Battle of Pindus

From late October to mid-November 1940, Greek forces defeated the elite Italian 3rd Alpine Division Julia in the mountains of Pindus, in northwestern Greece, in one of the first major victories of the Greco-Italian War. The Julia Division, a force of around 11,000 mountain troops, advanced through the rugged Pindus mountains, aiming to reach the strategic town of Metsovo and cut off Greek forces in Epirus from those in Macedonia. It was opposed by a small Greek detachment of around 2,000 men under Colonel Konstantinos Davakis. The Greeks slowed the Italian advance by fighting in the difficult mountain terrain. Davakis was seriously wounded in early November. Greek reinforcements arrived, and together with local villagers, including women who carried supplies and ammunition up the mountains, they counterattacked, surrounded parts of the Julia Division and forced it to retreat with heavy losses. Many Italians were captured. The victory at Pindus ended the threat of the Italians breaking through the Greek lines, boosted Greek morale and prepared the way for the Greek counteroffensive into Albania.