Hi all!
Here is the latest addition to my collection, the personal documents and some paperwork of Fotis Zisopoulos, CO of the 30th Regiment of ELAS, the Greek Peoples' Liberational Army. ELAS documents are quite rare and these ones are historically significant, bearing some information about Zisopoulos himself and the Regiment as well, as one of them is an officers' cadre list.
I hope you 'll find it interesting!
Best regards,
Giorgos
The 30th Regiment, which belonged to the X Division, saw action against Italian and German troops, Bulgarian paramilitary groups and Greek collaborators. The hardest battles were the ones against the forces of EES, the Greek National Army, which was acting under the orders of the SS, known in the German lingo as "Nationale Kampfgruppen". After bloody battles in Giannitsa, Krya Vrysi and Kilkis, after the German retreat, EES was defeated and the 30th Regiment controlled the area until the spring of 1945.
Zisopoulos' personal story is really interesting. He joined the Army in 1912, as a private, just before the outbreak of the Balkan Wars. He took part in important battles of the Greek-Turkish and Greek Bulgarian Wars, such as Bizani and Kilkis-Lahana, among others.
He fought as a Sergeant during WW1, taking part in a series of battles, from Monastirion to Skra di Legen and the Struma Valley.
Zisopoulos followed the Greek Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Asia Minor Campaign, taking part in a series of 24 battles, from the initial landings in Izmir in 1919, till the defeat in 1922.
He was wounded two times, one of which heavily. He was awarded the War Cross 3rd Class twice, the Military Medal 3rd Class, the Greek-Turkish and Greek-Bulgarian War Medals and WW1 Interallied Victory Medal.
During the rest of the 20s, he served in different formations and was discharged in 1930, as a Major. He didn't take part in the 1940-41 operations, but he joined ELAS in 1943, taking command of the 30th Regiment. As a CO, he took part in 33 small and large scale operations, from sabotage to battles against Wehrmacht and SS troops.
Zisopoulos' hand written personal documents, with his personal data and history of battles, transfers and promotions, both in the "bourgeois army" and the ELAS, signed by him and bearing the seal of the Regiment.
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt226/stray_dog/2-1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2-1.jpg"/></a>
A typed version of the above document
Regimental Order bearing the signatures of Zisopoulos (military commander) and Nikitaras ("Kapetanios"), addressing the Regiment during their leave for their -temporary as it turned out- attachment to the Divisional HQ.
Another version, probably for office use
Regimental Order on the return of Zisopoulos and him assuming command of the Regiment.
Officers' cadre of the Regiment
Two reprinted photos, most probably from the '50s - early '60s. The first one was either reprinted from a book or a period newspaper. The date and the location are unknown. The second one depicts men of the Regiment after the battle in Giannitsa, against the combined forces of Germans and the EES.
Here is the latest addition to my collection, the personal documents and some paperwork of Fotis Zisopoulos, CO of the 30th Regiment of ELAS, the Greek Peoples' Liberational Army. ELAS documents are quite rare and these ones are historically significant, bearing some information about Zisopoulos himself and the Regiment as well, as one of them is an officers' cadre list.
I hope you 'll find it interesting!
Best regards,
Giorgos
The 30th Regiment, which belonged to the X Division, saw action against Italian and German troops, Bulgarian paramilitary groups and Greek collaborators. The hardest battles were the ones against the forces of EES, the Greek National Army, which was acting under the orders of the SS, known in the German lingo as "Nationale Kampfgruppen". After bloody battles in Giannitsa, Krya Vrysi and Kilkis, after the German retreat, EES was defeated and the 30th Regiment controlled the area until the spring of 1945.
Zisopoulos' personal story is really interesting. He joined the Army in 1912, as a private, just before the outbreak of the Balkan Wars. He took part in important battles of the Greek-Turkish and Greek Bulgarian Wars, such as Bizani and Kilkis-Lahana, among others.
He fought as a Sergeant during WW1, taking part in a series of battles, from Monastirion to Skra di Legen and the Struma Valley.
Zisopoulos followed the Greek Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Asia Minor Campaign, taking part in a series of 24 battles, from the initial landings in Izmir in 1919, till the defeat in 1922.
He was wounded two times, one of which heavily. He was awarded the War Cross 3rd Class twice, the Military Medal 3rd Class, the Greek-Turkish and Greek-Bulgarian War Medals and WW1 Interallied Victory Medal.
During the rest of the 20s, he served in different formations and was discharged in 1930, as a Major. He didn't take part in the 1940-41 operations, but he joined ELAS in 1943, taking command of the 30th Regiment. As a CO, he took part in 33 small and large scale operations, from sabotage to battles against Wehrmacht and SS troops.
Zisopoulos' hand written personal documents, with his personal data and history of battles, transfers and promotions, both in the "bourgeois army" and the ELAS, signed by him and bearing the seal of the Regiment.
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt226/stray_dog/2-1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2-1.jpg"/></a>
A typed version of the above document
Regimental Order bearing the signatures of Zisopoulos (military commander) and Nikitaras ("Kapetanios"), addressing the Regiment during their leave for their -temporary as it turned out- attachment to the Divisional HQ.
Another version, probably for office use
Regimental Order on the return of Zisopoulos and him assuming command of the Regiment.
Officers' cadre of the Regiment
Two reprinted photos, most probably from the '50s - early '60s. The first one was either reprinted from a book or a period newspaper. The date and the location are unknown. The second one depicts men of the Regiment after the battle in Giannitsa, against the combined forces of Germans and the EES.
Comment