Other Forces

Flying Officer Marínos Metraléxes

NCY-152

During the Greco-Italian War, a squadron of 27 Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM-79 bombers, with Fiat CR-42 fighter escorts, headed towards Thessaloniki. Soon they were spotted and intercepted by Greek PZL P-24 fighters of the 22nd Squadron. During the dogfights, three of the bombers were shot down, while the rest reached their targets, released their bombs and commenced their return to their base in Albania. Flying Officer Marínos Metraléxes, who had already shot down one bomber, was now out of ammunition, so he aimed the nose of his PZL P-24 (Δ 130) right into an enemy bomber's tail (ΜΜ 22381), smashing the rudder and sending the bomber out of control. He then had to make an emergency landing near the crashed bomber. Having landed, Metraléxes arrested the four surviving crew members of the enemy aircraft using his pistol. For this extraordinary feat, Metraléxes was promoted to Wing Commander and awarded a number of medals, including Greece's highest award for bravery, the Gold Cross of Valour. He was the only Air Force officer to be awarded it during the war.