October 4, 1955: Decorated war hero Alexandros Papagos passes away

Alexandros Papagos war

Born in Athens but with roots in Aivali, Asia Minor, Alexandros Papagos (December 9, 1883 – October 4, 1955) was a Greek military leader who reached the Rank of Field Marshal.

He served as Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff and later as Prime Minister.

History - Hellenic National Defence General Staff - Official Website

Starting from 1906, Papagos served 45 years in the Greek Military, serving in the Balkan Wars (1912-13), the Asia Minor Campaign (1919-22), the Greco-Italian War (1940), the Battle of Greece (1941), and the Greek Civil War (1946-49).

During the Italian attack on Greece in World War II, Papagos directed Greek operations against the Italians on the Albanian front. Under his command, the Greek army halted the Italian advance and pushed them back into northern Albania.

Following the German invasion and occupation of Greece, Papagos organised a resistance movement made up of Greek officers.

In 1943 he was arrested by the German occupiers and transferred to the Dachau concentration camp, where he remained until the camp was liberated in 1945.

In 1949, he was again appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Greek Army to lead the final victory over the communist guerrillas during the Civil War.

The suburb of Papagou in Athens, named after him, is home to the Greek Ministry of National Defense.

After a long and decorated Military career, he turned his hand to Politics and founded his own party—Greek Rally—which he would go on to win the November 1952 elections. He served as Prime Minister until his death.

READ MORE: October 4, 1974: Konstantinos Karamanlis founds the New Democracy Party.