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Greece: Army unit flags

Last modified: 2023-07-15 by randy young
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Unit flags

Each unit above the brigade level has its own emblem/sleeve badge. This is in the form of a shield although the top part (the chief to use the heraldic term) is taken up by a motto, which is, of course, not heraldically correct. The motto should be on a scroll.

There are such shields for the Ministry of Defence, Joint Chiefs of Staff (ΓΕΕΘΑ), Army General Staff (ΓΕΣ) etc. Those emblems can also be taken as emblems of the whole armed forces or emblem of the army.

These emblems can also be displayed in the form of a flag. Such flags are horizontally striped. There are three stripes and I think the middle one is almost invariably fimbriated. I don't think there are any particular rules about or reasons behind the choice of colours - they seem decorative to me. The flags incorporate the emblems of ΓΕΣ, ΓΕΝ (Navy general staff), ΓΕΑ (Air Force general staff) and ΓΕΕΘΑ.

Those flags are used as wall decorations or in the form of desk flags. I have never seen them flown in HQs etc. (of course, the war flag is not flown either - instead HQs and barracks fly the Greek national flag and there are flag raising and flag lowering ceremonies). I suppose the Ministry of Defence or the General Staff HQs may fly those flags but I've never been there.

Where I was in the Army, we never even saw such a flag, although we knew our division's "emblem", wore it on the left sleeve of our dress uniforms and were supposed to know its description and meaning - especially the motto which was usually some historical quote, especially from Classical Greek texts.
Yannis Natsinas, 2 August 1999

Vexillinfo [vxf] #5/82 reports that:
- The Armed Forces flag is horizontally divided dark blue-red-light blue with the Armed Forces emblem in the center and the motto "To win forever."
- The Army flag is horizontally divided red-green-red with the Army emblem in the center and the motto "The freedom is for the valiants."
- The Army staff flag is horizontally divided red-green-red.
- The Navy flag is white bordered blue with the Navy emblem in the center and the motto "The greatness is for the sea dominators."
- The Air Force flag is horizontally divided light blue-yellow fimbriated red-light blue with the Air Force emblem in the center and the motto "Lord of skies forever."
Jaume Ollé, 1 August 1999

The website of the Greek Armed Forces shows the flags of 66 unit of the Greek Army.
Ivan Sache, 18 February 2002

The mottos in the emblems are mostly from ancient times, therefore in various forms of ancient Greek (e.g. from Homer's Iliad). Transliteration of Greek is according to the rules of transliterating ancient Greek into English. I left off all the diacriticals (accents, spiritus, iota adscriptum).
M. Schmöger, 25 February 2002

Army General Staff (Geniko Epiteleio Stratou, GES)

[Army General Staff flag]


[Army General Staff coat of arms]
images by M. Schmöger and Esteban Rivera, 10 March 2023

Colours: Red-green-red with white fimbriation, yellow shield.

Description: The double-headed eagle with the national coat of arms (without laurel wreath) in the center of the body.

The double-headed eagle illustrates the two eagles of Zeus and was used all the time in Greece, as the symbol of military and spiritual power. In the old Greece the double-headed eagle was the symbol of divine power. In Byzantine times it symbolized the vigilant surveillance, the courage and the freedom, the sovereignty over the East and the West and the world domination of Christianity.

Today, the double-headed eagle continues to symbolize the adamant Greek spirit, the vigilance and readiness of the Greek Army to preserve the territorial integrity of our fatherland from any foreign scheme. Furthermore, it symbolizes the Greek Christian ideals, essential elements for guaranteeing the cultural, civilizational and spiritual dimension of Hellenism.

Motto: ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΝ ΤΟ ΕΥΨΥΧΟΝ, eleutheron to eupsuchon (Freedom consists of valour).

In context: "These take as your model, and judging happiness to be the fruit of freedom and freedom of valor, never decline the dangers of war." (Thukydides 2, 43, 4). From the funeral oration, that was delivered by Pericles in the winter of 431 BC, at the burial of the fallen of the Peloponnesian War.
M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002


The "Γενικό Επιτελείο Στρατού, ΓΕΣ" (English: Army General Staff (AGS) was established in 1904, although it traces its roots back to 1833 with the establishment of the "Σώμα Γενικών Επιτελών" (English: General Staff Corps) with the purpose of managing the "Επιτελικής Υπηρεσίας του Στρατού" (English: Army Staff Service). This evolved in the "Γενικό Επιτελείο Στρατού" (English: Army General Staff) in 1877. In 1904 the "Γενικής Διοίκησης Στρατού" (English: General Army Command) which had been established earlier in 1900 as the "Γενικό Επιτελείο της Γενικής Διοίκησης Στρατού" (English: General Staff of the Army General Command), took much more greater duties and the now renamed "Διεύθυνση Επιτελικής Υπηρεσίας" (English: Directorate of Staff Service) became a smaller echelon (Directorate) within the new Army structure.

