On September 1, 1939, World War II was declared following Germany’s invasion of Poland. The continuous provocations of Italy against Greece culminated on August 15, 1940, with the atrocity of the torpedoing of “Elli” by the Italian submarine “Delfino” in Tinos during the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. On October 28, 1940, Greece opposed the Italian ultimatum with the Heroic “NO”. Our country entered the war and the “struggle above all things” began, which was desperately unequal. The struggle at sea can be divided into two phases:
Phase 1: Support for the land forces on the front of Albania. This phase ends with the German invasion and seizure of Greece by the Germans-Italians in April 1941.
2nd Phase: The Hellenic Navy faithful in its traditions does not subdue the flag and leads the remains of its Fleet to Alexandria on April 25, 1941 to continue the Fight for 4 years. And while in the impoverished and bloodied Greece a new front opens, the National resistance, the Greek warships participate in countless convoys, landings, raids in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, the Indian and the great descent of Normandy. New pages of glory are added to the heroism of Greece.
The Allies honor the courage of the Greeks. This great epoch comes to an end when the black shadow of war had passed and the Greek Fleet docked to Faliro on 17 October 1944. Greece greeted the Greek sailors with enthusiasm. They were deemed worthy of the Fatherland.
