The Battle of Kos, Greece 1943 | Road to Mastihari | Easy Red 2

Road to Mastihari

he road to Mastihari, running along the northern coast of Kos, became a critical axis of movement during the German invasion in October 1943. After landing at nearby Marmari, German troops pushed west toward Mastihari to secure the port and prevent any Allied withdrawal or reinforcement from that direction. The small fishing village and its adjacent harbor offered a potential evacuation point for British and Italian forces, making it an early German objective. The flat terrain between Marmari and Mastihari provided little cover for defenders, and under intense Luftwaffe strafing runs, British and Greek soldiers could only stage brief delaying actions before being forced to fall back inland toward Antimachia.

By late on October 3, Mastihari was firmly in German hands. Control of the road and village allowed the invaders to land more troops, heavy weapons, and supplies directly from the sea, reinforcing their growing beachhead. The capture of Mastihari also cut off the western part of the island from the rest of the Allied defenders, isolating small garrisons and preventing coordination with the main force near Kos Town. With both the Marmari–Mastihari corridor and the southern Kardamaina route secured, the Germans effectively controlled all key approaches, ensuring that their advance toward Mount Díkos and the capital would face only fragmented resistance.