National People's Liberation Navy (Greece)
Encyclopedia
The Greek People's Liberation Navy , commonly abbreviated as ELAN (ΕΛΑΝ), was the naval force of the communist-led
Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) resistance movement
during World War II
, and later during the Greek Civil War
.
ELAN was essentially an auxiliary coastal force
, operating mostly caïque
and other small vessels near the coasts of the Greek mainland and between the islands. By mid-1944 however it had grown to about 100 mostly small armed boats and over 1,200 men, divided into seven squadrons of three or four flotillas with up to six vessels each.
Communist Party of Greece
Founded in 1918, the Communist Party of Greece , better known by its acronym, ΚΚΕ , is the oldest party on the Greek political scene.- Foundation :...
Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) resistance movement
Greek Resistance
The Greek Resistance is the blanket term for a number of armed and unarmed groups from across the political spectrum that resisted the Axis Occupation of Greece in the period 1941–1944, during World War II.-Origins:...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and later during the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
.
ELAN was essentially an auxiliary coastal force
Green-water navy
A Green-Water Navy is a naval term that refers to a naval force whose power projection capability is regional in nature. This is a relatively new terminology, as earlier non blue-water navies used to be collectively referred to as brown-water navy....
, operating mostly caïque
Caïque
A caïque , is the term for a traditional fishing boat usually found among the waters of the Ionian or Aegean Seas, and also a light skiff used on the Bosporus. It is traditionally a small wooden trading vessel, brightly painted and rigged for sail...
and other small vessels near the coasts of the Greek mainland and between the islands. By mid-1944 however it had grown to about 100 mostly small armed boats and over 1,200 men, divided into seven squadrons of three or four flotillas with up to six vessels each.
Structure
By the time of Liberation in late October 1944, ELAN was organized into six squadrons and a number of independent detachments, named after their areas of operations. These were:- 1st Squadron operating in the western PeloponnesePeloponneseThe Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
and ZakynthosZakynthosZakynthos , also Zante, the other form often used in English and in Italian , is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It covers an area of ... - 2nd Squadron operating in western Continental Greece and the northern Ionian IslandsIonian IslandsThe Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, i.e...
- 3rd Squadron operating in the Euboic, SaronicSaronic GulfThe Saronic Gulf or Gulf of Aegina in Greece forms part of the Aegean Sea and defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Corinth. It is the eastern terminus of the Corinth Canal, which cuts across the isthmus.-Geography:The gulf includes the islands of; Aegina, Salamis, and Poros along with...
and MalianMalian GulfThe Malian or Maliac Gulf is a gulf of the Aegean Sea in the region of Phthiotis in eastern Central Greece. The gulf is named after the ancient Malians who lived on its shores....
gulfs - 4th Squadron operating on the coasts of PelionPelionPelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
and the Pagasetic GulfPagasetic GulfThe Pagasetic Gulf is a rounded gulf in the prefecture of Magnesia that is formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula. It is connected with the Euboic Sea... - 5th Squadron operating on the coasts of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
- 6th Squadron operating in the Thermaic GulfThermaic GulfThe Thermaic Gulf is a gulf of the Aegean Sea located immediately south of Thessaloniki, east of Pieria and Imathia, and west of Chalkidiki . It was named after the ancient town of Therma, which was situated on the northeast coast of the gulf...
and ChalcidiceChalcidiceChalkidiki, also Halkidiki, Chalcidice or Chalkidike , is a peninsula in northern Greece, and one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Macedonia. The autonomous Mount Athos region is part of the peninsula, but not of the regional unit... - Independent Squadron operating in the Argolic GulfArgolic GulfThe Argolic Gulf is a small gulf off the east coast of the Peloponnese, Greece, opening into the Aegean Sea. Its main island is Spetses. This gulf and its islands are sometimes combined with the Saronic Gulf and Saronic Islands, with the result called the Argo-Saronic Gulf and the Argo-Saronic...
- ELAN of ChiosChiosChios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
- ELAN of Lesbos