Kodza Déré Decauville Railway

The Kodza Déré Decauville Railway (Greek: Κοτζά Ντερέ ντεκοβίλ) was a 13.5 kilometres (8 mi) long narrow-gauge military railway, which was built and operated by French troops during World War I from 1917 to 1918 at Paionia near Polykastro in Makedonia.

Kodza Déré Decauville Railway
Crossing a new-built bridge in May 1917
Technical
Line length	13.5 kilometres (8 mi)
Track gauge	600 mm (1 ft 11 ^5⁄8 in)
Route map km 13.5 Black Tree Station (μαύρο δένδρο) Upper Kodza-Déré bridge Middle Kodza-Déré bridge Lower Kodza-Déré bridge 9.5 Pigi (Πηγή) Isvor 7.5 Vróncho Spiral (βρόγχο) 4 Axioupolis (Αξιούπολης) Bohemitsa (Μποέμιτσα) 3 Street from Polykastro to Goumenissa From Thessaloniki 0 Axioupolis station Goumentja Border Greece-Makedonia To Gevgelija (Cyrillic: Гевгелија)

History

Military supplies stores on Axios River (Vardar)

Military logistics train on a high embankment

Military camp in Kodza Déré Valley

The valley of the Kodza Déré River was of strategi­cal im­por­tance to the Allied Forces of World War I because the French headquarters were based near Axioupolis and a camp of the 122^th Division and military hospital was located near Pigi. The front line was just a few kilometers above on the height of the Skra-di-Legen Canyon (Greek: Σκρα ντι Λέγκεν), where the Battle of Skra-di-Legen (Greek: Μάχη του Σκρα) was fought. Similar to the nearby Battles of Doiran in 1917 and 1918 there were lengthy battles with heavy losses in the area.

Route

Historic map, September 1917

The Decau­ville railway with a gauge of 600 mm (1 ft 11 ⁵⁄₈ in) started from the railway station Axioupolis (Αξιούπολης). The station was known until 1927 as Goumentja. The railway crossed the town of Axioupolis, historically known as Bohemitsa (Μποέμιτσα) passing two churches and a mosque. To gain height quickly, it went through an elaborately built Vróncho Spiral (βρόγχο), to Pigi (Πηγή), then known as Isvor. From there it followed the valley of the Kodza Déré River to the terminus Black Tree (μαύρο δένδρο) below the Koúpa Mountain (Κούπα), to supply the Allied Forces at the Macedonian front with supplies and ammunition. The track and most of the bridges were lifted after the war, but the route with its deep cuts and high embankments is partially still recognisable in the countryside.[1][2]

Axioupolis railway station (Goumentja)

Churches and mosque of Axioupolis (Bohemitsa)

Spiral enroute to Pigi (Isvor)

References

1. Kostis Manasis (Κώστας Μανασής): Axioupolis - Bohemitsa (Αξιούπολη - Μποέμιτσα)
2. Kodza-Dere (Macédoine). Pont construit par le Génie pour le Decauville. Mai 1917, Tétart. (PDF) p. 28. In: Les Petits Trains de la grande guerre. (HTML) Archives E.C.P.A.D.