Secrets of the Luftwaffe: The "Lotfe 7B" bomb sight

The Carl Zeiss Lotfernrohr 7 (Lot meant "Vertical" and Fernrohr meant "Telescope"), or Lotfe 7, was the primary series of bombsights used in most Luftwaffe level bombers, similar to the United States' Norden bombsight, but much simpler to operate and maintain. 

Several models were produced and eventually completely replaced the simpler Lotfernrohr 3 and BZG 2 bombsights. The Lotfe 7C, appearing in January 1941, was the first one to have gyroscopic stabilization.

In spite of the security precautions, the entire Norden system had been passed to the Germans before the war started. A member of the German Duquesne Spy Ring, Herman W. Lang, who had been employed by the Carl L. Norden Corporation (manufacturers of the Norden bombsight), was able to provide vital details of the new bombsight to the Abwehr. 

During a visit to Germany in 1938, Lang conferred with German military authorities (Oberst Nikolaus Ritter of the Abwehr) and reconstructed sketches and plans of the confidential materials from memory.

The Norden consisted of two primary parts, the optical system, and a large stabilization platform. Both were complex and had to be separately maintained to keep them operational.

German instruments were actually fairly similar to the Norden, even before World War II. In the Lofte 7, a similar set of gyroscopes provided a stabilized platform for the bombardier to sight through, although the more complex interaction between the bombsight and autopilot of the Norden was not used. 

The Lotfe 7 was dramatically simpler, consisting of a single metal box containing the vast majority of the mechanism, with a tube (Rohr) extending out the bottom with a mirror that reflected the image of the target into a small telescope in the box. 

The mechanisms within combined the functions of the Norden's stabilizer and optics, moving the mirror to stabilize the image as well as tracking the target. The controls were likewise much simpler than the Nordens', consisting primarily of three large knurled knobs to adjust aim.

Operation was fairly similar to the Norden. The bombardier would first locate the target in the bombsight and continue to adjust the dials until it remained motionless in the eyepiece. This allowed the bombsight to calculate the wind speed from the cancelled out drift rate, which in turn allowed to make an accurate calculation of groundspeed. 

Unlike the Norden, the Lotfe 7 could view targets directly in front of the aircraft, so the bombardier could use the real target for adjustments, rather than having to "tune" the instruments on a test target located closer to the aircraft. The bombsight could be used against targets 90° to 40° in front of the aircraft, and up to 20° on either side. 

On final approach, the autopilot was engaged, while the bombsight adjusted the flight path in response to last-minute changes by the bombardier. Bomb release was normally automatic in order to reduce timing errors.

The Lotfe 7 was normally installed near the nose of the aircraft with the mirror tube projecting through the fuselage to the outside of the aircraft. 

In most installations, like those in the Junkers Ju 88 or Heinkel He 111, the tube ended in a fairing under the fuselage with a protruding flat window in front. 

In other cases, like the Arado Ar 234 or the prototype bomber conversions of the Messerschmitt Me 262, the tube was open to the air, mounted so the mirror window was almost flush with the fuselage line. 

In the case of the single-seat Ar 234, the bombsight was difficult to access, so the autopilot was engaged first, allowing the pilot to remove the control yoke and access the bombsight.

After the war about a thousand unused Lotfe 7's were found in the Zeiss factories and shipped to the USSR. 

There was an attempt to use them in the B-25 Mitchell to replace the much more complex Norden, but the Lotfe 7 interacted badly with the Si-1 autopilot and the problems were never fixed.

READ MORE HERE, HERE AND HERE 

Nazi atrocities in Crete: Murdering civilians, women and children

A photograph from a nazi propaganda publication shows German soldiers rounding up soldiers and Greek civilians in Crete. What was the fate of this man?

It has been documented by historians that even during the Battle of Crete, the Germans summarily executed civilians who took up their arms against the invading nazis, inflicting a significant number of casualties among them.

After the Battle of Crete was over, a real bloodbath started. The nazis, blinded by their revenge, murdered indiscriminately citizens of the island, including pregnant women and young children, as well as old men and women.

Furious at the resistance they met, the Germans shot, burned and bayoneted thousands of civilians, they burned down villages and committed every imaginable sort of atrocity against the population of the island, in order to terrorise them, leaving an indelible mark on the indigenous population.

“It is an endless list of tragedy,” said Efi Paschalidou from the Greek army history department (DIS).

