13th Special Operations Command
13th Special Operations Command "Sacred Band" | |
---|---|
13η Διοίκηση Ειδικών Επιχειρήσεων «ΙΕΡΟΣ ΛΟΧΟΣ» | |
![]() Emblem of the 13th Special Operations Command, featuring the badge of theWorld War II-eraSacred Band | |
Active | 1913–1916, 1920–1935, 1940–1941, 1988-Present |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Special forces |
Role | Special operations |
Size | Brigade |
Part of | 1st Infantry Division |
Garrison/HQ | Athens |
Engagements | Asia Minor Campaign Greco-Italian War |
The13th Special Operations Command "Sacred Band"(Greek:13η Διοίκηση Ειδικών Επιχειρήσεων «ΙΕΡΟΣ ΛΟΧΟΣ», 13 ΔΕΕ) was an umbrella unit of theHellenic Army'sspecial operationforces.
History
[edit]The 13th SOC traces its descent to the13th Infantry Regiment(13ο Σύνταγμα Πεζικού), formed in November–December 1913 as part of the enlargement and re-organization of theHellenic Armyafter theBalkan Wars.Along with the27thand28thInfantry Regiments, it formed the11th Infantry DivisionunderIII Army Corps,headquartered inThessaloniki.[1]Along with the bulk of the Army, the regiment was disbanded during theNational Schismin 1916.
On 10 February 1920, the Regiment was ordered re-established, and by May it had been re-formed and joined theXanthi DivisioninWestern Thrace.In the second half of June 1920, the Regiment was placed at the disposal of the British command atÇanakkale,helping to secure the British occupation zone around theDardanelles Strait.Between 1–10 July, it was shipped back to the area ofSoufli.On 10 July, it crossed theEvros Riveras part of the Greek offensive against the Turkish army inEastern Thrace,and advanced up toKirk Kilisse.[1]In April 1921, the regiment was transferred again toAsia Minor,participating in the operations of the remainder of theAsia Minor Campaignuntil 1922.[1]
In the re-organization of the Army following the defeat in Asia Minor, the 13th Regiment was once again placed under 11th Infantry Division, now based atKilkis.In 1935, it was renamed to65th Infantry Regiment.[1]A 13th Infantry Regiment was re-formed in Thessaloniki upon the outbreak of theGreco-Italian Waron 28 October 1940. Its formation was completed by mid-November, and, once again placed under 11th Infantry Division, it participated in the Greek offensive inAlbaniain theErsekë–Dobruzheaxis (21 November 1940 – 5 February 1941).[1]It was then placed in a defensive position at Mali Spadarit (6 February – 2 April), where it was among the units that successfully faced theItalian Spring Offensive.After that, it was withdrawn to the rear, and, with theGerman invasion of Greeceunfolding from 6 April, was gradually moved south back into Greece, reachingMetsovoon 17 April. Following the capitulation of the Army to the Germans on 23 April, the regiment was disarmed on 24 April and began to demobilize. The remnants were moved toLarissaon 4 May, and the unit was formally disbanded on 10 May.[1]
During theAxis occupation of Greece,thePanhellenic Liberation Organization,aResistance groupactive inMacedonia,formed a "13th Guerrilla Regiment" (13ο Αντάρτικο Σύνταγμα) near Kilkis, based on the unit's traditional association with the area.[1]
The 13th Regiment was not re-formed after World War II. On 22 May 1988, the13th Amphibious Raider Regiment(13ο Σύνταγμα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών, 13 ΣΑΚ) was formed, assuming the overall command of the various hitherto independent amphibious raider units, i.e. the I Amphibious Raider Squadron (Α’ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών, Α’ ΜΑΚ) atRhodes,the III Amphibious Raider Squadron (Γ’ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών, Γ’ ΜΑΚ) atChios,and the various Special National Guard Detachments (ΕΤΕΘ) on other Aegean islands.[1][2]Following theImia crisisof 1996, the newly formed elite VII Amphibious Raider Squadron (Ζ’ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών, Ζ’ ΜΑΚ) was added to the Regiment, and in 1998 the Army's oldest fully professional and most elite formation, the Special Paratroopers Detachment (Ειδικό Τμήμα Αλεξιπτωτιστών, ΕΤΑ), came under its command.[1][2]
In 2001, the 13th Amphibious Raider Regiment was re-organized, being expanded into thebrigade-level13th Special Operations Commandand receiving the honorary title "Sacred Band"after the World War II-era Greek special forces unit. In 2002, the 13th Signals Company and the 13th Engineering Company were added as specialized support units.[1][2]The unit forms part of the1st Infantry Division,which groups together the Army's special and rapid reaction forces. From September 2005 until the Corps' disbandment in 2013, the unit was additionally placed under the supervision of theII Army Corps.
In 2021, as part of a major reorganization of the Greek special forces into a singleSpecial Warfare Command,the 13th Special Operations Command was replaced by theJoint Special Operations Command.
Structure
[edit]- 13th Special Operations Command 'Sacred Band'
- I Amphibious Raider Squadron (Α΄ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών)
- III Amphibious Raider Squadron (Γ΄ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών)
- VII Amphibious Raider Squadron (Ζ΄ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών)
- VIII Amphibious Raider Squadron (Η΄ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών)
- IV Amphibious Raider Squadron (Θ΄ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών)
- X Amphibious Raider Squadron (Ι΄ Μοίρα Αμφιβίων Καταδρομών)
- 13th Signal Company (13ος Λόχος Διαβιβάσεων)
VII Amphibious Raider Squadron
[edit]Members of theVII Amphibious Raider Squadronare all professional NCOs and officers. They are the command's contribution to the Defence Ministry's Inter-Service Operational Rapid Response Command (Διακλαδικό Επιχειρησιακό Στρατηγείο Άμεσης Αντίδρασης, ΔΕΣΑΑ), along with theHellenic Navy'sUnderwater Demolition Command,and theHellenic Air Force's31st Special Operations Squadron.The formation is also known as "Force Delta" (Δύναμη Δέλτα). 41 fast landing boats MUNIN S-1200 were ordered in December 2021 for Hellenic Army amphibious raider squadrons of Greece's recently created Joint Special Operations Command.[3]The first 4 boats were delivered on 3 July 2023.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcdefghij"Ιστορία 13ης Διοίκησης Ειδικών Επιχειρήσεων"(PDF)(in Greek). Hellenic Army General Staff, Special Forces Directorate. 17 December 2009.Archived(PDF)from the original on 31 March 2010.Retrieved23 June2014.
- ^abc"Ποια είναι η επίλεκτη 13η Διοίκηση Ειδικών Επιχειρήσεων;"(in Greek). defencepoint.gr. 15 April 2013.Retrieved23 June2014.
- ^"Greece orders Viking Norsafe Hellas speedboats for Hellenic Army".
- ^"Hellenic Army receives S1200 Armored speedboats".