Greek women of Pindus carried supplies to front-line soldiers in 1940 war

On 28 October 1940, fascist Italy attacked Greece after the Greek prime minister rejected an ultimatum demanding the right to occupy strategic points by force. The date marks the historic “Ohi” refusal and the start of the Greco-Italian war of 1940–41.

Greek forces, supported by the local population, resisted the numerically and materially superior invader and forced them into a humiliating defeat. Two decisive multi-day battles stand out: the Battle of Pindus and the repulsion of the Italians’ major spring offensive.

“What we call the Epic of Pindus is essentially the Epic of the Thessalians.”

Thessalian soldiers played a leading role through units of the I Division from Larissa, including infantry regiments from Larissa, Trikala and Volos, the 51st and 52nd Regiments, and the Larissa Cavalry Brigade. Historian Theodoros Nimas described their actions in a book on Thessalians’ participation in national struggles.

According to Nimas, the I Division of Thessaly initially blocked and then, through hard fighting, pushed the Italian invaders beyond the Greco-Albanian borders. He said this overturned Benito Mussolini’s plans for a rapid advance and occupation of Greece, calling the Epic of Pindus essentially the Epic of the Thessalians.

Women from Pindus villages carried supplies on their backs through snow, rain and freezing cold to soldiers at the front. They transported food, clothing, ammunition and other essential materials along mountain paths that even vehicles could not reach under normal conditions.

Their effort made a decisive contribution to the Greek resistance against the Italian invasion. Without uniforms or weapons, they became symbols of courage and self-sacrifice behind the front lines.