Athens; this was part of a larger geopolitical move to install a British-friendly, non-communist government in Greece. During the occupation, Britain had provided military support to the National Liberation Front (EAM), a combination of five socialist and communist parties, which controlled the large Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS). In early 1944, the Greek Civil War broke out between the EAM's forces and the non-communist partisan movements, such as the National Republican Greek League (EDES). After the re-establishment of the Government of Greece, tensions rose, culminating with the EAM attempting to seize power in December and the British military becoming involved within the second phase of the Greek Civil War. On 28 November, the 46th Division's 139th Brigade was pulled off the frontline in Italy, and dispatched to Greece to replace the 2nd Parachute Brigade that was due to move to Italy. The Brigade landed at Piraeus on 4 December and immediately secured the town's police stations. Over the following days, as the rest of the brigade landed, it secured the area and contended with snipers, small skirmishes, house-to-house searches, and a prolonged battle to secure the railway station. On 2 December, the 139th Brigade's 5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters was airlifted to Sedes Air Base. They entered Salonika and guarded vulnerable points, including Red Cross supply depots; no fighting occurred. As fighting increased in Athens, Lieutenant-General Ronald Scobie, commander of British forces in Greece, requested the rest of the 46th Division be dispatched to help restore order. The 139th Brigade was transported to Patras and landed on 10 January 1945. The ELAS forces in the city were ordered to withdraw, which they did, allowing the 139th Brigade to secure the area without bloodshed. Two days later, the brigade secured nearby Araxos airfield after an artillery demonstration against lingering ELAS forces. On 15 January, a ceasefire was announced that ended the second phase of fighting. On 6 January, the remainder of the 46th Division arrived at Taranto, Italy. Over the next eight weeks, the division was transported piecemeal to Greece. On 18 January, the divisional reconnaissance regiment, supported by engineers and two infantry companies from the 128th Brigade, moved to Corinth and then on to Argos and Nauplion. The rest of the brigade arrived in the eastern Peloponnese towards the end of January and were made responsible for the Argolis and Corinthia Prefecture. At the end of January, the 138th Brigade arrived