War Museum Athens

A Lockheed F-104G fighter in Greek colors.

Smack dab in the center of Athens, near the famous Syntagma Square, is the War Museum Athens (Πολεμικο Μουσειο in Greek), belonging to the Greek Armed Forces. The building is located on the corner of Vassilissis Sofias and Rizari Streets and those interested can get there in several ways, such as using Metro Line 3 (Blue) and getting off at Evangelismós Station. You can also use buses no. 203, 211 or 235. The museum also has branches in other parts of the country, such as Thessaloniki (Thessaloníki), Chania, Rethymno, Nafplion or Chalkida.

 The War Museum was founded in 1975, a year after the removal of the ruling military junta, and covers a wide range of topics and collections, which are clearly arranged and very well maintained. Its task is to collect, preserve and exhibit artifacts related to the military history of the country. The focus is of course on Greek military history, that includes the classical Hellenic period and the struggle for national liberation in the 19th century. There is also a broader view of the Greek role in the history of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and this study goes back to the Latin and Byzantine periods, when Greece was part of other empires.

 The collections are thoroughly complete with weapons, uniforms, flags, documents, paintings, photographs, maps and personal belongings of famous personalities. There are also models of fortresses, ships and aircraft. Small arms and similar exhibits are housed inside the building, while artillery equipment and vehicles are outside the museum. There are also several aircraft, mostly jets, as well as a naval torpedo launcher from a surface vessel, a British-made 21 inch Model 1937 torpedo originating from the armament of the Y-2 Papanikolis submarine, and there are rockets and naval mines as well. In addition to the aircraft, a Marmon-Herrington Mk.IVF armored car of South African origin is on exhibit. A unique item on display is a Krupp-Schuman type armored vehicle dating from 1894. It was captured from the Bulgarian army in 1918, and the interesting thing about this vehicle is the absence of an engine and its consequent use as a horse drawn item, as well as its 57 mm cannon, quite a powerful weapon in its day.

 The museum takes you on a tour from the beginnings of the settlement of Greek territory in the Stone Age, through to the Bronze Age and then through the significant period of antiquity. Then the tour continues through the Middle Ages to the Greek Revolution of 1821, the Balkan Wars, World Wars I and II, and finally into contemporary periods.

 Part of the museum’s collection focuses on the German airborne and amphibious assault on Crete, Operation Mercury, which occupied the island in 1941. From the later period of the war, the participation of Greek soldiers in the Battle of El Alamein is also commemorated. There, they formed the 1st Greek Brigade, which was subordinate to the British 50th Division, and in the autumn of 1942, clashed fiercely with the Italian 185th Airborne Division ‘Folgore’.

 The museum organizers did not forget the Greek civil war that took place between 1946 and 1949, which, incidentally, brought many Greeks to Czechoslovakia. At that time, defeated Greek communists sought refuge in communist countries throughout the eastern half Europe.

 Virtually unknown to the wider public is the participation of the Greek Expeditionary Force in the Korean War, when the country heeded the UN call and, together with other states, made efforts to counter North Korea’s aggression against the South.

 The contingent consisted of an infantry battalion, called the Sparta Battalion, backed up by a transport squadron with seven Douglas C-47s. The Greek soldiers proved themselves in the conflict, having some experience in this type of warfare unlike many of their UN colleagues, and saw several years of combat against communist guerrillas there. More than ten thousand ground troops were deployed and remained in theater after the armistice was signed up to 1955.

 Coverage of more recent history includes displays about the Greek-Turkish clashes in Cyprus and the division of the island, a very sensitive topic to this day.

 An attractive display is the mini-submarine, located in front of the entrance to the museum building. It is an Italian-made CosMoS CE2F/X60 submarine with a length of around eight metres and a weight of over two tonnes, designed to transport two divers, equipment and material. The Hellenic Navy bought a total of four of them and operated them from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. They were used mainly on American-made submarines of the Balao and Tench Class. The vessel has an interesting light blue paintwork, which is undoubtedly suitable for the azure coastal waters of Greece.

 Very unusual is the collection of small arms literally from all over the world, to which a large hall is dedicated. It includes such gems as Turkish and Arab weapons, and surprisingly, a samurai outfit, complete with helmet and armor, hailing from the 14th century. The collection also includes unique weapons used during the Greek Revolution. This collection was donated to the museum by private collector and philanthropist Petros Saroglos and is the most famous collection of weapons in the country.

 As already mentioned, the collections and displays are very interesting, often even unique, and the museum is definitely worth a visit. The entrance fee is 6 Euros, which is the price of two coffees. And if the visitor comes to Athens in the summer, they and their entourage will certainly appreciate the pleasant coolness in the museum building.

Northrop F-5, with a Marmon-Herrington Mk.IVF armored car in the background.

Henry Farman III Daedalus, the first Greek military aircraft. It was used during the First Balkan War.

An F-104 G

Korean War diorama.

Plaque commemorating the Greek contribution to the Battle of El Alemain.

A unique collection of small arms donated by Petros Sargolos.

Exhibit of pilot equipment from different periods.

A Krupp-Schuman armored car from 1894.

The front part of a Krupp-Schuman vehicle. The driver's seat and the mechanism for closing the turret hatch are worth noting.

A British 535 mm torpedo from the armament of the Y-2 Papanikolis submarine

A radar-equipped F-86K fighter.

The front part of a CosMoS CE2F/X60 mini-submarine. The two separate cockpits for divers are clearly visible.

CosMoS CE2F/X60 special operations submarine. Greece had four of these vessels and used them on American-made submarines.

Detail of the rear of the CE2F/X60 mini-submarine, with the propeller and control surfaces clearly visible.