History of the Hellenic Navy
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The History of the Hellenic Navy (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό) begins with the birth of modern Greece, and due to the maritime nature of the country, this force has been the premier service of the Greek Armed Forces.
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[edit] The navy during the Revolution
At the beginning of the Greek War of Independence, the naval forces of the Greeks consisted primarily of the merchant fleet of the Saronic islanders from Hydra, Spetsai and Poros and also the islanders of Psara. The fleet was of crucial importance to the success of the revolt. If the Greeks failed to counter the Ottoman Navy, it would be able to resupply the isolated Ottoman garrisons and land reinforcements from the Ottoman Empire's Asian provinces at will, crushing the rebellion.
Although Greek crews were experienced seamen, the light Greek ships, mostly armed merchantmen, were unable to stand up to the large Turkish ships of the line in direct combat. So the Greeks resorted to the use of fireships (Greek: μπουρλότα), with great success. It was in the use of such ships that courageous seamen like Constantine Kanaris won international renown. Under the leadership of capable admirals, most notably Andreas Miaoulis of Hydra, or the notable woman captain, Laskarina Bouboulina of Spetsai, the Greek fleet achieved early victories, guaranteeing the survival of the revolt in the mainland.
However, as Greece became embroiled in a civil war, the Sultan called upon his strongest subject, Muhammad Ali of Egypt, for aid. Plagued by internal strife and financial difficulties in keeping the fleet in constant readiness, the Greeks failed to prevent the capture and destruction of Kasos and Psara in 1824, or the landing of the Egyptian army at Modon. Despite notable victories at Samos and Gerontas, the Revolution was threatened with collapse until the intervention of the Great Powers in the Battle of Navarino in 1827. There the Ottoman fleet was decisively defeated by the combined fleets of the Britain, France and the Russian Empire, effectively securing the independence of Greece.
When Ioannis Capodistrias became governor of newly-liberated Greece, the Greek fleet consisted of few remaining ships, which had participated in the war for independence. The first minister of "Naval affairs" was Constantine Kanaris, and the most powerful ship of the fleet at that time, the frigate Hellas, had been constructed in the United States during the last years of the American revolution. The Navy established its headquarters at the island of Poros and the building of a new series of ships began at the naval base while old ships were gradually being retired. Furthermore, continuous efforts towards the education of officers were initiated. Young people were initially trained at the military school of Scholi Evelpidon and afterwards they were transferred to the navy, as there was no such thing as a Naval Academy.[1]
When Capodistrias was assassinated in 1831, Greece descended into anarchy with numerous areas, including Mani and Hydra, in revolt. It was during this revolt that the Hellas, docked at Poros, was set on fire by Admiral Andreas Miaoulis.[2]
[edit] The Royal Hellenic Navy of King Otto
When the new King Otto arrived in the Greek capital, Nafplion, in 1832 aboard the British warship HMS Madagascar, the Greek fleet consisted of 1 corvette, 3 brigs, 6 gollettes, 2 gunboats, 2 steamboats and a few more small vessels. The first Naval School was founded in 1846 on the Corvette Loudovikos and Leonidas Palaskas was assigned as the director. However the inefficient training of the officers, coupled with conflict between those who pursued modernization and those who were stalwarts of the traditions of veterans of the struggle for independence, resulted in a restricted and inefficient navy, which was limited to policing the sea and the pursuit of pirates.
During the 1850s, the more progressive elements of the navy won out and the fleet was augmented with more ships and in 1855, the first iron propeller-driven ships were ordered from England. These were the steamships Panopi, Pliksavra, Afroesa, and Sfendoni.[3]
[edit] Growth of the navy under King George
During the Cretan revolution in 1866, the ships of the Royal Hellenic Navy were in no condition to support the revolt. Such failure led to the government awakening to the problem of naval insufficiency and the adoption of a policy stating that: "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory." Because of this, the fleet was supplied with new and bigger ships, reflecting a number of innovations including the use of iron in shipbuilding industry and the invention of the torpedo; with these advances, the effectiveness and the appearance of the Hellenic Navy changed.
Meanwhile after 1878, because of the Russo-Turkish War and the need to expand the Greek navy, a new and larger naval base was established in the area of Faneromeni of Salamis and a few years later it was transferred to the area of Arapis where it remains today. At the same time the Naval Academy was founded and Ilias Kanellopoulos was made Director. A committee from France headed by Admiral Lejeune introduced a new, advanced naval organization and the methodological training of enlisted personnel through the establishment of a training school in the old building of the naval base in Poros.
During the government of Charilaos Trikoupis in 1889, the fleet was further increased with the acquisition of new ships:Hydra, Spetsai, and Psara from France. Thus, when Greece went to war in the Greco-Turkish War in 1897, the Hellenic Navy established its dominance in the Aegean Sea, however, it was unable to change the outcome of the war on land, which was a national humiliation.
In 1907, the Hellenic Navy General Staff (ΓΕΝ) was founded and its first chief was Captain Pavlos Kountouriotis. After the war in 1897, the Ottoman Empire embarked on a program of naval expansion for the Turkish fleet and as a response to that, in 1909, the battleship Georgios Averof was bought from Italy. In 1910, an English committee was sent, headed by Admiral Tuffnel in order to recommend improvements in the organization and training of the navy. The committee led to the adoption of the English style of management, organization and training especially in the area of strategy.
