the Sacred Battalion had served in the Greek War of Independence 1821-1829. The name of the unit came from the pledge of faithfulness that the Boetian lovers of the original Sacred Band made at Iolaus’ tomb. The Greek Sacred Squadron (or Regiment) had a tradition of refusing no task set it, and dying to the last man if necessary. It was rumoured that they expected 50% casualties in a raid and felt frustrated if they didn’t get them. Its motto was ‘Return Victorious or Dead’ – said to be the parting words by Spartan mothers to their sons, when they gave them the shield, when they departed for war. (“Either you shall bring the shield back as a victor, or they shall bring you dead upon it”). The Greek Sacred Squadron later worked with the S.B.S raiding the Aegean and Dodecanese Islands by caïque…”

The Greek Special Forces have fought from El Alamein ( Captain Karampetsos LRP discovered Rommel’s tank manoeuvre from the south ) to Ksar Rillan, Gabes and the liberation of Tunis , to the Aegean islands and later the Greek civil war.

http://www.army.gr/html/GR_Army/dieuthinseis/DED/doc/history2.htm

http://www.ucc.ie/staff/jprodr/macedonia/helmodww2n.html

http://www.ucc.ie/staff/jprodr/macedonia/helmodww2d.html

http://www.geocities.com/kumbayaaa/gerwaraegean4445.html

Col Christodoulos Tsigantes , Founder and CO of the “Sacred Regiment” ( Ieros Lochos ) . A brilliant military mind and a close friend of General Leclerc , he persuaded him and Montgomerry to approve the formation of the Greek Special Forces and then sending them to the front line .

Our hearts and minds are to those who gave their blood for freedom…

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“¹ ÔÁÍ ¹ ÅÐÉ ÔÁÓ”

“e tan e epi tas” (either this or upon this).
Encouragement by Spartan mothers to their sons, when they gave them the shield, when they departed for war. (“Either you shall bring the shield back as a victor, or they shall bring you dead upon it”).