During the First Balkan War, the Epirus front was of secondary importance for Greece after the Macedonian front. A small unit that consisted of local Epirote volunteers was stationed in the nearby island of Corfu under the command of Major Spyros Spyromilios, who was a native of Himarë. This unit was later reinforced by 200 Cretan volunteers sent by General Konstantinos Sapountzakis, commander of the Greek army in Epirus front.