By Auron Tare
My archive of World War II documents, obtained from London, contains numerous records regarding the British Mission in Greece. The mission, led by the 30-year-old Colonel Christopher Woodhouse, addresses—among many matters of historical interest—the Cham issue. The following excerpt comes from a document sent by the Colonel on October 15, 1945, describing the situation in Northern Greece.
Photo: Colonel Woodhouse decorating the Greek General of Albanian origin, Napoleon Zervas. Colonel Christopher Montague Woodhouse, Chief of SOE in Greece during WWII.
“In 1941–3 they collaborated with Italians, making the organization of guerrilla resistance in that area difficult. I never heard of any of them taking part in any resistance against enemy. Zervas encouraged by the Allied Mission under myself, chased them out of their homes in 1944 in order to facilitate operations against the enemy. They mostly took refuge in Albania, where they were not popular either.
Their eviction from Greece was bloodily carried out, owing to the usual vendetta spirit, which was fed by many brutalities committed by the Chams in league with the Italians. Zervas’ work was completed by an inexcusable massacre of Chams in Philliates in March 1945, carried out by remnants of Zervas’ dissolved forces under Zotos. The Chams deserved what they got, but Zervas’ methods were pretty bad or rather, his subordinate officers got out of hand.
The result has been in effect a shift of populations, removing an unwanted minority from Greek soil. Perhaps it would be best to leave things at that.” October 16, 1945.
FO 371/48094 (Document 89/57/45) UK National Archives / Public Record Office holdings.
“In the years 1941–43, they collaborated with the Italians, making it difficult to organize guerrilla resistance in that area. I have never heard of any of them participating in resistance against the enemy. Zervas, encouraged by the Allied Mission under my command, expelled them from their homes in 1944 to facilitate operations against the enemy. Most fled to Albania, where they were not welcome either.
Their expulsion from Greece was accompanied by bloodshed, driven by the prevailing spirit of vendetta—fueled by the many atrocities committed by the Chams in collaboration with the Italians. Zervas’s actions were followed by an inexcusable massacre of Chams in Filat in March 1945, carried out by remnants of Zervas’s disbanded forces under Zoto.
The Chams deserved their fate, yet Zervas’s methods were deplorable—or rather, his subordinate officers lost control. The result was essentially a population displacement, removing an unwanted population from Greek soil. Perhaps it would be best to leave the matter there.”
