Battle of Yenidje

Battle of Yenidje
Part of First Balkan War
A Greek lithograph of the battle.
Date 19–20 October 1912 (O.S.) Location Yenidje, Salonica Vilayet, Ottoman Empire (present day Giannitsa, Greece) 40°47′24″N 22°22′48″E / 40.7900°N 22.3800°E / 40.7900; 22.3800 Result Greek victory Greek army captures Yenidje and Thessaloniki
Belligerents
Greece	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Crown Prince Constantine	General Tahsin Pasha
Units involved
Army of Thessaly 2nd Infantry Division 3rd Infantry Division 4th Infantry Division 6th Infantry Division 7th Infantry Division	Thessaloniki Garrison
Strength
5 divisions	25,000 men
Casualties and losses
188 killed 785 wounded	250+ killed 1,000+ wounded 200 captured 11–14 artillery pieces 2 flags
Giannitsa class=notpageimage| Location of the battle in present day Greece

The Battle of Yenidje, also transliterated as Yenice (Greek: Μάχη των Γιαννιτσών, Battle of Giannitsa), was a major battle between Greek forces under Crown Prince Constantine and Ottoman forces under General Hasan Tahsin Pasha and took place between October 19–20 (O.S.), 1912 during the First Balkan War. The battle began when the Greek army attacked the Ottoman fortified position at Yenidje (now Giannitsa, Greece), which was the last line of defense for the city of Thessaloniki.

The rough and swampy terrain surrounding Yenidje significantly complicated the advance of the Greek army, most notably its artillery. In the early morning of 20 October, an infantry charge by the Greek 9th Evzone Battalion caused the Greek army to gain momentum, leading to the collapse of the entire western wing of the Ottomans. Ottoman morale plunged and the bulk of the defenders began fleeing two hours later. The Greek victory at Yenidje opened the way for the capture of Thessaloniki and the surrender of its garrison, helping shape the modern map of Greece.