The dispatches provided weekly casualty reports but when referring to slain Greeks, they “rarely state whether the dead are women or children,” she said. Reprisal killings were referred to as “atonement measures.”

They also list tons of goods seized at a time when much of the country was starving to death – including livestock, wheat, olive oil, vehicles and even wool carpets.

The documents relate to a four-year period which covered the invasion of Greece in 1941, the battle of Crete, the occupation of Athens and efforts to suppress the Greek resistance movement which continued until 1944.

Troops operating in Epirus, northwestern Greece, were instructed to show no mercy, Paschalidou said.

“There must be no hesitation, even towards the families... suspects must be executed on the spot,” one dispatch said, adding that weakness “would cost German blood.”

Meanwhile on Crete, which managed to hold off the invasion for longest, the high command decreed that 10 Cretans be executed for every dead or injured German. And the few Cretan laborers who agreed to work for the Germans were paid less than the cost of a loaf of bread.

“The value of this information is that it is not coming from a Greek grandfather. It's from Hitler's forces themselves,” Paschalidou told AFP.

The Viannos massacres  

A mass extermination campaign was launched by Nazi forces against the civilian residents of around 20 villages located in the areas of east Viannos and west Ierapetra provinces on the Greek island of Crete during World War II. 

The killings, with a death toll in excess of 500, were carried out on 14–16 September 1943 by Wehrmacht units. 

They were accompanied by the burning of most villages, and the looting and destruction of harvests.

The massive loss of life amounted to one of the deadliest massacres during the Axis occupation of Greece. 

It was ordered by Generalleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller, in retaliation for the support and involvement of the local population in the Cretan resistance. Müller, who earned the nickname “the Butcher of Crete”, was executed after the war for his part in this and other massacres.

The Massacre of Kondomari

The execution of male civilians from the village of Kondomari in Crete by an ad hoc firing squad consisting of German paratroopers on 2 June 1941 during World War II.

The shooting was the first of a series of reprisals in Crete. 

It was orchestrated by Generaloberst Kurt Student, in retaliation for the participation of Cretans in the Battle of Crete which had ended with the surrender of the island two days earlier.

The massacre was photographed by a German army war correspondent whose negatives were discovered 39 years later in the federal German archives.

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Άγνωστες πτυχές του Ελληνοϊταλικού Πολέμου 1940-41, μέσα από τα μάτια των κατοίκων της Κλεισούρας - Γ' Μέρος

Ιταλοί αλπινιστές στην Τρεμπεσίνα, Χειμώνας 1940-41

Ο Ελληνοϊταλικός Πόλεμος του 1940-41 στα βουνά της Αλβανίας έχει αποτυπωθεί σε πληθώρα βιβλίων, είτε από την ελληνική, είτε από την ιταλική πλευρά.

Ελάχιστες ωστόσο είναι οι μαρτυρίες που καταγράφουν τον τρόπο με τον οποίο βίωσαν τον πόλεμο οι κάτοικοι των περιοχών, στις οποίες οι δύο στρατοί έδωσαν σκληρές μάχες, αφήνοντας τα σημάδια τόσο στο τοπίο, όσο και στις μνήμες των Αλβανών.

Ο αναγνώστης του ιστολογίου pierrekosmidis.blogspot.com  
Αριαν Μουράι, μοιράζεται τις αναμνήσεις των παππούδων του, οι οποίοι ήταν μικρά παιδιά το 1940, αλλά και του ίδιου, ο οποίος τη δεκαετία πλέον του 1980 και στις αρχές της δεκαετίας του 1990, μετά την κατάρρευση του κομμουνιστικού καθεστώτος του Εμβέρ Χότζα, έπαιζε με τους φίλους του με τα απομεινάρια των μαχών.

Η Κλεισούρα στο βάθος, με τον ορεινό όγκο της Τρεμπεσίνας από πίσω

Η αξία της μαρτυρίας αυτής έγκειται όχι μόνο στο γεγονός ότι βοηθάει να αποκτήσουμε μια πληρέστερη εικόνα του Ελληνοϊταλικού Πολέμου, συμπληρώνοντας τα στοιχεία που έχουμε από ελληνικής και ιταλικής πλευράς, αλλά παράλληλα φωτίζει άγνωστες πτυχές του, μέσα από τα μάτια του άμαχου πληθυσμού που βρέθηκε ανάμεσα σε διασταυρούμενα πυρά.

