Battle of Vevi ( 1941 ) The Battle of Vevi ( or Veve , ) , in Greece , also known as the Battle of the Klidi Pass ( Kirli Derven ) , was part of the Greek campaign of World War II . It took place on 11 – 12 April 1941 , north of the town of Amyntaion , close to the northwestern Greek border . Allied troops fought forces from Nazi Germany . Background . German forces invaded Greece and southern Yugoslavia from Bulgaria in the first week of April 1941 . Following the collapse of resistance in Yugoslavia , the left flank of the Vermion line held by Greek and British Commonwealth forces became exposed . A new plan intended that Commonwealth forces would hold off Germans forces in western Macedonia , until non - motorised Greek infantry units had withdrawn on foot from Mount Vermion to Mount Siniatsiko , and a new defensive line had been formed between Mount Olympus and the Aliakmon River . On the morning of 10 April , the German XL " Panzer " Corps advanced from Monastir to seize the Greek city of Florina , south of the Yugoslav border , utilising the Monastir Valley ( or " Monastir Gap " ) . " Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler " ( " LSSAH " ) , a brigade - level unit commanded by " Oberstgruppenführer " Josef ( Sepp ) Dietrich and accompanied by 9 . " Panzerdivision " , advanced further south and occupied the town of Vevi on 11 April . The German 73rd Infantry Division followed behind " LSSAH " and attacked to the west , to widen the front of the German breakthrough . Confronting the Greek Cavalry Division in an action at Pisoderi Pass , the 73rd failed to make any progress . A mixed Australian - British - New Zealand - Greek formation – known as Mackay Force – was assembled hastily . Its task , in the words of the British Commonwealth commander in Greece , General H . Maitland Wilson , was to " stop a blitzkrieg down the Florina Valley . " The force was named after its commander , the Australian Major General Iven Mackay , who deployed his headquarters in Perdika . The Australians and New Zealanders were tired after a long and sudden journey from North Africa , and were not prepared for a European winter , which was lingering in the Greek mountains . Forces . Allied . The Klidi Pass ( Kirli Derven ) – which links the towns of Vevi and Klidi to the south – is wide , a winding defile , with steep , rocky and treeless sides up to high . In April 1941 , conditions at the top of the pass were " bitterly cold " , with rain turning into snowstorms , hindering the ability of the Allied infantry to sleep . Mackay Force was deployed in two sub - sectors : Greek forces around the town of Kelli , east of the pass and Commonwealth forces at the pass ( Kirli Derven ) itself . The Commonwealth units occupying Kirli Derven itself were comprised predominantly of Brigadier George Vasey ' s Australian 19th Infantry Brigade : the 2 / 4th ( minus one company ) and 2 / 8th Battalions , complemented by the British 9th Battalion , King ' s Royal Rifle Corps ( also known as the 1st Rangers ) . The infantry were supported by parts of the New Zealand 27th ( Machine Gun ) Battalion , the Australian 2 / 1st Anti - Tank Regiment , the British 2nd Regiment , Royal Horse Artillery and other smaller elements of Australian and British artillery units . Vasey ' s headquarters were located a substantial distance away , approximately south of the town of Klidi . Around the pass , Vasey ' s three infantry battalions were spread across a - wide front : the 2 / 8th was on the ridge to the east of the pass , the 1st Rangers was on a north - facing spur on the western side , and the 2 / 4th was to the west of the Rangers , on Golema Glava height ) . New Zealand machine gunners were distributed among the infantry . Australian and British artillery units were concentrated in the pass itself . The Kelli sub - sector was covered by a Greek brigade - level force , primarily the Dodecanese Regiment ( three battalions totaling 3 , 500 personnel ) , which was reinforced by the Greek X Border Sector ( 500 personnel ) , three Greek artillery batteries ( one mountain artillery , one field artillery and one anti - tank artillery battery equipped with field guns ) , one sapper company and one machine gun company . The total strength of the Greek force – under Colonel Sergios Aristotelis – was about 5 , 000 personnel and 15 guns . The 3rd Battalion , Dodecanese Regiment ( III / Dod . ) was deployed on the right flank of the Commonwealth units , on Delinski Dol heights ) , followed by I / Dod . , II / Dod . and X Border Sector to the far right . Two 75mm guns were deployed in antitank role between III / Dod . and I / Dod . , controlling the road that passed through the village of Kelli . Immediately west of Mackay Force and covering its left flank , across Radosi heights ( Mala Reka ridge ) , were the 350 personnel of the Greek I / 88 ( 1st Battalion , 88th Regiment ; 21st Brigade ) , part of the Greek Cavalry Division . German . The German forces detailed for the attack on Klidi Pass belonged to " 9 . Panzer - Division " of the " Heer " ( Army ) and LSSAH . During the rapid advance through south Yugoslavia , " 9 . Panzer - Division " had formed a " Vorausabteilung Appell " ( " Vor . Abt . Apell " ; " advance guard formation " ) under the commander of the " 9 . Schützenbrigade " commander , " Oberst " Wilhelm von Apell , which crossed into Greece together with the LSSAH . The action would also be supported by artillery from XL Corps ' assets . The dividing line between LSSAH and " Vorausabteilung Apell " was about 2 km west of the road Niki - Vevi - Klidi and parallel to it . The missions assigned were for the LSSAH to open the Pass while the " Vor . Abt . Apell " would act after the LSSAH ’ s attack from the area of Flambouron toward Aetos and Xino Nero ( Eksisou ) , and the rear of the forces defending the pass . The " Vor . Abt . Apell " of " 9 Panzer Division " stood to the right of the LSSAH , and consisted of the following units : From XL Corps ' assets , " II . / 37 Schwere - Artillerie - Battalion " ( 2 / 37th Heavy Artillery Battalion ) – with 12 150 mm guns , – along with a battery from the 29th Observation Battalion , had the mission of counter - battery fire . LSSAH placed its battalions as follows : on the right the reinforced I . / LSSAH : " Kampfgruppe Witt " ( " KG Witt " ) was to attack Vevi Pass frontally , and on the left the reinforced " III . / LSSAH " would attack the recognised " Schwerpunkt " ( focal point ) of the battle , to achieve a breakthrough from Kelli toward Amyntaio . " Battalion II . / LSSAH " , minus its 7th and 8th Companies , ) would stay in Florina as a reserve securing the area from south and west . The reconnaissance group ( under Kurt Meyer ) was initially ordered to link up with " 2 . Panzer - Division " near Edessa , although this plan later changed , so that the reconnaissance group would pursue the Allies toward Sotir after the pass was opened . To support " KG Witt " , " V . / LSSAH " ( a " Heavy Battalion " ) detached 15 tracked self - propelled artillery pieces , comprising its battery of six " Sturmgeschütz III " ( StuG III ) assault guns ( 75 mm ) and its " Panzerjäger " company of nine " Pz . Jg . I " ( 47 mm gun ) . The LSSAH pioneer battalion would stand behind " KG Witt " waiting for orders ( ie . to clear mines and repair damages on the road ) . One light howitzer battery would provide direct support to " III . / LSSAH " , and a heavy howitzer battery to " KG Witt " . The LSSAH artillery regiment , minus a 88 mm Flak battery , would coordinate its actions with KG Witt . " Sturmbannführer " Fritz Witt led " KG Witt " , which was composed of : Battle . Opening skirmishes . On the Dodecanese Regiment ' s front at midnight ( 10 / 11 April ) , the Germans attempted reconnaissance patrols and probing attacks against Glava Hill , but were repelled after a two - hour battle . The Germans repeated these actions at 14 : 00 against Delinski Dol but were also repelled . The " Waffen - SS " did not probe the British Commonwealth front until the afternoon of 11 April . This included an encounter with Australian artillery positions on the main road ; Captain Gordon Laybourne Smith of the 2 / 3rd Field Regiment later commented that the German commander had sent : " In all his insolence . . . trucks down the main road . . . to within 3000 yards [ ~ 2750 metres ] of our infantry , and proceeded to debus [ i . e . disembark ] . At first I could not believe it was an enemy , all had been so still and quiet . Then came some sense . My