Donation Alexandros Chaetoglou

This collection of hand-crafted models of vehicles and artillery used by the Greek Army is on permanent display in the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle's lecture room.

From old-fashioned Mannlichers to modern weapons systems

Although the Greeks in Macedonia rose against Ottoman rule repeatedly during the 19^th century, it was never with any lasting success. The liberation of Macedonia and its integration into the Kingdom of Greece were finally achieved with the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913.

Even today, nearly 100 years later, every family, every village, every community seeks with interest and pride to profess its own share in the dramatic events of that period. The "credentials" of the Macedonian freedom fighter and the black-and-white portrait of a forefather kitted out with "doulamas" and Mannlicher are still of tremendous importance. They represent the family's participation in the history of the nation, irrefutable proof of both national loyalty and active involvement in public affairs, a cherished chapter in the local history of each village.

One of the key factors in the Macedonian Struggle, as in any armed conflict, was that of armament. The need for an army to have more, and more modern, weaponry, which today we take for granted, was just beginning to appear on the military planning horizon at the end of the 19^th century. This necessity became more sharply defined after the experience of the two World Wars, and gradually led to the outfitting of the Greek army with modern weapons systems.

Greek army vehicles and artillery

The first time that the Greek army used motorised vehicles was during the Balkan Wars. At that time automobiles were a new invention, and not many people knew how to drive them. Although horses remained in use for many years to come, motorised vehicles- which meant anything from motorcycles to heavy trucks - were increasingly utilised by the army during World War I and the Asia Minor Expedition. By that time many vehicles had been designed especially for military use: artillery tractors and field signals vans are two examples of this.

In the 1930s great efforts were made to provide the army with more modern equipment. Quantities of artillery were purchased, together with the special vehicles to transport them. The army also bought its first tanks at this time: two British-built six-ton Vickers-Armstrongs. Since the finances of the state did not permit further expenditure, it was decided that in time of war the army would use requisitioned civilian vehicles, as was indeed the case in 1940 against the Italians.

After the liberation of Greece, Great Britain took over the training and equipping of the Greek armed forces, and so the vehicles used by the Greek Army were all of British or Commonwealth manufacture. In 1950 this role passed to the United States, and slowly the British vehicles were replaced by American ones. Until the 1970s virtually all military vehicles, armoured and otherwise, were of American manufacture. By the middle of that decade, however, the government was beginning to turn to Europe for its weapons systems and vehicles, and to develop a domestic arms industry to manufacture them. Thus, factories were built to produce arms, vehicles and many other types of military equipment, including tanksand aircraft components. Now for the first time the Greek army had Greek-made trucks and armoured vehicles.

In recent years there has been tremendous growth in the armoured vehicle sector. Greece has bought fleets of tanks from Germany and the USA, and has modernised and rebuilt many of its older tanks to bring them up to modern standards. Some of these reconditioned tanks, in fact, like the Μ48A5MOLF, will continue in service while newer ones, like the Μ60, will be decommissioned! Today Greece has the third largest fleet of tanks in Europe.

The Collection

DISPLAY 1

1. Vickers MKIV Light Tank
2. Somua MCG Half Truck Artillery Tractor
3. M3A3 Stuart Light Tank
4. Daimler Dingo Scout Car reconnaissance
5. Humber Herrington MK III Light Connaissance Car
6. Marmon Herrington MK III Armoured Courier
7. Ford Lynx Scout Car
8. Marmon Herrington MKIVF Armoured Car
9. Humber MKII Armoured Car
10. Harley Davinson WLA Motorcycle
11. Willy ‘s Jeep
12. M8 Greyhound Armoured Car
13. Staghound Armoured Car
14. Bren Carrier Light Armoured
15. Bren Carrier Light Armoured
16. Morris Commercial (4 Radio Van)
17. M3 White Scout Courier
18. Fordson WOT2 15 cwt Light Truck
19. Chevrolet C15 15 cwt Light Truck
20. India Wheeled Carrier
21. Bedford MWD 15 cwt Light Truck
22. Chevrolet 1533 30CWT Light truck
23. Austin K5 3 ton portee

DISPLAY 2

24. M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer
25. M32B1 (cast hull) Armoured Recovery Vehicle
26. M32B3 (welded hull) Armoured Recovery Vehicle
27. M3A1 Halftrack with winch Armoured Personnel Cαrrier
28. Harley Davinson Wla Motorcycle Military Police
29. Centaur Medium Tank
30. M3A1 Halftrack Armoured Personnel Carrier
31. Willy’ s Jeep
32. Dodge WC52 ¾ ton truck
33. GMC CCKW 353 Water Tanker w/trailer
34. GMC CCKW 353 Petrol Tanker
35. Chevrolet GM 8660 Workshop
36. GMC CCKW 353 General Service
37. GMC CCKW 353 Workshop
38. GMC CCKW 353 General Service
39. GMC CCKW 353 Dump Truck

