{{Infobox military unit | unit_name = Serres Division<br>Μεραρχία Σερρῶν | image = File:M160 Danglis Venizelos Coundouriotis.jpg | image_size = 300 | caption = Regimental war flag presentation to the Serres Division, December 1916, in the presence of the "Triumvirate" of the National Defence government (Prime Minister [[Eleftherios Venizelos]], Lt. General [[Panagiotis Danglis]], Admiral [[Pavlos Kountouriotis]]). | dates = September 1916 – November 1920 | country = {{flagicon|Greece|royal}} [[Greece]] | allegiance = {{flagicon|Greece|old}} [[Provisional Government of National Defence]](1916-17)<br>{{flagicon|Greece|royal}} [[Kingdom of Greece]] (1917-20) | branch = [[File:War flag of the Hellenic Army.svg|16px]] [[National Defence Army Corps]] (1916-17)<br>{{army|Greece}} (1917-20) | type = [[infantry]] | role = | size = Division | command_structure = | garrison = [[Serres]], [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]], [[Greece]] | patron = | motto = | battles = [[World War I]] *[[Macedonian front]] *[[Battle of Skra-di-Legen]] *[[Battle of Doiran (1918)|Battle of Doiran]] Operations in [[Western Thrace]] | commander1 = [[Nikolaos Christodoulou]]<br>[[Epameinondas Zymvrakakis]] | commander1_label = Commander | anniversaries = }} The '''Serres Division''' ({{langx|el|Μεραρχία Σερρῶν|Merarchia Serrōn}}) was an [[infantry division]] of [[Hellenic Army]] in [[World War I]] and the annexation of [[Western Thrace]].
==Establishment== {{details|Greece in World War I|National Schism}} The division began being raised in September 1916{{Greece Old Style dating}} by the [[Provisional Government of National Defence]], as part of its efforts to [[Army of National Defence|raise its own army]] for service alongside the [[Allies of World War I|Allies]] on the [[Macedonian front]].{{sfn|Επίτομη ιστορία συμμετοχής στον Α′ Π.Π.|pp=117–118}} These efforts entailed the establishment of four [[infantry division]]s to be recruited in the areas controlled by the government ([[Crete]], the [[Aegean islands]], and [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]]).{{sfn|Επίτομη ιστορία συμμετοχής στον Α′ Π.Π.|p=118}}
The Serres Division (Μεραρχία Σερρῶν), under Colonel [[Nikolaos Christodoulou]], was the first division to be formed, as it could draw on the limited forces already available to the Provisional Government: the remnants of the disbanded [[IV Army Corps (Greece)|IV Army Corps]] who had fled the Bulgarian advance and the Corps' capitulation to [[Thasos]].{{sfn|Επίτομη ιστορία συμμετοχής στον Α′ Π.Π.|pp=91–105}} These were {{circa|2,500}} officers and men from the [[6th Infantry Division (Greece)|6th Infantry Division]]'s [[17th Infantry Regiment (Greece)|17th]] and [[18th Infantry Regiment (Greece)|18th]] infantry regiments and the 6th Mountain Artillery Battalion; [[7th Infantry Division (Greece)|7th Infantry Division]]'s [[2/21 Cretan Regiment]], and IV Corps' [[7th Field Artillery Regiment]]. The division's manpower was completed by volunteers, both from within Greece and from Greek communities abroad ([[Istanbul|Constantinople]], [[Asia Minor]], [[Thrace]], and the [[Dodecanese]]), as well as recruits mobilized—sometimes by force—by the Provisional Government.{{sfn|Επίτομη ιστορία συμμετοχής στον Α′ Π.Π.|pp=118–119}}
==Macedonian front, 1916–1918== {{details|Macedonian front}} The 1st Serres Regiment (1ο Σύνταγμα Σερρῶν) under Major [[Georgios Mavroudis]] was formed from the 17th and 2/21 Regiment, as well as the depot of the [[9th Infantry Division (Greece)|9th Infantry Division]]. On 24–28 November, it assembled under French command at [[Axioupoli|Boymitsa]]. On 1 December, two of its battalions assumed a front sector at [[Fanos, Kilkis|Maya Dag]].{{sfn|Επίτομη ιστορία συμμετοχής στον Α′ Π.Π.|p=119}} The 2nd Serres Regiment (2ο Σύνταγμα Σερρῶν) under Major [[Charalambos Tseroulis]] formed two of its battalions from the 18th Regiment's men, as well as taking over the "National Defence Battalion" (Τάγμα Ἐθνικῆς Ἀμύνης) that had already been deployed on the front in the [[Strymon River]] sector. The rest of the regiment also went to the same sector, under British command. However, after an attack by its 1st Battalion in the [[Neos Skopos|Kesislik]] area resulted heavy casualties (13 dead, 104 wounded), the entire regiment was withdrawn from the front and sent to the Maya Dag area; numerous desertions occurred at that time.{{sfn|Επίτομη ιστορία συμμετοχής στον Α′ Π.Π.|pp=119–120}} The 3rd Serres Regiment (3ο Σύνταγμα Σερρῶν) was formed by one battalion from the 2/21 Regiment, one battalion of Cretan volunteers, and one battalion of volunteers from [[Samos]] and Asia Minor. Its formation was delayed, and it was not until the end of the year that the entire division assembled to the south of Boymitsa.{{sfn|Επίτομη ιστορία συμμετοχής στον Α′ Π.Π.|pp=119–120}}
==References== {{reflist|40em}}
==Sources== * {{cite book | title = Επίτομη ιστορία της συμμετοχής του Ελληνικού Στρατού στον Πρώτο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο 1914 - 1918 | trans-title = Concise History of the Hellenic Army's Participation in the First World War 1914–1918 | publisher = Hellenic Army History Directorate | language = Greek | location = Athens | year = 1993 | ref={{harvid|Επίτομη ιστορία συμμετοχής στον Α′ Π.Π.}} }}
{{Greece divisions}} {{Provisional Government of National Defence}} [[Category:1916 establishments in Greece]] [[Category:1920 disestablishments in Greece]] [[Category:Infantry divisions of Greece]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1916]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1920]] [[Category:Military units and formations of Greece in the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922)]] [[Category:Military units and formations of Greece in World War I]] [[Category:Macedonian front]]