The flag is a horizontal background featuring the black double-headed eagle in the middle and inside of it, the CoA and on top the motto "Ἐλεύθερον τὸ Εὔψυχον" (English: "Freedom stems from valor") inside a shield. The color horizontal stripes are a middle green stripe with two smaller bordering white stripes and overall a red background, all horizontally laid and behind the CoA.
Esteban Rivera, 10 March 2023
Sources:
  • http://army.gr/el/istoria/istoria-genikoy-epiteleioy-stratoy
  • http://army.gr/sites/default/files/istoria_teliko.pdf
  • Hellenic Army (official website)

    1st Army (1ê Stratia)

    [1st Army]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: Red-green-red with white fimbriation, light blue shield.

    Description: An ancient Macedonian shield, with the Sun of Vergina upon it.

    Symbolizes the determination, the power and the will of the 1st Army, that it will never come to a compromise with its enemies.

    Motto: ΕΣΤ ΑΝ ΤΗΝ ΑΥΤΗΝ ΟΔΟΝ ΙΗ, est an tên autên odon iê (So long as it keeps its own course).

    In context: "Now bring this message to Mardonios, that the Athenians say: "As long as the sun keeps its own course by which it now goes, we will never come to terms with Xerxes." (Herodot 8, 143). Before the battle of Plataea (spring 479 BC), Mardonios, eager to divide the Greeks, proposed peace to the Athenians and got the answer above.
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    1st Army Corps, 1st Support Brigade (1 Sôma Stratou, 1ê Taxiarchia Ypostêrizês)

    [1st Army corps, 1st Brigade]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: Blue-red-blue with white fimbriation, black shield.

    Description: Helmet and spear of Leonidas.

    They symbolize the determination of the 1st Army Corps to fight, if demanded, to the last, as Leonidas did with this men at the Thermopyles.

    Motto: ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ, molôn labe (Come and get them).

    In context: "When Xerxes wrote "send the arms" he wrote back "come and get them". (Plutarch, Apophthegmata Lakonika). The above messages were exchanged on the eve of the Thermopylae battle (August of 480 BC) between Persian King Xerxes commanding an army of 300,000 men and Spartan King Leonidas, who was defending the Thermopylae pass with a force of about 7,000 men (300 were Spartans, who stayed until the end with Leonidas and fell all but one).
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    2nd Army Corps, 2nd Support Brigade (2 Sôma Stratou, 2ê Taxiarchia Ypostêrizês)

    [2nd Army corps 2nd brigace]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: Red-yellow-red with black fimbriation, black shield.

    Description: A shield and crossed spears of a soldier from ancient Sparta.

    They symbolize the power, the pugnacity and the determination of the ancients.

    Motto: Η ΤΑΝ Η ΕΡΙ ΤΑΣ, ê tan ê epitas (either this or upon this).

    Encouragement by Spartan mothers to their sons, when they gave them the shield, when they departed for war. ("Either you shall bring the shield back as a victor, or they shall bring you dead upon it").

    Remark: The motto is Spartan dialect, in Attic dialect it would be êtên ê epi tês.
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    3rd Army Corps, 3rd Support Brigade (3 Sôma Stratou, 3ê Taxiarchia Ypostêrizês)

    [3rd Army corps 3rd Brigade]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: dark blue-yellow-dark blue with light blue fimbriation, light blue shield.

    Description: It depicts the cross, symbol of faith, patience and martyrdom, that is defended by a shield, which also bears the cross, symbol of the power of the Byzantine emperors.

    The letters "B" in the corners of the cross mean: Basileus Basileôn, Basileuôn Basileuontôn (King of kings, ruling over rulers). These elements were taken from Byzantium, because Thessaloniki was the second city of Byzantion after Constantinople.

    Motto: ΟΥ ΦΕΙΣΟΜΕΘΑ ΤΗΣ ΖΩΗΣ, ou pheisometha tês zôês (we will not spare our lifes).

