Friday, October 28, 2016

In memorian OXI, 28 Octobber 1940: himariotas fought for Greece and western progressive forces and not for Albania of the fascist axis





We are himariotas, fighting and stand devout, history, family, church and our freedom

If the Greek army liberated Himara in 22 December 1940 Himariotas company in Italy fought for the liberation of Rimini, not involved in the fascist army as did the Albanians but in the Greek Army, the western axis.

Himariotas fighters against fascism who fought in the Battle of Rimini, Italy 1944, ignored by historians of Tirana, while collaboratores of fascism, on the one hand and on the other hand, the communist dictatorship, continue today to remember two of Albania's civil war,, 1940 - 44 and 1997.

The only fighters who fought abroad in the Second World War but which represented Himara and the Greek Army, were himariotas. While Albanians, have prefered to march in Rome with Mussolini's fascist uniform, to prepare the invasion against Greece, while the fighters of Himara, as victorious march alongside US, British and Greeks in Italy ..





Galeazzo Ciano inspects the Royal Albanian Guard (1938)

Anniversary of the Battle of Rimini, 21 September 1944

Battle of Rimini

   


Just south of Rimini, attached to 1st Canadian Division, was 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade (Greek: ΙΙΙ Ελληνική Ορεινή Ταξιαρχία, ΙΙΙ Ε.Ο.Τ.), a unit of mountain infantry formed by the Greek government in exile on 1 July 1944 in Lebanon under the command of Colonel Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos. Near the village of Cattolica they pushed back two strong German attacks on 8 and 10 September. On 13 September the brigade, supported by the combined armour and infantry of B squadron, 20th New Zealand Armoured Regiment and 22 New Zealand Motor Battalion from 2nd New Zealand Division, launched a counter attack to take Rimini. Also supporting the brigade were infantry, mortars and machine guns from the Canadian Saskatoon Light Infantry (SLI) and New Zealand 33 Anti-tank battery fielding 17pdr guns.
"in memorian"



HIMARIOTES FIGHTERS JOINT TO THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE AGAINST AXIS FORCES, ITALY 1944.

Photo: January 1945, Volos Greece. Himariotes fighters jointed to the greek army to liberate Volos by nazifashists.
After escaped from Himara Region embarked on British Warships, the team composed by strong 22 men, all from Himara Region, left Albania to joint to the International Brigade “Rimini” in Italy.

This document is a historically moment when a small group men from the Himara Region known as one of the Greek Minority Group of Balkan who collaborated with international forces against Axis taken part of International Brigade inside Greek Company for the liberation of Italian city “Rimini” by Axis forces.

After Rimini, the Himara`s Team contributed fighting to liberate the Southern Italian city of Taranto and after in Greece participated to liberate the Greek city of Volos.

The photo is an authentic historic document which the Albanian Government since 1944 never has been liked to know the honorific contribut of the hellenic community of Himara, the only represent of Albania to fight togather with wester international forces. This is a historical manifest which tells for the collaboration together with American and British troops during WWS of a group represent of the region most persecuted by Albanian Dictature such as Himara and the Hellenic population.

The photo is published to remember the anniversary of British troops to fights against fascists of Axis in Albania during the summer of 1944 in Himara Region.

Photo: British troops in Kakomea, Himara Region May 1944


Member of "himara fighters" on "Rimini Brigade"
Kimon Bollanos, Terkos Bollanos, Athanasios Bollanos, Damianos Beleris, Georgios Burbos, Spryros Buntinis, Miltiadis Goros, Petros Goros, Eriststeas Gkionis, Xristos Lazaris, Axilleas Milos, Kostas Kokavesis, Dimos Kokavesis, Alekos Karzis, Spiros Tsouras, Basileos Vitos, Pavlos Veizis, Georgos Zotos, Dimitreos Papos, Miltiadis Rondos, Kristos Dimas, Spyros Veizis.
Himariotes who fighted on the greek naval forces:
Nikolas Gionis, Aferinos Bontinis, Ilias Kolilas, Manolis Ramos, Kostas Rondos, Kostas Krekos, Jason Kutulas, Panos Lazaris, Viktor Brigos Kristos Likokas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rimini_%281944%29

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