British expedition to Greece

British expedition to Greece, operation (MANNA) mounted in October 1944 after Stalin had agreed that Greece fell within the British sphere of influence (see TOLSTOY). It was sent to prevent the Communist party-controlled EAM taking over the country when the Germans began to withdraw, and to ensure the return of the Greek government-in-exile.

A powerful force of British warships (Force 120) began operating in the Aegean Sea in September 1944 to intercept any German evacuation by sea, and a military force (Force 140) led by Lt-General Ronald Scobie was assembled at Alexandria. Two reconnaissance forces landed on the Peloponnese and one of them, the Special Boat Squadron (see Special Boat Section), landed at Patras to capture Araxos airfield and then liberated the rest of the Peloponnese. Both, along with a parachute battalion dropped at Megara on 4 October, then entered Athens on 14 October, and two days later the main British force, supported by the Balkan Air Force, landed at Piraeus.

The expedition achieved its objective in the short term for, on 18 October, the Greek prime minister, George Papandreou, arrived in Athens on 18 October to form an administration (see Greece, 3(c)). But in the long run it did not prevent a civil war.