
SPYRIDON
C. THEODOROPOULOS
(1891-1983)

Photo
(1917) of
Spyridon C. Theodoropoulos (1891-1983)
In the Hellenic Army uniform of a
Lieutenant
[Photini
Theodoropoulou Collection]
Son
of Constantine Theodoropoulos and Photini
Michalizzi,
Spyridon was born in Coron (Peloponnese). He volunteered for
the
Hellenic Army (1910), where he initially served as a non-commissioned
officer and from 1916 as a career officer. He participated in
the
Balkan Wars (1912-1913)
as
a Corporal of the 9th Infantry Regiment of the IV Division
(later
XIV Division) of Army Corps B', promoted on the
battlefield to Sergeant and
Sergeant-Major and after the war to Chief Warrant Officer. As
a
Lieutenant of the 12th Infantry Regiment
of
the III Division of Army Corps B' he fought gallantly at the operations
of the Macedonian Front during World War I (1918) and was promoted for
bravery to Captain. He also took part at the Asia
Minor Campaign (1919-1922). Just before World War II he
was recalled into service (1936) and with the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel he was appointed Director of the country's Civil Air Defence
and promoted to Colonel. As a result of his work is the
respective legislation as well as the construction of shelters and
fortifications (including those on Lykabettus Hill in Athens), for
which he was personally commended by Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas.
In
the framework of the great Inter-Allied
advance and pursuit of the Bulgarian forces northwards (which finally
compelled them to surrender) he reached the cities of Skopje, Pristina,
Chervena Reka, Pirot and on his way back he stoped at
their defeated capital, Sofia.
He fought gallantly during the crossing of the Cerna or Crna
(Mavropotamos or Erigon) river and the subsequent assault and capture
of the enemy position at the gorge of the same name (September
1918). Likewise, during the Greek advance for the capture of
Dorileon (Dorylaeum or Eski Sehir) and Akroinos (Aqrun or Afion
Karahisar), then occupied by the revolutionary forces of the Turkish
Grand National Assembly, he distinguished himself and was seriously
wounded at the most murderous Battle of Avgin (better known as the
Second Battle of Inönü).
Facing fierce enemy resistance he captured their trenches, forced them
to
retreat and repulsed their twenty two successive counter-attacks (March
1921).

Photo
(1922) of
Spyridon C. Theodoropoulos (1891-1983)
and his wife Anne D. Ioannopoulou
(1900-1985)
[Photini
Theodoropoulou Collection]
For
his military career he was decorated with the
Silver Cross of the Royal Order of the Redeemer and the Gold Cross of
the Royal Order of George I. For his war action he was
decorated
with the gallantry awards of the Gold Cross of Valour, the War Cross
2rd Class (twice) and the Medal of Military Merit 4th and 3rd Class, as
well as
with the commemorative campaign Medals for the Balkan Wars 1912-1913
(that of the Greco-Turkish War with the Elasson, Sarantaporo,
Gianitsa, Ostrovo, Aetorrachi and Ioannina battle clasps and that of
the Greco-Bulgarian War with the Kilkis-Lachana, Beles and
Kresna-Djumaja battle clasps), the 1918 Inter-Allied Victory
and
the 1940-1941 War. He was also Mentioned in Dispatches six
times, in 1913 (twice), 1918, 1921 (twice) and 1939 and was awarded two
Campaign Squares (1919). To
his
honour, the Class 2023 of the Non-Commissioned Officers
Army Academy (SMY) was given his name as its Hero.
In
1923 he married Anne D. Ioannopoulou
(1900-1985), who worked enthusiastically in charitable activities and
gave birth to Photini (1925-2018), mother of Diana Macris-Cangelaris
(1959), and Dimitri (Mimis) Theodoropoulos (1928). After
recovering from his wounds, he taught as Professor at the Military
School of Logistics & Management, served at the General Store of
Army Material in Piraeus, joined the 1st Infantry Regiment of the II
Division of Army Corps A' and took part at the procedure of exchange of
prisoners of war and refugees with Turkey (1923). As war invalid
he was put to honorary retirement and combat availability, while
following his recall into service he taught as Professor at the
Hellenic Military Academy as well. Αt the
Interwar
period he designed and
privately constructed a
number of houses and buildings at the Kolonaki, Plaka and Herakleion
quarters of Athens. During the foreign occupation (1941-1944)
and
until 1965 he
undertook the management of the farm and winery "Tour la Reine Estate"
as well as of the property department of the John Serpieri
enterprises. After the end of the Greek Civil War, he acquired
and modernized the
"Peter's"
Soap
and Cosmetics Manufactory (1950) that operated for more than twenty
years. Both he and his wife passed away in Athens.

Photo
(1940) of
Spyridon C. Theodoropoulos (1891-1983)
In the Hellenic Army uniform of a Colonel
[Photini
Theodoropoulou Collection]
Related
pages:
SMY Class 2023 Hero
Adoption of Infantry Colonel
Theodoropoulos Spyridon
Order book Spyridon
C. Theodoropoulos (1891-1983)
Ελληνικά
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© 1998 to date: by Panayotis D. Cangelaris
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