Carlo Geloso
Carlo Geloso | |
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Eleventh Army |
Carlo Geloso (20 August 1879 – 23 July 1957) was an Italian general during the
Early life and career
Born in
First World War
After Italy entered the
Interwar period
Despite his distinguished if unexceptional career, from 20 July 1920 to 7 March 1925 he was relegated to a "Special Auxiliary Position", a special arrangement intended to handle the large number of officers after the end of the war.
On his return to active duty in 1925, he was assigned to the General Secretariat of the Supreme Commission on Defence, and he left the service from February 1926.[1][4] He remained at that post until 1 March 1928, when he was sent to command the 6th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment.[1][4]
On 25 January 1931 he was promoted brigadier general, and in March 1931, he returned to Rome as chief of staff to the
Ethiopia and Albania
In March 1936 he was sent to
In 1938, he returned to Rome, until 3 August as Honorary Governor of Galla-Sidamo, but in 1939, he was promoted to army corps general and sent to command the Bari Army Corps. Promoted to army corps general, he was sent in October to command first the VII Army Corps at Trieste and then, on 1 December, the XXVI Army Corps, comprising the Italian garrison (XXVI Army Corps) in Italian-occupied Albania.[1][7]
Geloso remained in Albania until 6 June 1940. During his tenure, he planned for an attack on Greece, and elements of his plans were indeed used in the subsequent
World War II and occupation of Greece
Italy's entry into
His tenure in Greece earned him criticism from many sides. The Greeks naturally resented him as the commander-in-chief of the Italian occupation forces and the brutality that he displayed in anti-partisan operations. However, the Italians' German allies considered him too "weak" and ineffective despite his reputation as a loyal adherent to the
At the same time, Geloso's relations with the Germans became increasingly strained, as he jealously guarded the Italian prerogatives in Greece against German encroachments, particularly after the appointment of Colonel-General
Despite being highly praised by the chief of the Italian General Staff,
Imprisonment and release
On 20 June 1943, he was placed in the reserve because of his advanced age but was recalled to service attached to the Ministry of War. In the days before the
Later life
He was placed on leave on 1 February 1946 but was recalled to temporary service from 27 April to 30 June 1947. On 28 May 1947, the Italian monarchy
References
- ^ ISBN 978-8-81200032-6.
- ^ a b c Bregantin 2010, p. 396.
- ^ Bregantin 2010, pp. 396–397.
- ^ a b c Bregantin 2010, p. 397.
- ^ a b Bregantin 2010, p. 398.
- ^ Bregantin 2010, p. 398–399.
- ^ a b c Bregantin 2010, p. 399.
- S2CID 143570472.
- ^ Bregantin 2010, pp. 319–333.
- ^ Bregantin 2010, pp. 3, 400.
- ^ Bregantin 2010, p. 400.
- ^ a b c Bregantin 2010, p. 401.
Sources
- Bregantin, Lisa (2010). L'occupazione dimenticata. Gli italiani in Grecia 1941-1943 (PhD) (in Italian). Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia.