The Naval Air Station, in Lepida

A few months after MARIO LAGO settled in the island, in the capacity of Military Commander of the Dodecanese, the Treaty of Lausanne was signed, legally consolidating the Italian presence on the islands.

In 1923, the transformation of Leros into a Naval Base was intensified, while the Italianisation of the Dodecanese progressed methodically.

The Italians had noticed the potential of the ports of Leros, especially the large, natural port of Lakki, to which they focussed with great interest.

In May 1923, the works for the establishment of an Aeronautic Base in Lepida had already begun, while, a little later, two repair shops for seaplanes were created. Large quantities of munitions of all kinds were transported, as well as 12 seaplanes, cement, etc. One hundred Italian officers and 300 soldiers of the engineering corps arrived. More than 40 buoys were anchored in the area of Ag. Georgios, and 25,000 tons of coal were unloaded.

Construction works of naval importance were made in Lakki (1924). In the area of Ag. Georgios a 95-metre jetty was constructed, to make it easier to unload munitions and material for the naval base.

The construction of the road from Ag. Georgios to Lakki, via Lepida, continued. New buildings, warehouses and other works were constructed in Merikia.

The population increased due to the arrival of Italian technicians, as Leros “became the principal military centre of the Dodecanese”. Leros was to Italians as important as Malta was to the English.

In the area of Ag. Georgios, the buildings destined for crews of various specialities were constructed. They included fuel tanks, shelters, shipbuilding unit to cover the needs of warships, as well as a floating dock. At around 1936, the large buildings housing the submarine officers and sailors, as well as the other military personnel of the shipyard were constructed.

Meanwhile, at Lepida, the area of the “G. ROSSETI” aeronautical base, named after the first deceased Italian pilot of the base. In Lepida, buildings to accommodate the personnel, and the families of officers, as well as workshop buildings, the Administration building of the Airport, material warehouses, etc. Two large and one small hangar for seaplanes replaced two old, makeshift ones made of tarp.

In 1929, the large army barracks had already been constructed in Lepida. This building is related to the other building of the Navy Administration(CASERMA MARINAI, = “Poseidonio” building, currently housing the City Planning office and the Youth and Sports Foundation), the construction of which begun in 1929. Both of them date back to the period of command of MARIO LAGO, and do not have the “International Style” characteristics of seen on the other buildings of Lakki of the De Vecchi era.