Παρατίθεται το τρίτο και τελευταίο μέρος της πολύ ενδιαφέρουσας μαρτυρίας του Arian Muraj.

(ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΤΟ ΠΡΩΤΟ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΕΔΩ) 

και 

(ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΤΟ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΕΔΩ) 

"Οι Ιταλοί έρχονταν από πίσω από την Τρεμπεσίνα, από τη μεριά του Τεπελενιού και προσπάθησαν να κατεβάσουν 350 περίπου αλπινιστές. Οι Έλληνες όμως τους εντόπισαν και τους εξόντωσαν με βολές πυροβολικού από απέναντι. Ακόμα και ο πιο φτωχός κάτοικος μάζεψε και πούλησε τα όπλα προς ένα "Ναπολέοντα", όπως λέγανε τα γαλλικά φράγκα και έγινε πλούσιος!

Υπάρχει και το άλλο γεγονός από το πόλεμο, αυτη τη φορά, από τη μαρτυρία του θείου της μάνας μου από άλλο χωριό. 

Τότε όλοι οι κάτοικοι της περιοχής γύρω από την Κλεισούρα έως την Πρεμετή, είχαν πάει να βοηθήσουν τον ελληνικό στρατό, φράζοντας το ποτάμι. 

Αυτό το ποτάμι είναι το δεύτερο μεγαλύτερο στην Αλβανία, έρχεται από την Ελλάδα και μπαίνει σε εμάς στην περιοχή Μέρτζανη. 

Λοιπόν, ο ελληνικός στρατός, αφού είχε πάρει την Πρεμετή, έφραξε το ποτάμι το οποίο το χειμώνα κατεβάζει πολύ νερό και μετά έσπασαν το φράγμα, ώστε να πάρει μπροστά του ό,τι έβρισκε, συγκεκριμένα στην Κλεισούρα, την στρατοπέδευση του ιταλικού στρατού.

Για εμάς, οι Ιταλοί, ήταν κατακτητές. Εννοείται ότι τους μισούσαμε! 

Το λέω, διότι στην Ελλάδα υπάρχει αυτή η αίσθηση, ότι δηλαδή βοηθήσαμε τους Ιταλούς. 

Η περιοχή που σου περιγράφω, από την Πρεμετή έως το Τεπελένι και η Κλεισούρα ενδιάμεσα δεν ξέρουν ελληνικά. 

Υπάρχει βέβαια η ελληνική μειονότητα, από την Μέρτζανη έως την Πρεμετή (Përmeti). 

Ολοι όμως, είχαν σπεύσει να βοηθήσουν τον ελληνικό στρατό. 

Δεν το έβλεπαν με την έννοια ότι θα τους απελευθέρωνε και ούτε ήταν Έλληνες εντός Αλβανίας που ελπίζανε ότι θα ενώνονταν με την Ελλάδα. 

Απλά, οι Έλληνες πολεμούσαν για την ελευθερία τους και είχαν απωθήσει τους φασίστες του Ντούτσε πολύ μέσα στην Αλβανία. 

Βέβαια, δεν ήταν ότι διάλεξαν σαν να ήταν... οπαδοί! Ξέραν ότι οι Έλληνες ήταν με το δίκιο, το σωστό, γι αυτό και βοηθούσαν.

Μετά το πόλεμο, στο σπίτι του παππού μου, οι παρτιζάνοι (αντάρτες) έφεραν τον Ερνέστο, από το Παλέρμο μάλλον και κάθισε με εμάς για έναν χρόνο. 

Ένας άλλος Ιταλός βρισκόταν σε μια άλλη οικογένεια παρακάτω από τον παππού μου. 

Μάλιστα, ο δεύτερος, όταν έφυγε για Ιταλία μετά το πόλεμο, του έδωσε τα παπούτσια του ο οικογενειάρχης της οικογένειας αυτής. 

Ωστόσο, ούτε ο Ερνέστο και ούτε ο άλλος δεν εμφανίστηκαν ποτέ, ούτε με γράμματα και ούτε μετα την πτώση της δικτατορίας. Τι να απέγιναν άραγε αυτοί οι άνθρωποι;

Ο δικτάτορας, λεγόταν Enver Hoxha (Εμβέρ Χότζα) για την ακρίβεια.

