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When the first balkan war started on October 1912, the leadership of Navy was given by Eleftherios Venizelos to Pavlos Kountouriotes. The greek fleet had as its admiral ship the "Averof". Kountouriotes decided first to blockade the enemy navy in the Dardanellia Straits, and to do so had to occupy Lemnos island and use the harbour Moudros as base for the future naval operations.
On October 8, 1912 Lemnos island is liberated and soon after the islands Psara, Imvros, Tenedos and Samothraki are liberated after 5 centuries of turkish, frankish and venetian occupation. Chios and Lesvos after heavy resistance of the turkish garrisons are occupied by greek marines on November.
Meantime turkish fleet comes out of Dardanellia or Ellispontus, and is ready to face the greek fleet with the ships "Averof", "Ierax", "Panthir", "Aetos". The decisive battle started at 9:00, December 3, 1912. The admiralship, suddenly charges alone in the enemy fires and disappears inside the heavy smoke. Everyone believed that it was sunk. But soon later the "Averof" appears intact and the enemy ships retreat to the straits of Ellispontus. This battle which is called "The battle of Elli's" (Navmahia Ellis), determined the fate of Aegean Sea.
On January 1st of 1913, turkish ship "Hamidye" slips to Aegean Sea, goes to Syros island and sinks the ship "Makedonia". The Government in a state of panic orders Kountouriotes to go after and sink the enemy ship. Kountouriotes sees the enemy maneuver and refuses to leave the base of Moudros to hunt the enemy ship. In fact all the turkish fleet was waiting and was ready to attack the greek fleet at the Lemnos island. This tactic of Kountouriotes saved the greek fleet from the surprise attack, whch took place on 5 January at 11:30. Greek sailors fight courageously and cause heavy damage to the enemy ships. Dozens of turkish soldiers are killed and the turkish fleet retreats again inside the straits.
