Gorgopotamos Bridge

The bridge is particularly well-known for the role it played in the National Resistance, as it was destroyed on November 25, 1942, during the Battle of Gorgopotamos by resistance fighters from the EDES and ELAS organizations, who collaborated under the coordination of British agents, mainly against the Italian and German forces defending the bridge. The objective was primarily psychological and symbolic, since the Battle of El Alamein had already taken place and the outcome of the military operations in Africa had been decided.

In 1982, by Law 1285, the anniversary of the battle was established as an annual nationwide celebration of the National Resistance. The destruction of this bridge was one of the three possible targets of Operation Harling, planned by the Middle East Command. The other two bridges targeted were the Papadia Bridge and the Asopos Bridge.

For Operation Harling, two groups parachuted in at the end of September and one group in October. The leaders of the mission were Colonel Eddie Myers and Major Chris Woodhouse, who first made contact with ELAS and Aris Velouchiotis, and subsequently with EDES and Napoleon Zervas. On November 12, Napoleon Zervas contacted Aris Velouchiotis of ELAS and met with him in Viniani, where he asked him to take part in the operation in order to send the message of cooperation between the resistance forces. Initially suspicious, Velouchiotis eventually agreed after some time, and on the night of November 25 to 26 the attack to seize the bridge was carried out, followed by its demolition.