1. NAVAL WAR IN OUTLINE

Greece remained neutral for much of the war. In October 1915 the Allies landed in Salonika, initially at the request of the Greek government to support the hard-pressed Serbians. An unpopular move, the government fell and Greece continued a policy of neutrality. The pro-German leanings of the King of Greece (the Queen was sister to the Kaiser) led to a major show of Allied naval strength off Salamis, near Athens in September 1916 and in October to the seizure of the Greek fleet.

The larger ships were demilitarised and the one cruiser and smaller ships incorporated into the French Navy. Greece declared war on the Central powers in July 1917 and after that date France returned the seized ships as Greece found the crews to man them. Allied naval bases had already long been established at Corfu in the Ionian Sea, Suda Bay in NW Crete, and Lemnos (Mudros Bay) and Imbros islands in the northern Aegean Sea.

For events leading up Greek entry into the war, see "Naval Operations", Vol 4, Chapter V

2. WARSHIP NUMBERS and LOSSES - 1914-18

3. KEY TO MAIN CHARACTERISTICS

Tonnage - standard displacement; Speed - designed speed at standard displacement, rarely attained in service; Main armament - sometimes changed as the war progressed; secondary armament usually changed; Complement - normal peace time. Exceeded in war with consequent reduction in living space and higher battle casualties; Year - year or years class completed and normally entered service. Only includes ships completed up to war's end; Loss Positions - estimated from location unless available from reliable sources; Casualties - totals of men lost, or survivors plus saved, will often exceed peacetime complements.

4. MAIN SHIP TYPES

This is not a comprehensive account of Greek warship types and classes. Instead the aim is to sketch out the main characteristics and ship appearances.

PRE-DREADNOUGHT BATTLESHIPS August 1914 Strength 2
ex-US VERMONT-class, 13,000t, 17 knots, 4-30.5cm/8-20.3cm/8-17.8cm, 750 crew, 1908 KILKIS (Greek town in Macedonia, ex-Mississippi) (right) LEMNOS (or Limnos, island and sea battle of the 1912-13 Greek-Turkish war, ex-Idaho) Seized by the Allies and demilitarised in October 1916; after July 1917 used by the Greek Navy as depot and training ships
COAST DEFENCE SHIPS August 1914 Strength 3
HYDRA class, 3 ships, 4,890t, 5-15cm, launched 1889/90 HYDRA (right) PSARA SPETSAI Named after three Aegean islands prominent in early 19th century war of Independence
ARMOURED CRUISER August 1914 Strength 1
GEORGIS AVEROF (named after Greek patriot who donated quarter of the cruiser's cost, Italian Pisa-type), 9,960t, 22 knots, 4-23.4cm/8-19cm, 670 crew, 1911 Seized by the Allies and demilitarised in October 1916; recommissioned into the Greek Navy and served with the British Aegean Squadron at Mudros in 1918. Georgios Averof is still in existence as a memorial ship near Athens (right)
PROTECTED CRUISER August 1914 Strength 1
HELLE (Cape and sea battle of the 1912-13 Greek-Turkish war, Chinese Chao Ho-class cruiser) - 2,600t, 18 knots, 2-15.2cm/4-10.2cm, 230 crew, 1913 Served under the French flag 1916-17; returned to the Greek Navy by August 1917
DESTROYERS August 1914 Strength 14
NIKI class, 4 ships, 1 lost, 350t, 30 knots, 2-7.6cm/4-5.7cm/2-45.7cm tt, 58 crew, launched 1906-07 ASPIS (shield) DOXA (glory) (right) NIKI (victory) VELOS (arrow) All four seized by the Allies in October 1916, taken over by the French in November and served in the French Navy 1917-18. By 1918, the three survivors were back under Greek colours on escort duty, mainly in the Aegean. DOXA, 27th June 1917, Central Mediterranean, Sicily near the Strait of Messina - torpedoed by German coastal submarine UB.47. Doxa was still serving with the French Navy on escort duty at the time of her sinking; UB.47 was about to be handed over to the Austrian Navy as U.47.
THYELLA class, 4 ships, 350t, 30 knots, 2-7.6cm/2-5.7cm/2-45.7cm tt, 70 crew, launched 1906-07 LONCHI (spear, lance) NAFKRATOUSA (name of an ancient ship) SPENDONI (sling) THYELLA (storm) (right) All four seized by the Allies in October 1916, taken over by the French in November and served in the French Navy 1917-18. By 1918, they were back on escort duty under Greek colours, mainly in the Aegean
AETOS class, 4 ships, 980t, 32 knots, 4-10.2cm/4-53.3cm tt, 90 crew, launched 1911 AETOS (eagle) HIERAX (or Ierax, hawk) LEON (lion) (right) PANTHIR (panther) All four seized by the Allies in October 1916, three (excluding Panthir) taken over by the French in November and served in the French Navy 1917-18. By 1918, the four were back under Greek colours with the Georgis Averof serving with the British Aegean Squadron
KERAVNOS class, 2 ships, 570t, 32 knots, 2-8.8cm/4-50cm tt, 74 crew, launched 1912, purchased 1912 KERAVNOS (thunder, ex-German V-5) NEA GENEA (new generation, ex-German V-6) Both ships seized by the Allies in October 1916, taken over by the French in November and served in the French Navy 1917-18. By 1918, they were back under Greek colours on escort duty, mainly in the Aegean
SUBMARINES August 1914 Strength 2
DELFIN class, 310/460t, 13/8 knots, 5-45cm tt, 24 crew, 1912 DELFIN (dolphin) XIFIAS (swordfish) (right) Both boats served in the French Navy 1917-18. After July 1917, they were returned to the Greek Navy