Μαζί με άλλους νέους κομμουνιστές τότε, κολλούσαν προκυρήξεις στους τοίχους και τις κολώνες τη νύχτα και τα ρίχνανε παντού την ημέρα με κείμενα τα οποία λέγανε - Σαμποτάρετε τους Ιταλούς! Να μην συμμετέχουμε στον πόλεμο ενάντιον του ελληνικου αδερφικού λαού και να  τους βοηθήσουμε!

Πίσω στον πόλεμο τώρα.

Παρά το γεγονός ότι οι νεκροί στην πλειοψηφία τους είχαν βρεθεί και είχαν μαζευτεί σε ένα νεκροταφείο (οι Έλληνες) και πίσω στην Ιταλία οι Ιταλοί σκοτωμένοι, στα χρόνια του αγροτικού συνεταιρισμού (όπως λεγόταν), τότε που δεν έμενε  ούτε ένας πόντος γης αδούλευτος, ήταν πάρα μα πάρα πολλές οι περιπτώσεις που οστά έβγαιναν στην επιφάνεια κατά το όργωμα! 

Λόγω περιβάλλοντος, ήταν δύσκολο να δουλέψουν τη γη τα τραχτέρ και σκάβανε με τον παραδοσιακό τρόπο, δηλαδή δυο βούβαλοι που τραβούσαν το υνί και όργωναν σιγά-σιγά τα χωράφια. 

Κάθε κάτοικος, ξεκινώντας από τον παππού μου είχε βρεί οστά και προπαντός υπήρχε οδηγία να προσέχουν να μένουν μακριά από άσκαστες χειροβομβίδες. 

Βέβαια, όλοι κάναν την προσευχή τους να μην πέσει το βουβάλι ή το υνί πάνω σε χειροβομβίδα. Σκέψου τι άγχος! 

Παίζανε με τη ζωή τους κάθε μέρα!

Ξεκινώντας από την Κλεισούρα  και παίρνοντας με την σειρά τους τα χωριά ανεβαίνοντας λέγονται Μπεντουκάς - Τόλαρ -Λεσκοβέτς σε πρώτο ύψωμα και μετά το χωριό που μιλάμε Τζάναι και μετά απο αυτό, Μερτίν - Μπένιε-Φράταρ.

Χάρτης του 1917 (Συλλογή Γεωργίου Κρικέλα)

Όλη αυτή η μικρή περιοχή, έως το ξεκίνημα των νομων Μπέρατι και Σκραπάρ, λέγεται Ντισνίτσα.

Οι Έλληνες ερχόμενοι από την Πρεμετή, είχαν ανεβει στα βουνά απέναντι και μπήκαν στην Ντισνίτσα πρώτα από το Φράταρ μετά το Μπένιε, Μερτίν (το χωριό του πατέρα μου) και δίνανε τις μάχες στο ύψωμα πάνω από το χωριό Τζάναι (το χωριό της μητέρας μου). 

Για την ακρίβεια, το σπίτι του παππού μου, είναι το τελευταίο πάνω, δηλαδή το πλησιέστερο στο ύψωμα.

Στις αρχές της δεκαετίας του 1980, ακριβώς στην κορυφή, έγινε ένα μεγάλο έργο. 

Μια τεχνητή λίμνη για τις ανάγκες άρδευσης των καλλιεργειών. Ακόμα και τότε βρίσκανε  πάρα πολλές σφαίρες, άσκαστες χειροβομβίδες και σκουριασμένα όπλα, ενώ ακόμα και σήμερα 

μπορεί να βρεί κάποιος τα υπολείμματα του πολέμου, όπλα, κράνη, πυρομαχικά και άλλα. 

Σήμερα, το χωριό είναι παρατημένο και η βλάστηση, έχει αρχίζει να το καλύπτει. 

Μόνο κάθε Οκτώβρη κάποιοι γυρνάνε, όπως ο πεθερός μου και φτιάχνουν τσίπουρο.

Εγώ φέτος επιδιώκω να πάω και σίγουρα θα βγάλω πάρα πολλές φωτογραφίες."

ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΤΟ ΠΡΩΤΟ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΕΔΩ 

ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΤΟ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΕΔΩ

Diving at a japanese submarine wreck in Guadalcanal and at the haunting remains of the Aikoku Maru in Truk

Michael McFadyen from Sydney, Australia has been a keen scuba diver and has visited some of the most iconic WW2 Pacific Treasures, including the I-1 Imperial Japanese Navy submarine wreck in Guadalcanal Island, the SS President Coolidge in Vanuatu, the USS Aaron Ward in the Solomons, and the San Francisco Maru in Chuuk.