orders flew over the wire and the first rounds screamed through the air . . . A few furious moments and back went the Hun [ a derogatory term for Germans ] , but five trucks stayed in the road as silent witness that my troop could shoot " . More prolonged skirmishes were directed at the positions of the 2 / 8th Battalion . These became more aggressive as night closed in . In the words of the Australian War Memorial : " [ d ] espite being strung out and exhausted from a long march to the position and bitterly cold weather , the 2 / 8th managed to fend them off . " By the morning of 12 April , fresh snow lay over deep on the hillsides . By dawn , many of the Australians and New Zealanders stationed in the Hills were suffering from frostbite and were unable to operate their weapons effectively . However , orders had now been issued for an orderly withdrawal to the Aliakmon line , to begin that evening . German main assault . At 08 : 30 on 12 April ( 09 : 00 according to one German source ) the main German attack was launched . ) . Without artillery preparation , the 1st Company of " LSSAH " , acting as the vanguard of " KG Witt " on its left flank , attacked the key Hill 997 , which was occupied by a company of the 2 / 8th Battalion , under Captain Bill Robertson . After hard close fighting , by 11 : 00 they had captured the Hill , having in the process overrun an Australian platoon of which only six men survived . At 12 . 30 the 7th " KG Witt ’ " company extended the attack toward Hill 917 which it captured after strong resistance by 14 : 00 . The Hill was defended by an Australian company under Capt . Coombes at the far left of 2 / 8th ' s sector , near where it adjoined the 1st Rangers . According to the Australian official history , at 11 : 00 the 1st Rangers – possibly believing that the 2 / 8th was retreating – began to withdraw . This opened the pass itself to the Germans , created a gap between the 2 / 4th and 2 / 8th Battalions , severed communications between Vasey and the 2 / 8th and left Australian anti - tank guns without infantry protection . To the west of the battlefield , the Greek 21st Infantry Brigade reported at 12 : 00 that it had lost contact with the Australian 2 / 4 Battalion . At 13 : 00 , the Dodecanese Regiment reported that the Australians of the 2 / 8th Battalion were retreating , although the Regiment itself had taken no such order yet . The two companies of the 2 / 8th Battalion on the western flank ( Coombes ' and Robertson ' s ) , were forced to retreat up the slopes . However , in the words of Australian official historian Gavin Long : " At 2 : 00 pm . . . Lt . - Col . [ John ] Mitchell of the 2 / 8th . . . ordered a counter - attack which regained some vital ground on top of the ridge . . . After six hours of intermittent fighting in the pass and on the slopes to the east , the 2 / 8th still held the Hills though their left had been mauled ; the Rangers , however , were rallying astride the road about two miles to the rear , but five of the six supporting guns of the 2 / 1st Anti - Tank Regiment had been left without protection and abandoned . Thus the ridge held by the 2 / 8th formed a deep salient . " According to Long , Vasey was informed of the Rangers ' withdrawal by officers from other units , but refused to believe it . The Dodecanese line began taking artillery fire at 14 : 30 , concentrated mostly on Delinski Dol . In the west , the Greek 21st Brigade reported from 14 : 30 that groups of Australians were retreating south towards Xino Nero . From 14 : 35 a number of assault guns and " Panzerjäger " vehicles had arrived to support the 1st and 7th companies of " KG Witt " . Following the earlier German successes , the 2nd Company of " LSSAH " and a heavy machine gun platoon attacked west of the road , with the 3rd Company astride and left ( east ) of the road , the 7th Company attacking from Hill 917 to the west of Klidi village and the 1st Company from Hill 997 to the east of Klidi village . By 15 : 30 , the 2nd and 3rd Companies had captured Hill 1009 in the 1st Rangers ' sector , reducing British machine gun positions with heavy weapons . At 16 : 00 the forces fighting against " KG Witt " began to retreat and carried out demolitions on the road . " KG Witt " attacked forward , and