Greek cruiser Elli monument in Tinos

in #greek-trail5 years ago (edited)

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Elli was a 2,600 ton Greek protected cruiser named for a naval battle of the First Balkan War in which Greece was victorious. The ship was completed in 1913 and commissioned in 1914.

She was originally one of three cruisers of the ill-fated Chao Ho class. The Chinese government ordered her built as the Fei Hong however, the Nationalist revolution in 1912–13 resulted in the Chinese government cancelling the purchase. She was eventually purchased by Greece as part of its program of naval expansion after the Balkan Wars.

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Elli saw action during World War I. Greece initially followed a course of neutrality. in order to apply pressure on the royal government in Athens, the French confiscated the Greek ships. All ships were returned when Greece entered the war on the side of the Allies in June 1917.

In 1920 she underwent a reconstruction in France, were she obtained modern anti-aircraft armament and the equipment to carry and lay 100 sea mines.

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The Italian submarine Delfino sank Elli during peacetime, at 8:25 am on 15 August 1940, while she rode at anchor near the island of Tinos. One of the three torpedoes fired hit Elli under the one operating boiler and she caught fire and sank. Nine officers and sailors were killed and 24 were wounded.

Fragments of the torpedoes were recovered and identified as Italian in origin. The Greek government however, trying to avoid a confrontation with Italy, announced that the nationality of the attacking submarine was unknown. This did not convince the Greek people who were well aware of the perpetrator and didn’t stop the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War two months later, beginning Greece’s involvement on World War II.

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In her honor the Greek navy has renamed the Standard-class of frigates to Elli-class.

sources,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_cruiser_Elli_(1912)

The photos are mine


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Great photos!

Thank you very very much, goodnight

Pali mou emathes kati endiaferon - efharisto

ego eyxaristo!!!! :)

Nice photos Niko, bravo!

Thank youuuuuu :))))

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