DISPLAY 3

40. M24 Chaffee Light Tank
41. M59 Armoured Personnel carrier
42. M74 Armoured Recovery Vehicle
43. M3 White Scout Car
44. M47 Medium Tank
45. M47 Medium Tank/Mine Roller
46. Willy’ s Jeep
47. M48A1 Medium Tank
48. M49 Petrol Tank
49. M35A2 General Service Truck 2,5 ton
50. Dodge M37 ¾ ton Truck
51. Steyer 680MH General Service Truck 2,5 ton
52. M38A1 truck ¼ ton
53. M38 Military Police

DISPLAY 4

54. 6 PDR Anti Tank Gun
55. 25 PDR mk ii Field Gun
56. 5,5 inch Gun
57. M1A1 75mm Howitzer Mountain Gun
58. M114A1 155mm Howitzer Field Gun
59. M101A1 105mm Howitzer Field Gun
60. GMC CCKW353 Communication Shelter with Generator trailer
61. M16 Half Truck Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
62. M4 High Speed Tractor
63. Dodge Carry all WC 53
64. Bofors 40 mm Anti Aircraft Gun
65. Dodge KD WC 64 Ambulance
66. Dodge T214WC 52 Truck ¾ ton
67. Howitzer 8 inch Heavy Club
68. OH 13 Sioux Helicopter
69. M110 8 inch Self Propelled Gun
70. M44A1 155mm Self Propeled Howitzer
71. M10 Ammunition Trailer

DISPLAY 5

72. Ford M151A1 MUTT
73. Ford M151A1 MUTT Milan
74. AMX30 Main Battle Tank
75. Mercedes ELBO 240GD Field carr ¼ ton
76. M34 Truck 2,5 ton with compressor Le Roi
77. V17A/MTQ Telephone Construction and Maintenance truck 2,5 ton
78. M151A1 w10,5mm Recoilness Rifle
79. M48A5 Main Battle Tank with Dozer Blade
80. M60AVLB Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge
81. Ford M151A2C MUTT Truck ton with TOW
82. Ford M151A1 Communication Vehicle
83. AMX30D Armoured Recovery Vehicle
84. M62 Truck 5 ton Wrecker
85. Steyer ELBO 680M3 Recovery Vehicle

DISPLAY 6

86. Hawk Anti Aircraft Missile System Launcher
87. Hawk Anti Aircraft Missile System Radar
88. Hawk Anti Aircraft Missile System Loader
89. Hawk Anti Aircraft Missile System Transporter
90. Rheinmetal 20mm Anti Aircraft Gun
91. Steyer ELBO 680 MH “Marathon” Truck 4X4 2,5 ton General Service Greek Cab, Maxson 4X0,5 Anti Aircraft Turret
92. M16A1 Half Truck Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
93. M901 TOW Anti Tow Vehicle
94. M110A2 203mm Self 8 Propelled Howitzer
95. M109A2 155mm Self Propelled Howitzer
96. M107 175mm Self Propelled Gun
97. M42 Duster Self Propelled Anti Aircraft Gun 2X40mm
98. M52A1 105mm Self Propelled Howitzer
99. M578 Armoured Recovery Vehicle

DISPLAY 7

100. M113A1G Armoured Personnel Carrier
101. M106 Armoured Mortar Carrier
102. Leopard 1A5 Main Battle Tank
103. Leopard 1GR Main Battle Tank
104. Leopard 1 Standard Armoured Recovery Vehicle
105. Mercedes 240GD Truck 0,5 ton
106. M109A2 155mm Self Propelled Howitzer
107. Armoured Command and Control Vehicle
108. Leopard 1V Main Battle Tank
109. M577 Main Battle Tank amoured command and communications vehicle
110. MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket system
111. M88A1 Armoured Recovery Vehicle

DISPLAY 8

112. Mercedes 240GD with TOW and Trailer Truck 0,5 ton
113. M113A1 Armoured Personnel Carrier
114. M48A2C Main Battle Tank
115. BMP-1P “Ost” Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle
116. Steyer ELBO 4K7FA “Leonidas” Armoured Personnel Carrier
117. M48A5 MOLF Main Battle Tank
118. M48A5 Main Battle Tank
119. M49A3 Main Battle Tank
120. M60A1 Main Battle Tank
121. M60A3 Main Battle Tank
122. M88A1 Armoured Recovery Vehicle