ORDER OF BATTLE // November 21, 1912
Battle of Lesbos
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
2 sides catalogued · combined 6,775 estimated
Greece
3,175
Medium-confidence figure
Ottoman Empire
3,600
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Lesbos, fought from November to December 1912, resulted in the Greek capture of Lesbos during the First Balkan War. The operation brought one of the largest eastern Aegean islands under Greek control, extending Greek territorial reach in the Aegean at a moment when the Balkan states were pressing Ottoman forces across multiple fronts. Greek forces under Kountouriotis and Syrmakezis faced an Ottoman garrison that held a slight numerical advantage, making the eventual capture a meaningful operational outcome in the broader Greek campaign to consolidate Aegean island holdings during the war.
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