 The XXX Infantry Corps on the left wing reached its designated objective on the evening of 8 April , when the 164th Infantry Division captured Xanthi . The 50th Infantry Division advanced far beyond Komotini towards the Nestos river . Both divisions arrived the next day . On 9 April , the Greek forces defending the Metaxas Line capitulated unconditionally following the collapse of Greek resistance east of the Axios river . In a 9 April estimate of the situation , Field Marshal List commented that as a result of the swift advance of the mobile units , his 12th Army was now in a favorable position to access central Greece by breaking the Greek build @-@ up behind the Axios river . On the basis of this estimate , List requested the transfer of the 5th Panzer Division from First Panzer Group to the XL Panzer Corps . He reasoned that its presence would give additional punch to the German thrust through the Monastir Gap . For the continuation of the campaign , he formed an eastern group under the command of XVIII Mountain Corps and a western group led by XL Panzer Corps . 
