Christos Hatzimichalis Explained

Christos Hatzimichalis
Birth Date:1866
Birth Place:Athens, Kingdom of Greece
Allegiance: Kingdom of Greece
Serviceyears:1889–1920
1922–1923
Rank: Major General
Commands:Commander of the Hellenic Military Academy
9th Infantry Division
Head of Army Staff Service
II Army Corps
Battles:Greco-Turkish War of 1897
Balkan Wars
World War I
Battles Label:Wars
Alma Mater:Hellenic Military Academy

Christos Hatzimichalis (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Χρήστος Χατζημιχάλης) was a Greek Engineers officer who rose to the rank of major general.

He was born in Athens in 1866. He was the great-grandson of the Greek War of Independence commander Hatzimichalis Dalianis. After studies at the Hellenic Army Academy, he was commissioned as an Engineers 2nd lieutenant in 1889. He fought in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 on the Epirus front, served as a captain in the General Staff during the First Balkan War of 1912–13, and, promoted to major, fought with the 1st Infantry Division during the Second Balkan War soon after.[1]

By 1916 he was a lieutenant colonel, and supported the uprising in Thessaloniki that led to the establishment of a separate Provisional Government of National Defence under Eleftherios Venizelos there, and was charged with organizing the Engineer Corps of the "Army of National Defence" the latter raised.[1] In 1917–1920 he served successively as commander of the Army Academy, of the 9th Infantry Division, and as head of the Army Staff Service. He resigned from the army after the Venizelist electoral defeat in November 1920.[1]

He was recalled to active service by the revolutionary government after the September 1922 Revolution, and commanded the II Army Corps until the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne, when he returned to retirement.[1]

He was considered an officer of great erudition, and had published various studies on military affairs, including one on the 1897 war with Turkey.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Μεγάλη Στρατιωτική και Ναυτική Εγκυκλοπαιδεία. Τόμος Στ′: Σαράντα Εκκλησίαι – Ώχρα . Great Military and Naval Encyclopedia. Volume VI . Athens . 1930 . 574–575 . Greek.