    In context: "To deliver the city to you, is neither my right nor the right of any other of its inhabitants, as we all, by common opinion, are going to die defending ourselves and we will not spare our lifes." These words constitute the answer of Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos to Sultan Mehmet II, who besieged Constantinople in 1453, after he had asked him to deliver the city and withdraw safely.
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    4th Army Corps, 4th Support Brigade (4 Sôma Stratou, 4ê Taxiarchia Ypostêrizês)

    [4th Army corps 4th brigade]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: Light blue-yellow-red with white fimbriation, light blue shield.

    Description: In the light blue field, that symbolizes the Greek sky and the seas of our country, appear two helmets and a sword, that constitute the typical military elements of the uniform of warriors of Alexander the Great. The hilt of the sword appears on the bright disk of the rising sun, which is surrounded by a rainbow.

    The combination of the rainbow (symbol of calmness, optimism and hope) and the hilt of the sword on the rising sun, symbolizes the concurrent aim of the campaign of Alexander the Great, to distribute Greek spirit and culture in the countries of the East he conquered.

    Motto: ΤΩ ΞΙΦΕΙ ΤΩ ΔΕΣΜΟΝ ΛΕΛΥΣΘΑΙ, tô xiphei to desmon lelusthai (the knot being undone by the sword) (Arrianos, Alexander's Anabasis 3, 7).

    The phrase describes the boldness and the determination with which Alexander the Great cut the known Gordian Knot with this sword, verifying, with his later successes, the respective myth, that wanted, that the one that would untie the knot would be determined to rule over Asia.
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands (Anôterê Stratiôtik ê Dioikêsis tou Esôterikou kai tôn Nêsiôn, ASDEN)

    [ASDEN]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: Red-light blue-red with white fimbriation, blue shield.

    Description: Bas-relief of of the Lions' Gate of Mykene.

    It symbolizes the approximate geographic correspondence of the power of the Mykenians with the area of command of ASDEN, and the unity, in the meaning of co-ordination and collaboration, because of the big number of units in combination with the geographical splitting of the area of command.

    Motto: amynesthai peri patrês (to defend the fatherland).

    In context: "We had better obey the counsels of Zeus Almighty, who rules over mortals and immortals both. One is the best omen: To fight for home and country." (Homer, Ilias 12, 243)
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces 25 March 2002

    Special Supply Center Army Units (Eidiko Kentro Ephodiasmou Monadon, EKEMS)

    [Athens Military Command]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: Light blue-yellow-light blue with white fimbriation, black shield.

    Description: Theseus at the age of 16 years raises the huge rock and takes the sword and the golden sandals, that his father had placed there, wishing his son would take them, when he is born, grows up and can move the rock on his own.

    It symbolizes the capability of the EKEMS to take the responsibility and to fulfill successfully its mission using all available means.

    Motto: alkê kratos esti megiston (valour is the greatest power) (Homer, Ilias 9, 39). In context: "but valour he gave thee not, wherein is the greatest might."
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    Athens General Military Hospital (Geniko Stratistiko Nosokomeio Athinon, GSNA)

    [Athens Military Hospital]
    image by Jens Pattke, 16 December 2014, after a photo taken by Jaume Ollé

    Colours: Yellow-red-yellow with white fimbriation, white shield.
    Apostolos Gkadris, 16 December 2014

    1st Infantry Division (1 Merarchia Pezikou)

    [1st Infantry Division]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: red-dark blue-red with white fimbriation, green shield.

    Description: An Evzonian pointed shoe and a bayonet on the rifle.

    This representation, in combination with the motto aera that is the battle cry of Greek soldiers, symbolizes the assault of the Greek soldier. The traditional and symbolic value was bigger than the practical, that means that the adamant spirit of the Greeks under the Turkish yoke wanted the pointed shoe to be powerful and suitable for kicking the conqueror. Therefore the point of the shoe ends in a sharp ledge, which is maliciously hidden in a beautiful black tuft, that lies charmingly over this part.

    Motto: aera (wind).

    Battle cry of the Greek soldiers (Evzonians), that was sounded by the soldiers of the Infantry at the assault, just after the command "Forward by the bayonet."
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    2nd Mechanized Infantry Division

    [2nd Infantry division]

    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: green-white-green with red fimbriation, light blue shield.
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    5th Infantry Division

    [5th Infantry Division]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: violet-yellow-violet with dark blue fimbriation, red shield.
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002

    6th Infantry Division

    [6th Infantry Division]
    image by M. Schmöger, 25 March 2002

    Colours: yellow-red-yellow with light blue fimbriation, black shield.
    M. Schmöger, after the website of the Greek Armed Forces, 25 March 2002