Memorial monument to the first Greek casualty of WWII, Alexandros Diakos, on Pl. Eleftherias on the Rhodes waterfront of Mandraki port.
"A lot of history is being recalled during and around the Oct.28 “OXI Day” celebrations in Greece. After all, it was one of the most heroic eras of the country’s history.
Today we focus on the first Greek casualty of the Second World War. There are a few contradictory stories about who it was, but most reporters and historians agree that Greek Army Lieutenant Alexandros Diakos was the first Greek officer to die in the war, on November 1, 1940.
Greece became involved in WW2 after Italy declared war on October 28, 1940 with the infamous ultimatum, which was to be handed by the Italian ambassador to the Greek Government, allowing no margins for compromise, but “either acceptance of an occupation, or undergoing an invasion”.
The Division of Epirus was responsible for the major part of the defence; it was the only national Army formation that was charged with defending the territorial integrity of the country. Its main mission was to “cover central Greece, under the direction of Ioannina, Zigos Metsovou” and secondly “to defend the national territory”.
On the 1st of November during the counter attack; launched by the heroic Pindos Detachment, the Line of ” Gyftissa – Oxia ” was recaptured and three Italian Officers and 222 solders were taken prisoners. 140 animals and a large quantity of supplies fell in the hands of the Hellenic troops. It was there that Lieutenant Alexandros Diakos, became the first casualty of the war.
Diakos was born on the island of Chalki in the Dodecanese. He left the Italian-occupied Dodecanese in 1929 for Athens. Upon graduating Military School in 1934, he was commissioned as sub-lieutenant in the Greek Army.
At the outbreak of World War II he was a lieutenant commanding the 2nd platoon of the the I/4 battalion. He was among the first to see action and was the first officer who fell, on Tsouka Hill, on November 1, 1940, fighting the Italian invaders.
Alexandros Diakos is buried on the island of Rhodes; in his native Dodecanese. A statue of him is raised on his grave, commemorating the first Greek casualty of the Second World War.
SOURCE - (visit link)
Ref - (visit link) The Defence and Fall of Greece 1940-1941 By John Carr
Mnimeío tou prótou ellinikoú atychímatos tou V 'Pankosmíou Polémou, Aléxandros Diákos, sto Pl. Elefthería stin prokymaía tis Ródou, sto limáni tou Mandrakíou.
"Pollí istoría anakaleítai katá ti diárkeia kai gýro apó tis eortastikés ekdilóseis tis iméras Októvrios 28 tou OCHI stin Elláda, mia apó tis pio iroikés epochés tis istorías tis chóras.
Símera epikentronómaste sto próto ellinikó atýchima tou V Pankosmíou Polémou. Ypárchoun merikés antifatikés istoríes gia to poios ítan, allá oi perissóteroi dimosiográfoi kai istorikoí symfonoún óti o ypolochagós tou Ellinikoú Stratoú Aléxandros Diákos ítan o prótos Éllinas axiomatikós pou péthane ston pólemo, tin 1i Noemvríou 1940.
I Elláda symmeteíche ston V 'Pankósmio Pólemo metá tin Italía pou kíryxe ton pólemo stis 28 Oktovríou 1940 me to perífimo telesígrafo pou éprepe na paradósei o italós presveftís stin ellinikí kyvérnisi, chorís na afínei perithória symvivasmoú, allá "eíte tin apodochí enós epangélmatos, eisvolí".
To tmíma tis Ipeírou ítan ypéfthyno gia to megalýtero méros tis yperáspisis. ítan o mónos ethnikós schimatismós tou Stratoú, o opoíos ítan epifortisménos me tin yperáspisi tis edafikís akeraiótitas tis chóras. I kýria apostolí tis ítan i «kálypsi tis kentrikís Elládas, ypó tin diéfthynsi ton Ioannínon, tou Zífou Metsóvou» kai défteron «i yperáspisi tis ethnikís epikráteias».
Tin 1i Noemvríou katá tin antepíthesi. pou xekínise apó to iroikó apóspasma tis Píndou, anasýrthike i Grammí tis «Gýftissas - Oxías» kai treis italikoí axiomatikoí kai 222 stratiótes synelífthisan. 140 zóa kai megáli posótita promitheión épesan sta chéria ton ellinikón stratevmáton. Ítan ekeí o ypolochagós Aléxandros Diákos, pou égine to próto atýchima tou polémou.
O Diákos genníthike sto nisí tis Chálkis sta Dodekánisa. Éfyge apó ta italiká katechómena Dodekánisa to 1929 gia tin Athína. Metá tin apofoítisí tou apó to Stratiotikó Scholeío to 1934, anatéthike os ypo-ypoploíarchos ston Ellinikó Strató.
Sto xéspasma tou V Pankosmíou Polémou ítan ypolochagós pou diífthyne ti 2i dimoiría tou tágmatos I / 4. Ítan apó tous prótous pou eíde drási kai ítan o prótos axiomatikós pou épese, ston lófo Tsoúka, tin 1i Noemvríou 1940, polemóntas tous Italoús eisvoleís.
O Aléxandros Diákos eínai thamménos sto nisí tis Ródou. sta mitropolitiká tou Dodekánisa. Éna ágalma tou anypsónetai ston táfo tou, mnimonévontas to próto ellinikó atýchima tou Deftérou Pankosmíou Polémou.
PIGI - (sýndesmos epískepsis)