Petros Soumilas
Encyclopedia
Petros Soumilas was a Greek
Army officer who reached the rank of Lieutenant General.
He was born in Leucas
on 1 January 1861 (then under British
rule). He joined the Hellenic Army
on 2 August 1882, and later enrolled in the NCO School, from where he graduated in August 1888 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He served as a topography
instructor and in the newly established Hellenic Military Geographical Service
, and participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and the Balkan Wars
. During the latter he commanded the 3rd Battalion of the 11th Infantry Regiment, and occasionally substituted for the regimental commander as well.
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 Xanthi Division in Eastern Thrace. In May 1921 he was transferred to command the 10th Infantry Division in Anatolia
, and he led it in the Greek summer offensive and the advance towards the Sakarya river
. In 1922 he was placed in command of the III Army Corps, which he commanded during the collapse and retreat of the Greek army from Anatolia in August 1922.
Following the outbreak of the Venizelist-led September 1922 Revolution among the surviving Army units, he was dismissed from service on 17 October 1922. He testified in the Trial of the Six
.
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 Lieutenant General.
He was born in Leucas
Leucas
Leucas may refer to:* Leucas is a genus of plants from the family Lamiaceae.* Leucas, an English transliteration of the ancient Greek place name, Leukas ....
on 1 January 1861 (then under British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
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 2 August 1882, and later enrolled in the NCO School, from where he graduated in August 1888 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He served as a topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
instructor and in the newly established Hellenic Military Geographical Service
Hellenic Military Geographical Service
The Hellenic Military Geographical Service or HMGS -History:Established in 1889 as the “Geodetic Mission” with the purpose of compiling the “Topographic and Cadastral Map of the Country”, the service acquired its current name in 1926...
, and 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...
. During the latter he commanded the 3rd Battalion of the 11th Infantry Regiment, and occasionally substituted for the regimental commander as well.
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 Xanthi Division in Eastern Thrace. In May 1921 he was transferred to command the 10th 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...
, and he led it in the Greek summer offensive and the advance towards the Sakarya river
Battle of Sakarya
The Battle of Sakarya , also known as the Battle of the Sangarios , was an important engagement in the Greco-Turkish War and Turkish War of Independence....
. In 1922 he was placed in command of the III Army Corps, which he commanded during the collapse and retreat of the Greek army from Anatolia in August 1922.
Following the outbreak of the Venizelist-led September 1922 Revolution among the surviving Army units, he was dismissed from service on 17 October 1922. He testified in the Trial of the Six
Trial of the Six
The Trial of the Six or the Execution of the Six was the trial for treason, in late 1922, of the officials held responsible for the Greek military defeat in Asia Minor...
.