The ramming of I-1

On 29 January 1943 the I-1 encountered the much smaller 607 ton New Zealand minesweepers, Kiwi and Moa. 

Unable to penetrate the I1's armour with their deck guns, the New Zealand minesweepers rammed and chased her in to shallow water, eventually forcing her to run aground on the reef at Kamimbo Bay, Guadalcanal.

The wreck partially protruded from the water. 

Critical codes remained on board and the Japanese command tried unsuccessfully to destroy the boat with air and submarine attacks. The US Navy reportedly salvaged code books, charts, manuals, the ship's log and other secret documents.

The haunting wreck of Aikoku Maru

On 21 January 1944, Aikoku Maru loaded the 629 men of the 66th Naval Guard Unit, with ammunition, supplies and construction materials. 

The convoy was attacked 300 nautical miles (560 km; 350 mi) NW of Truk by the submarine USS Trigger, which sank the minelayer Nasami and transport Yasukuni Maru; however, Aikoku Maru was undamaged and reached Truk on 1 February. 

After making an abortive run to Brown Island, she returned to Truk on 16 February to find that most of the capital ships had evacuated the base in anticipation of an impending American attack. 

Aikoku Maru began loading ammunition and making preparations for departure to Rabaul, loading troops of the 1st Amphibious Brigade. 

However, before preparations were complete, Operation Hailstone began, with the US Navy Task Force 58 striking at Truk with 30 air strikes of over 150 aircraft each every hour for a period of two days. 

On the first day, 17 February 1944, Aikoku Maru was bombed by aircraft from the carrier USS Intrepid, with the first bomb exploding in the officer's wardroom, causing a fire. 

She was hit three more times in this attack, and was hit again in the second attack by a torpedo which set off the ammunition in her No.1 hold, shearing off the bow. 

Aikoku Maru sank in two minutes at 07°22′N 151°56′E, with most of the 945 crew and passengers.

The aircraft which dropped the torpedo on Aikoku Maru- TBM Avenger #25270 and its three men crew of VT-6- were also destroyed in the explosion of the ship.

Aikoku Maru was removed from the navy list on 30 March 1944.

Michael McFadyen shares his experience diving with WW2 Pacific Treasures:

Scuba diving: Why did you start, when, which dive is your favourite and why?

Living near the water in Sydney, I have always spent a lot of time in the ocean, swimming, body surfing and snorkelling. 

I grew up at a place called La Perouse on the northern side of Botany Bay and did a lot of snorkelling as a child there. 

I finally learned to dive in 1988 after doing some resort dives in Tahiti. My favourite shore dive is Bare Island in Botany Bay, the amount of marine life is simply amazing considering it is in the middle of Australia’s largest city. 

We see red Indianfish, sea horses, pygmy pipehorses and anglerfish, including the unique Bare Island anglerfish.

Diving at the I-1. This sub is of historical significance and despite the post-war destruction it sustained, it still is an amazing dive. Tell us of your feelings diving there and your impressions.

I dived the Japanese submarine I-1 back in 1992 on a trip to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. It is a huge submarine which was sunk by two New Zealand corvettes during WWII. 

Like most war wrecks, it is fascinating to dive due to the unique nature of the vessel. I love history of any sort and the story of the sinking by the Kiwis in their small ships was amazing. 

Before I researched it, most people believed that it was a totally different submarine, so I was happy that I was able to provide people with the correct information.

The Pacific was a theatre of fierce fighting between the Allies and the Japanese. have you dived any other WW2 wrecks and if yes which ones? 

I have dived many countries throughout the Pacific, including Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Chuuk (formerly known as Truk, nowadays Federated States of Micronesia), Guam and the Philippines. 

All of these places have significant war wrecks, even from WWI. Some of my favourite ones are the SS President Coolidge in Vanuatu, the USS Aaron Ward in the Solomons, and the San Francisco Maru in Chuuk. 

All the wrecks in these places are great, but these ones stand out from the rest. I have also dived on the German WWI wrecks in Scapa Flow, Scotland. They were also amazing.

Tell us a bit about your experience diving with your other half and a memorable event you shared underwater.