[edit] World War I and after:1914-1940
(for a list of ships in the fleet in this era, see The Hellenic Navy in 1917)
The modern Hellenic Navy was composed shortly before the Balkan Wars in the form of a destroyer and battleship fleet. Its mission was to safely transport troops and later, having a base at the Moudros port at Lemnos, to provide marine supremacy in the Aegean, which was attained after the two successful naval battles at Elli (December 1912) and Lemnos (January 1913) against the Ottoman Navy.
The governments of that time gave priority to the Navy, so the battleships Limnos and Kilkis as well as the light cruiser Elli were purchased, and a number of destroyers were ordered. However in 1916, the pro-German actions of King Constantine I and Greece's unwillingness to participate in the Great War with the Allies led France to confiscate those new ships, so the strength of the fleet remained the same.
In July, 1917, after the formation of a pro-Entente government by Eleftherios Venizelos in Thessaloniki, those seized ships were released and the Hellenic Navy participated in naval operations in the Aegean with the Allies, mainly convoy escort and patrol missions. Later, it took part in operations in the Greco-Turkish War in Asia Minor. The Hellenic Navy in 1917 consisted of 2 battleships, 1 armored cruiser, 1 light cruiser, 14 destroyers, 2 submarines and 3 coastal defense ships.
In the 1930s defense funds declined, so the Navy received no new units apart from the modernization of four destroyers and six French submarines obtained in 1927.
[edit] World War II
In 1938, Greece ordered four modern Greyhound class destroyers in English shipyards, making a serious step towards modernization. The outbreak of war in Europe, however, allowed only two to be delivered. Greece entered World War II with a weak navy consisting of 10 destroyers, two outdated battleships, two light cruisers and six submarines.
During the Greco-Italian War, the Navy took over convoy escort missions in the Ionian Sea and even embarked on three raids against the Italian supply convoys in the Strait of Otranto. The most important role was given to the submarines, which although obsolete, managed to sink several Italian cargo ships in the Adriatic.
But when Germany attacked Greece, the RHN was literally decimated by the Luftwaffe, suffering the loss of 25 ships within a few days in April, 1941. It was then decided to shift the remaining fleet (one cruiser -the famous Averof-, three destroyers and five submarines) to Alexandria in Egypt.
As the war progressed, the number of Hellenic Royal Navy vessels increased after the concession of several destroyers and submarines by the Royal Navy. The most important aspects of the Hellenic Royal Navy's participation in World War II include the operations of the destroyer Vassilissa Olga which, until sunk in Leros in September 23, 1943, was the most successful Allied destroyer in the Mediterranean Sea; the participation of two destroyers in Operation Overlord; and the story of the destroyer Adrias, which while operating close to the coast of Kalymnos in October 1943 hit a mine, resulting in the loss of the vessel's prow, while blowing the two-gun forward turret over the bridge. After some minor repairs at Gümüşlük Bay in Turkey the Adrias managed to return to Alexandria in a 400-mile trip even though all the forepart of the ship, up to the bridge, was missing.
[edit] Modern Era 1950-1990
After World War II, the Royal Hellenic Navy was significantly strengthened by the concession of British and Italian ships. The organisation also changed in line with modern naval doctrines of that era, leaving aside the old battleships after the entrance into NATO. At the beginning of the 1950s, US military aid formed the core of the country's armed forces. The Royal Hellenic Navy received the first Bostwick-class destroyers which took on the name Beasts (Θηρία), while withdrawing the British ones.
The next significant change was during the early 1970s, when Greece was the first Mediterranean naval force to order missile-equipped fast attack craft (Combattante II) and the Type 209 submarines, whereas US military aid continued in the form of FRAM II class destroyers. In 1979, Hellenic Navy placed an order in the Netherlands for two modern Standard class frigates (the Elli class). These were the first acquisitions of new main surface vessels, rather than the use of second-hand ships, in almost four decades.
[edit] Present Status
Hellenic Navy was enhanced to his maximum point during the last decade. The arrivals of Hydra class (MEKO® 200 HN) and more Standard class frigates along with the orders for more missile corvettes, Poseidon class Type 209 submarine submarines and naval helicopters allowed the retirement of the obsolete vessels. At the same time, Greece was the first Mediterranean country to receive guided missile destroyers, after the transfer of four Charles F. Adams class destroyers from the US Navy in 1992. But all four have since been decommissioned, since their electronics and missiles were considered not able to stand in a modern battlefield.
The advance continued when Greece ordered Type 214 submarines that feature an air-independent propulsion system, Sikorsky S-70B-6/10 Aegean Hawk helicopters and Project 1232.2 Zubr class hovercrafts from Russia.
Current plans include the modernization of Standard class frigates with new electronics and radar systems, the modernization of Glaukos and Poseidon class submarines with new sonars, electronics and air-independent propulsion engines (programs Neptune 1/2), while negotiations are being held with the US Navy for the concession of two Arleigh Burke class destroyers.
[edit] References
- ^ Official website of the Hellenic Navy, [1]
- ^ Politics and Statecraft in the Kingdom of Greece, John Anthony Petropulos, Princeton University Press, 1968.
- ^ Official website of the Hellenic Navy, [2]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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| Hellenic Navy | Hellenic Army | Hellenic Air Force | |
