1. 3rd
M.O.M.A.
THE LEMNOS PROJECT
This document is dedicated to the memory of those
soldiers and civilians who worked with M.O.M.A. for the
reconstruction of Greece after the World War II.
The closing of M.O.M.A., the demolishing of the
workshops, the sold-out of heavy machinery left intact the spirit that
M.O.M.A. left behind and the gap in contribution of Public to
individuals.

2. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
Thenetworkofroadsthat3rd
M.O.M.A.constructedinLemnosislandduring1983-1984.AGooglesnapshot

3. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
3rd
MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
I first joint the 3rd
M.O.M.A. (Mixed Group of Machinery for Reconstruction) soon after
the termination of a six months contract which I had with the Administration of Technical
Services of the Thessaloniki΄s Municipality (Greece). A sort but successful interview granted me
the right of been a member of the staff of the legendary M.O.M.A. which helped for the
reconstruction of ruined Greece after World War II.
From all the units which M.O.M.A. had all around Greece, the 3rd
M.O.M.A. was the
biggest, having more than ten construction sites, workshops, in the region on Western Greece and
on some Aegean islands close to the borders.
For those who don't know, M.O.M.A. was an organization with both civilian and army
personnel working jointly and using heavy machinery for the construction of public and army's
projects, at remote locations difficult to reach. In certain emergency situations such as
earthquakes, floods, wild fires, M.O.M.A. was a ready force to help, by opening emergency
routes, removing debris etc.
So, as an engineer, I was assigned the role of Head (Director) of the local group of the 3rd
M.O.M.A. on the remote island of Lemnos, an island big enough to have local Civilian Authority,
(Governor Mr Sfunduris), and Army Command.
The Head of local group of a M.O.M.A. was in charge of civilian and military personnel,
responsible for the maintenance of heavy machinery and equipment, for the payment of the staff
and local providers (spare parts, tires etc) and subcontractors, responsible for the movements of
machinery and the progress of works and finally as an engineer he was the Resident Engineer, the
Safety and Site Manager collaborating with local authorities, technical services, municipalities
and army's chiefs. Once every month the Head should conduct a detailed report addressing the
progress and problems of the construction to the Command of 3rd
MOMA at the central camp at
Thessaloniki. This role was certainly a challenge for a young engineer, since, concerning public
relationships a suitable person should have experience and manners.
The local M.O.M.A. group of Lemnos had a personnel of 35 machinery operators, masons
and master workers, miners, mechanics, office clerks and “ENPI”s (teenagers, army volunteers,
trained as machinery operators) under the command of Head.
The fleet of heavy machinery was : three (3) “KOMATSU” D6 crawler Bulldozers, two (2)
graders, one (1) “KOMATSU” Frond Shovel Excavator, two (2) “INTERNATIONAL” Wheel
Loaders, eight (8) “VOLVO” 8-10m3 trucks (15tns), two (2) “DYNAPAC” Single drum
Vibratory Rollers, one (1) movable Crane, one (1) “BEDFORD” Watertank, one (1) field
laboratory and two (2) 1tn small vehicles. Two subcontractors working independently had the
responsibility of constructing big structures (Mr. Avgeris) and transporting materials (Mr.
Gramatikopolos).
Apart of army's projects, the assignment of M.O.M.A. group in Lemnos island, was to
construct the airport of the island and three axes roads for the economic and social development of
the inhabitant population.
These road axes (approximately 15,0km each) were:
1) Road axis Kalithea-Koutalis-Kontias-Thanos-Mirina
2) Road axis Mirina-Kaspakas-Sardes-Dafni-Katalako-Atsiki
3) Road axis Romanou-Repanidi-Kontopouli-Panagia-Plaka.
The construction theater included two (2) open borrow-pits (one at Thanos village and one
at Kaspakas village). Actually these were “open front” mines, where aggregates were produced by

4. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
excavating hard igneous, magmatic, rock (red and green Andesite) with explosives, mainly
ANFO. This perhaps was the most critical issue since in the island of Lemnos there is not any
calcite layer or deposits of other suitable for road aggregates material, such as Neogene (geologic
period) deposits. It was extremely difficult and dangerous to transport huge amounts of merchant
explosives from motherland to the island on a common passenger ship-liner, thus a Navy's ship or
occasionally a special cargo ship should be used under army's permission and escort.
In general the construction works were:
· earthworks (general excavations for new road alignments and excavations for the
widening of existing roads, cuts and fills for the embankments)
· construction of small structures (culverts and bridges with span < 10,0m wide)
· construction of road drainage ditches (side, eyebrow and toe channels)
A part of the construction of aggregate sub-base course layer and of aggregate base course
layer and totally the asphalt pavement works were not included in this part of the project. For this
kind of works it was necessary to have other type of heavy machinery and additionally to import
suitable aggregate material transported from the motherland.
The road cuts were excavated also on hard igneous rock. Thus our miners were drilling
vertical and horizontal boreholes (up to 4m long) with a movable “ATLAS COPCO” pneumatic
driller. The explosives unit (3 miners) was expert on this job and the safety measures, coming
directly from army's orders, were strong and no accident ever happened. A special report to the
local Police Station, restraining traffic of vehicles and pedestrians, and additional traffic signs at
distant were measures for public safety.
A very important concern was the preservation of groundwater regime on every explosion.
Since Lemnos is a dry of water island, no surface water or springs is present and the only source
of fresh water supply is deep wells. The shock of an explosion could lower more the groundwater
table causing problems. This happened one time close to Thanos village but fortunately it lasted
only for six hours.
Fills passing on estuaries land, close to the sea was a problem, which was solved raising
the low embankments up to 2,0m high and constructing in slow working mode (duration of works
over six months) leaving thus time for consolidation. The rising of groundwater through the
embankments was stopped by using coarse (rather gross) aggregates in locations where clay-silt,
(a product of igneous rock weathering), was met. This was the main problem at the south of
Lemnos during construction of the 1st
axis at the region of Kontias-Thanos villages.
The construction of small structures was also an issue of river and structural engineering.
First it was necessary to inspect existing structures to ensure their condition and safety under
loads. The remaining small torrents and their V-shaped channels were bridged by reinforced
concrete plate covered structures. This type of structure has gravity abutments at both sides of the
bedrock channel founded on healthy ground. The abutments are also retaining walls supporting
both the earth fill behind and the carriageway (deck) of the bridge on top. This type of structure is
ideal for the mountain torrents since it leaves the channel wide open for the flow.
Expropriation of land was an issue of compromising with land stakeholders. Since a road
was about to be constructed on remote locations, unwillingness was easily replaced by desire for
communication and development.
These were problems to confront in both remote locations and populated areas during
winter and tourist season. M.O.M.A. had the right staff, hard working well trained, to finish the
project as scheduled in 10 months.
After 30 years, perhaps memories left behind of some incidents rare but pleasant. Now

5. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
tourists and inhabitants enjoy the 45,0 kilometers “basic road” network of minimum 7,0 m wide,
and safe, asphalt roads of the island Lemnos and in many cases, the locals advertise Lemnos to
tourists as an island with perfect roads.
A Google snapshot : The location of Kaspacas borrow-pit
A Google snapshot : The location of Thanos borrow-pit

6. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
PICTURES FROM THE WORKS 1.
Borrow-pit of Kaspakas : Production and loading of aggregate material for the fills .

7. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
PICTURES FROM THE WORKS 2.
Explosion management: Preparation of boreholes and after detonation inspection of site

8. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
PICTURES FROM THE WORKS 3.
Inspection of transportation Safety: Existing bridges inspection.

9. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
PICTURES FROM THE WORKS 4.
Construction of small structures: Foundation works and raising the abutments.

10. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
PICTURES FROM THE WORKS 5.
Inspection of road drainage works: Inspecting the performance of toe channels and road side
ditches during winter.

11. Ioannis Emmanouilidis : 3rd MOMA : THE LEMNOS PROJECT
PICTURES FROM THE WORKS 6.
Training of “ENPI”: The group of volunteering to army teenagers who work for M.O.M.A. and
their sergeant Tsapnidis.