pioneers coming behind the 3rd company started to open a corridor in the Allied minefield eventually allowing two assault guns ( StuG ) to pass through . Simultaneously , " III / LSSAH " and " Vorausabteilung Apell " began their attacks . The main Allied withdrawal begins . With German artillery fire on the Greek lines becoming more intense , at 15 : 40 , Mackay ordered the Dodecanese Regiment to retreat immediately and to have completed the evacuation of its positions by 18 : 00 ( bringing forward the withdrawal scheduled for 19 : 00 ) . At 16 : 30 , the Regiment began its withdrawal , after destroying its artillery pieces which could not be evacuated . When the Regiment began its retreat , it reported that no Commonwealth forces were to be seen in the Kirli Derven sector . According to German sources , " III / LSSAH " began its attack toward Kelli at 16 : 20 . In the west at 16 : 00 , the German attack was extended against the Greek 1 / 88th Battalion , which began taking artillery and mortar fire . Between 16 : 30 and 18 : 00 , a force reported by the Greeks as elements of the German vanguard – primarily the 9th Reconnaissance Battalion and the " I / 11 " Schützen " Battalion " – concentrated against the battalion ' s sector ( Radosi Hill ) , and came to assaulting distance , under the harassing fire from the Greeks . The 2 / 8th had been exposed on two flanks by the Greek and British withdrawals ; it was soon coming under German machine gun fire from the east . According to an official Australian account , Vasey " realised his men were not going to be able to stage an orderly withdrawal . At 17 : 00 , he telephoned the commanding officer of the 2 / 4th Battalion . . . with the code phrase indicating that a pull - out was now vital – " the roof is leaking . " At 17 : 30 , the Australian official history reports that 500 German infantry supported by self - propelled guns attacked in force along the width of the 2 / 8th ' s sector . A German eye - witness , " Obersturmbannfuhrer " Kurt " " Panzer " " Meyer , wrote later of his surprise at how easily the heavy StuGs had climbed the slopes . " We watched the guns advance in amazement . They climbed higher and higher , and then joined the fight . Nobody [ had ] thought it possible to use them , but now they were up there , giving valuable support to the infantry . Completely shaken by the impression German shelling had made on them , British [ sic ] prisoners came down the mountain . They were tall , strong fellows and formidable opponents . " The self - propelled guns effectively sealed the Allies ' defeat at Vevi . The 2 / 8th Battalion was forced into a chaotic retreat , with component units being separated and officers ordering the abandonment even of light weapons , to speed the withdrawal . Losses among the Australian infantry would have been much worse it were not for the 2 / 1st Anti - Tank Regiment and the British Royal Horse Artillery standing their ground in the centre , until the Germans were only away . According to German sources at 18 : 00 the 7th and 1st Companies of " LSSAH " captured the village of Klidi , having taken 82 prisoners . A little later the 3rd company captured the exit of the rail tunnel taking another 250 New Zealand , British and Australian prisoners . Both Greek and German sources agree that " III / LSSAH " was in Kelli at 18 : 15 and subsequently occupied vacant Greek positions , also reaching Petra by 20 : 15 . However , German sources report that Greek units were still fighting to the far east at 20 : 00 , when 40 Greek and 60 Australian prisoners were taken . Final phase . The early collapse of the Commonwealth lines in the Klidi Pass , allowed German forces to advance south of the pass before the Dodecanese Regiment had completed its withdrawal to the west . Its right column ( consisting of the III and I battalions , as well as the regimental HQ company ) was attacked by " about 20 German tanks " ( actually six StuG and nine PzJg I ) at 18 : 00 west of Amyntaion , with fire from a distance of . The column was saved by the timely intervention of 25 – 30 British tanks that prevented their capture . In the west , the positions of the Greek 88th Regiment were assaulted at 18 : 30 . After a brief uneven clash at close quarters , the Germans