Georgios Leonardopoulos

Major General

Georgios Leonardopoulos
Leonardopoulos in 1922
Native name
Γεώργιος Λεοναρδόπουλος
Born1867
Corinth, Kingdom of Greece
Died1936
Athens, Kingdom of Greece
AllegianceGreece Kingdom of Greece
Service / branch Hellenic Army
Years of service1884–1923
1935–1936
Rank Major General
Commands9th Infantry Division
10th Infantry Division
Independent Division
IV Army Corps
V Army Corps
Battles / wars
Awards Commander of the Order of the Redeemer
Cross of Valour (Greece)
War Cross
Medal of Military Merit
Croix de Guerre
Alma materHellenic Army Academy

Georgios Leonardopoulos (Greek: Γεώργιος Λεοναρδόπουλος; 1867–1936) was a Greek army major general who fought in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, the Balkan Wars, World War I, and the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922, and led a failed coup attempt in 1923.

Life

He was born at Corinth in 1867, and entered the Hellenic Army Academy in 1884, graduating in 1889 as an Engineers Second Lieutenant.[1] He quickly earned a reputation as a good and industrious officer.[2] He fought in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, and after promotion to Lieutenant was appointed to teach architecture at the Army academy from 1902 to 1907.[3]

Balkan Wars

During the First Balkan War in 1912–1913 he commanded a bridge-laying company, and was wounded in battle. Subsequently, he was posted to the General Headquarters as Director of Engineers. During the Second Balkan War against Bulgaria, he served as chief of engineers in the 3rd Infantry Division.[3] After the end of the war, he served in the commission that drew the border between Greece and the Kingdom of Serbia.[3]

World War I

Leonardopoulos was then appointed as chief of staff of the 8th Infantry Division in 1915–1916, before joining the Provisional Government of National Defence of Eleftherios Venizelos in September 1916. There he was appointed chief of staff of the National Defence army corps and then head of the personnel office in the Provisional Government's Ministry of Military Affairs.[3] After the country was reunified under Venizelos' leadership in June 1917, he became deputy chief of the general staff.[3]

Thrace and Asia Minor

In 1918 he was assigned as commander of the 9th Infantry Division, which he led during the occupation of Western Thrace and of Eastern Thrace against the Turkish forces of Cafer Tayyar in July 1920.[3] He was then appointed commander of the 10th Infantry Division, which he led during the Second Battle of İnönü in March 1921.[3]

Leonardopoulos (centre, with the gilded visor cap) with his staff in Asia Minor, 1921

Subsequently, he was named commander of the newly formed Independent Division, which he led as a reserve formation during the Battle of Sakarya in 1921. He fell ill and was invalided to Greece.[3]

1922 Revolution and coup attempt

After the Greek defeat in Asia Minor in August 1922, he joined the 11 September 1922 Revolution, and was appointed commander of the IV Army Corps and later of the V Army Corps.[3]

In October 1923, however, he changed stance and along with Panagiotis Gargalidis, he led an abortive coup attempt with pro-royalist officers. Defeated and captured, he was condemned to death by the military tribunal. The sentences of the condemned for this affair were commuted, and Leonardopoulos was amnestied after a few months, but dismissed from the army.[3]

In 1935, with the restoration of the monarchy, he was rehabilitated and his rank was restored. He died in 1936.[4]

References

  1. ^ Μεγάλη Στρατιωτική και Ναυτική Εγκυκλοπαιδεία, p. 341.
  2. ^ Μεγάλη Στρατιωτική και Ναυτική Εγκυκλοπαιδεία, pp. 341–342.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Μεγάλη Στρατιωτική και Ναυτική Εγκυκλοπαιδεία, p. 342.
  4. ^ Modern Encyclopaedic Dictionary "Helios", Vol. 12, p. 216.

Sources

  • Μεγάλη Στρατιωτική και Ναυτική Εγκυκλοπαιδεία. Τόμος Δ′: Καβάδης – Μωριάς [Great Military and Naval Encyclopedia. Volume IV] (in Greek). Athens. 1929.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)