The Greeks in fact did well in their withdrawal in April 1941

 While the British army was a "highly mobile and expertly staffed army". The Greeks were "foot soldiers using "pack animals". They necessarily moved slowly. It was thought that many Greeks who had withdrawn "from the Vermion mountains" did not arrive at their destinations by the third night. Both the Australians and the Germans all said that the "20th and 12th Greek divisions all fought well in their new positions". They were "likely to arrive at their destination and make a good stand there." 

General Papagos had ordered the Greek armies to the west to withdraw. Two armies, the Western Macedonian and the Epirus Armies pulled back to positions that "covered" the passes "on each side of the" Albanian border. 

By early on 13 April, the British rearguard blocked the road at Sotir. The Greek rearguards were in the passes "to the mountains to the west". The British armored brigade had been augmented by the 2/4th Battalion. Before, they had only a small contingent from the Rangers. Of course, teh 2/4th Battalion only had two companies of infantry. The Australians were on the right with the Rangers on the left. There were also some tanks from the 3rd RTR (Robert Crisps' unit). They also had a squadron from the Hussars, the 2/RHA, some New Zealand machine gunners, and one battery from the 102nd Anti-Tank Regiment. There were some Australian prisoners caught in fire from the Germans. As many as thirty were wounded from a group of 123 men. 

General Wilson had ordered the British armored brigade to block the German advance as long as possible. A mixed group of tanks and infantry had begun to make a defensive position. The road lay in a gorge with "hills rising 1,200 feet on either side". The men were able to see the Germans advancing. The men could see the Germans repairing the road as they moved forward. This is based on the account in "Greece Crete and Syria" by Gavin Long.