I met my wife Kelly through diving when I went to give a talk to the dive club of which she was a member. Since then we have done almost 800 dives together. 

Michael and Kelly at Sydney harbour

We even got married at our favourite dive site, Bare Island. We have dived so many historic war wrecks together and nearly all our holidays are structured around scuba diving. 

One dive that greatly affected both of us was on the Aikoku Maru in Chuuk. Over 700 crew died when it exploded and it has a very eerie feeling about it which we both felt.

Next plans: Any wrecks in your "to do list"?

Our next dive trip is towards the end of 2016 when we will be doing a trip at the top of Australia around Cape York (the pointing part). 

Here I am doing part of what was my real job.
I am being winched from a BK117 helicopter
over Wollemi NP just before Xmas 2001
during the fires that ravaged the areas around Sydney

There is an amazing wreck there called the Quetta which we will do as well as a few other wrecks and a lot of reefs. 

We have mostly visited all the main WWII wreck locations shallower than 60 metres, the only place we might go to again is Coron in the Philippines.

CHECK MICHAEL MCFADYEN'S WEBSITE

Greece, 1941: The moment a German tank hits a mine. An account of the first and last tank battle in Greece, 13-14 April 1941

Two photos that appeared in a nazi propaganda publication depict the moment a German tank hits a mine in northern Greece and the aftermath of the explosion, with a member of its crew lying "slightly injured" as the photo caption claims.

An account of the first and last tank battle in Greece

During the early afternoon of 13 April the 33rd Panzer Regiment of the 9th Panzer Division entered Ptolemaida in northern Greece, a town midway between Vevi and Kozani. 

The arrival of the German forces was greeted by heavy shelling from the hills south and southeast of the town. German reconnaissance patrols reported that the road bridge situated about 500 yards south of Ptolemaida had been blown up by the British and that a ditch filled with water cut across the low ground on both sides of the road. 

The ditch was six feet wide and three feet deep and had soft shoulders. It constituted a perfect antitank obstacle. The patrols came under heavy fire from artillery, antitank, and machine guns emplaced on the high ground overlooking the road.

The regimental commander sent out two patrols to find a road that bypassed the ditch. Two side roads were discovered, one of which was impassable for armored vehicles since a bridge leading across the river had been demolished and steep dams dominated both banks. 

The other road bypassing the ditch to the west led through a swamp interspersed with several ditches but seemed passable even though there was no trace of recent vehicular traffic. Most of this road stretch across the swamp was in plain view of the British.

The regimental commander chose the latter route for his axis of advance because it offered a possibility to envelop the enemy's dominating positions and strike his flank. 

The approach across the swamp was very difficult and had to be made at a walking pace under intermittent fire from British tanks and antitank guns. As soon as the first German tanks came within striking distance, they opened fire and drove off the enemy vehicles, knocking out two of them.

After having crossed the swamp the German armor deployed. Seven tanks were stuck and followed later. Speed was of the essence if the plan of attack was to succeed and the enemy was to be prevented from withdrawing. 

This part of the plan was complicated by the difficult terrain which rose abruptly and was broken in places. At the same time the British stepped up their artillery and antitank fire. 

As dusk was setting in, the German tanks assembled and suddenly emerged on the British flank with all guns ablaze. The British tanks turned about and a violent engagement developed, the result of which could not be accurately gauged because of growing darkness.

Two British self-propelled antitank guns were engaged at less than 200 yards' distance, while trying to escape. 

They were knocked out and a few supply trucks were captured. Some of the British tanks set up smoke screens to further reduce visibility and thus cover their withdrawal. As darkness covered the battlefield the

Germans observed explosions in the distance and noticed that the enemy artillery fire was decreasing.

The plan to push on to Kozani had to be abandoned because the German tanks had expended almost all their ammunition. Some tanks had no gasoline left, while the rest had only enough for about ten miles. 

The British had lost their hill positions, abandoning thirty-two tanks and antitank guns as well as a number of trucks. The Germans lost 2 Mark IV, 1 Mark II, and 1 Mark I tanks in the engagement. This was the first and last tank battle that took place during the Greek campaign.

By the morning of 14 April the spearheads of the 9th Panzer Division reached Kozani. That same evening the division established a bridgehead across the Aliakmonas River, but an attempt to advance beyond this point was stopped by intense Allied fire. 

For the next three days the 9th Panzer Division advance was stalled in front of the strongly fortified mountain positions held by the British.

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