Battle of Porta

Battle of Porta
Date 8–9 June 1943 Location Porta–Mouzaki area, Italian-occupied Greece 39°28′N 21°37′E / 39.467°N 21.617°E / 39.467; 21.617 Result Greek Resistance victory
Belligerents
Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS)	Royal Italian Army
Commanders and leaders
Georgios Zarogiannis Dimitris Tasos Thanasis Koufodimos	Giuseppe Berti
Units involved
Pelion and Kissavos sub-commands Reserve ELAS forces Agrafa sub-command as reinforcements and reserves	6th Lancieri di Aosta Cav. Reg. (two battalions) 24th Pinerolo Inf. Div. (four battalions) Two Aromanian legionary companies
Strength
200–253 partisans	3,000–4,000 men (1st day), rising to c. 5,500 (2nd day) 4 bomber & 1 recon. aircraft
Casualties and losses
3 wounded	3 Italian soldiers and 5 Legionaries killed
class=notpageimage| Location within Greece

The Battle of Porta (Greek: Μάχη της Πόρτας) was fought on 8–9 June 1943 at the Porta and Mouzaki passes in western Thessaly, between the partisans of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) and the Royal Italian Army, during the Axis occupation of Greece.

In spring 1943, a wave of successes demonstrated the rise of the Greek Resistance to the Axis powers, particularly the Italians; large areas of the mountainous interior of the country were effectively liberated. In response, the Italian 11th Army planned a large-scale anti-partisan operation for June. Warned of Italian intentions, ELAS General Headquarters withdrew its dispersed detachments to the central Pindus massif.

In Thessaly the forces withdrawn from the Mount Pelion and Mount Kissavos areas were detailed to watch the Porta and Mouzaki passes, covering the withdrawal of the rest of the Thessalian partisans. Contrary to orders from ELAS GHQ to only engage in disruptive hit-and-run attacks against the Italian army, the commanders of these two detachments, numbering around 250 men with mostly light weaponry and scarce ammunition, decided to hold the passes against the expected Italian attack. Over two weeks, field works were erected in front of the passes and outposts established in the villages. The Italians moved against the Greek positions on 8 June, with around 4,000 men, both infantry and cavalry, from the 24th Pinerolo Infantry Division, with artillery and aviation support.

Facing far superior numbers and lacking sufficient ammunition, the partisans were able to hold back the Italians at Porta on the first day, but at Mouzaki, the Italians forced them back and occupied the village. After reinforcements were brought in during the night, the Italians managed to advance on both flanks on 9 June, threatening to encircle the partisan position at Porta. The ELAS partisans withdrew to the mountains, but their actions had been successful in that the Italians, having suffered significant casualties, broke off their planned anti-partisan sweeps in the mountainous interior without continuing their advance.