The rapid German advance through south Yugoslavia prompted Gen. Wilson, commander of W Force, comprising the Australian 1st Corps (2nd New Zealand Division, 6th Australian Division and British 1st Armoured Brigade) and Greek Army Section Central Macedonia (12th and 20th Infantry Divisions), to order a withdrawal from the original defensive line on Mt. Vermion to a new line to the west and south, to accommodate for the developments in Yugoslavia and the emerging danger of a German flanking thrust down the Florina valley, behind the Mt. Vermion line.
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| - The rapid German advance through south Yugoslavia prompted Gen. Wilson, commander of W Force, comprising the Australian 1st Corps (2nd New Zealand Division, 6th Australian Division and British 1st Armoured Brigade) and Greek Army Section Central Macedonia (12th and 20th Infantry Divisions), to order a withdrawal from the original defensive line on Mt. Vermion to a new line to the west and south, to accommodate for the developments in Yugoslavia and the emerging danger of a German flanking thrust down the Florina valley, behind the Mt. Vermion line.
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| Partof
| - the German invasion of Greece
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| Commander
| - Col. Miltiadis Papakonstantinou
- Lt. Col. Vasilios Mantzouranis
- SS-Ogruf Josef Dietrich
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| Caption
| - Kleisoura pass Greek plan of defense.
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| - Campaignbox German invasion of Greece
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| Battles
| - Metaxas Line - Pisoderi Pass - Vevi - Ptolemaida - Kleisoura Pass - Siatista Pass - Lake Kastoria - Servia - Olympus - Thermopylae - Corinth Canal
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| Casualties
| - unknown
- heavy
- German claim: 1,000 captured
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| Place
| - Kleisoura, West Macedonia, Greece
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| abstract
| - The rapid German advance through south Yugoslavia prompted Gen. Wilson, commander of W Force, comprising the Australian 1st Corps (2nd New Zealand Division, 6th Australian Division and British 1st Armoured Brigade) and Greek Army Section Central Macedonia (12th and 20th Infantry Divisions), to order a withdrawal from the original defensive line on Mt. Vermion to a new line to the west and south, to accommodate for the developments in Yugoslavia and the emerging danger of a German flanking thrust down the Florina valley, behind the Mt. Vermion line. For the Greek divisions on the eastern slopes of Mt. Vermion the withdrawal had very detrimental effects, as it meant the abandoning of well prepared positions, and long night marches (for safety against air strikes). The situation was aggravated by the bad weather which was turning into snowstorms on Mt. Vermion, thus further demoralizing the men and slowing down the march. The withdrawal was covered by a mixed division-sized unit called “Mackay Force” at Klidi Pass. Mackay Force’s failure to hold the German advance long enough meant that the Greek units did not have time to reach and organize their assigned positions—some of them actually being cut off by the German advance and never reaching them. The Greek 20th Division's task was to occupy and defend the passes of Kleisoura and Vlasti. With the Dodecanese Regiment of the division detached and attached to Mackay Force at Klidi pass, the 80th Regiment was tasked with defending Kleisoura Pass and the 35th Regiment with the defence of Vlasti Pass. Realizing the importance of the Kleisoura Pass and the organization of the location, the commander of Army Section Central Macedonia sent ahead on motor vehicles the infantry battalions I/87 and II/80 as well as two sapper companies and a battalion (two batteries) of mountain artillery on 10 April, to prepare the defences. When the Germans made their first contact on 13 April, the bulk of the 20th Division had not yet arrived at the pass. The Dodecanese Regiment in particular had been scattered in transit, and could not be used until it was reorganised.
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