overran the 88th , which reeled back toward Aetos . According to Greek sources , an attempted counterattack was aborted when the 88th Regiment ' s commander was killed ; however , German sources mention repelling a Greek attack against the German right flank at 19 : 00 ( which conforms to the actual disposition of forces , with the Greek regimental HQ south - west of the German attack ) . Meanwhile , to the east , at 19 : 00 the 12th and 13th companies of " III / LSSAH " marched over Hill 1202 ( presumably Delinski Dol , noted in Greek maps as Hill 1200 ) to the east , while the 14th company west of Lake Petron to the village of Petres . The 2nd company attacked astride the road followed closely by the 3rd company , while the 1st and 7th came down from the pass Hills toward Sotir . At 21 : 00 operations stopped at a line extending from the east of Xino Nero almost to Sotir . At 20 : 00 , the remnants of the Greek 88th Regiment had started to arrive at Aetos . It had suffered 11 killed , 18 wounded ( including its commander ) and 96 captured ( some of them wounded ) . The Regiment began to reorganise , although its numbers were only sufficient to form one company . German casualties were reported by the Greeks as " heavy " . German sources also report that elements of the " Vorausabteilung Appell " captured Hill 966 ( Seveskeravi Hill ) at 22 : 30 after hard fighting against Australians . However , the hill belonged to the Greek sector and is not mentioned in the Australian or Greek official histories . Aftermath . The 2 / 8th Battalion was effectively destroyed as a fighting force for the rest of the Greek campaign . According to some accounts , at its fallback position of Rodona , the battalion could muster only 250 men , of whom only 50 had weapons . Although the 2 / 4th Battalion had been spared the brunt of the German assault at Vevi , it had 70 personnel taken prisoner at a German roadblock during its retreat to Sotir . The Germans claimed 480 " English " prisoners at Vevi for the loss of 37 dead , 95 wounded and two taken prisoner . For Witt , the victory was perhaps overshadowed by the death of his brother , also a member of " LSSAH " , whose vehicle drove over a landmine during the battle . Gerhard Pleiss – a platoon leader whose men captured the highest point – was consequently awarded the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross , the highest German award for bravery on the battlefield . A further 14 members of " KGW " received the Iron Cross First Class . Although it was defeated and suffered heavy losses , Mackay Force ' s actions at Vevi gained two days for the retreat and regrouping of Allied forces to the south . Despite this , by the time the Allied resistance at Klidi collapsed , the Greek 20th and XII Divisions had yet to complete their withdrawal , and subsequently found themselves defending their resistance positions on the Mt . Siniatsiko line ( passes of Kleisoura , Vlasti and Siatista ) in very disadvantageous terms . The Dodecanese Regiment , the most combat - worthy of the 20th Division ' s units , was scattered during the westward withdrawal , largely due to misunderstandings with the British who undertook their transport on lorries , and remained as the reserve of the 20th Division for the remainder of the war . The bulk of the 20th Division was still straggling westward towards Mt . Siniatsiko when the German LSSAH brigade made contact with the main defensive line at Kleisoura in the evening on 13 April . The XII Division , retreating through snowstorms over Mt . Vermion , was still east of the Florina - Servia road when Mackay Force retreated from Klidi . Although the British 1st Armoured Brigade fought delaying battles at Sotir and Proastio during 13 April , covering the XII Division ' s withdrawal , the XII was eventually split by the German advance , losing three of its battalions which were cut off the main body and retreated south towards Servia . When the German 9 . Panzer Division made contact with the Siatista defensive location at 13 . 30 on 14 April , only one battalion of the 82nd Regiment was in position . When expecting the German assault on Siatista pass on 15 April , the XII could muster only 1 , 000 men effective strength , greatly demoralised and fatigued .