Athanasios Frangou
Encyclopedia
Athanasios Frangou or Frangos was a Greek
Army officer who reached the rank of Major General.
He was born on 1 January 1864 in the village of Sourpi in the modern Magnesia Prefecture
(then under Ottoman
rule). He joined the Hellenic Army
on 5 November 1883, and later enrolled in the NCO School, from where he graduated in 1893 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and the Balkan Wars
. As a royalist, he was dismissed from the Army in 1917–1920 during the National Schism. He was reinstated with the electoral defeat of Eleftherios Venizelos
in November 1920 which brought the royalist opposition to power, and assumed command of the 1st Infantry Division in Anatolia
, where he led it in all the battles of the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922. He played a crucial role during the collapse of the Greek front in the Battle of Dumlupınar
in August 1922, trying to rally the collapsing Greek forces: he assumed command of the remainders of I and II Corps, forming them together in the so-called "Southern Group" and led their retreat towards Çesme
, where they embarked on ships for the islands of Chios
and Lesbos. Following the outbreak of the Venizelist-led September 1922 Revolution among the surviving Army units, he was dismissed from service. He died on 20 September 1923.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Army officer who reached the rank of Major General.
He was born on 1 January 1864 in the village of Sourpi in the modern Magnesia Prefecture
Magnesia Prefecture
Magnesia Prefecture was one of the prefectures of Greece. Its capital was Volos. It was established in 1899 from the Larissa Prefecture. The prefecture was disbanded on 1 January 2011 by the Kallikratis programme, and split into the peripheral units of Magnesia and the Sporades.The toponym is...
(then under Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule). He joined the Hellenic Army
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
on 5 November 1883, and later enrolled in the NCO School, from where he graduated in 1893 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
. As a royalist, he was dismissed from the Army in 1917–1920 during the National Schism. He was reinstated with the electoral defeat of Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
in November 1920 which brought the royalist opposition to power, and assumed command of the 1st Infantry Division in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, where he led it in all the battles of the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922. He played a crucial role during the collapse of the Greek front in the Battle of Dumlupınar
Battle of Dumlupinar
The Battle of Dumlupınar Muharebesi or Başkumandanlık Meydan Muharebesi; literally "All-out battle of Supreme military commands") was the last battle in the Greco-Turkish War...
in August 1922, trying to rally the collapsing Greek forces: he assumed command of the remainders of I and II Corps, forming them together in the so-called "Southern Group" and led their retreat towards Çesme
Çesme
Çeşme is a coastal town and the center-town of the district of the same name in Turkey's western-most end, on a promontory on the tip of the peninsula which also carries the same name and which extends inland to form a whole with the wider Karaburun Peninsula...
, where they embarked on ships for the islands of Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
and Lesbos. Following the outbreak of the Venizelist-led September 1922 Revolution among the surviving Army units, he was dismissed from service. He died on 20 September 1923.