In 1833, the Bavarian Prince Otto arrived in Greece as its King elected by the three Allied Powers (Britain, France, Russia). He was accompanied by the Regency Council and the Bavarian Guard, approximately 4,000 strong. The first Regency Council government sought, through harsh measures, to disband the irregular forces, prohibit carrying firearms, and re-establish the Regular Army, which had been disbanded after the assassination of Kapodistrias (1831).
The new “Army Regulation” (February 1833) provided for the establishment of: Infantry with eight battalions, Artillery with six companies, one Animal Driver company and one Technician company, Engineer Corps with two Sapper companies, Cavalry with one Lancer regiment, Skirmishers with ten battalions formed from the disbanded irregular forces, and a Veteran company, which consisted of those who had become unfit to perform their duty. The Gendarmerie was also established during this period.
Later, modifications of the Army Regulation provided for the establishment of: the Phalanx, an honorary corps which included officers and chieftains of the War of Independence who did not join the Regular Army (1835), Mountain Guard with ten battalions, whose mission was guarding the border and maintaining public security (1838), and National Guard in each municipality, whose mission was maintaining public order and security. It consisted of unpaid civilians who were not on regular duty (1843).
They also provided for the establishment of the position of Army Inspector General, the General Staff Officer Corps (1833), Financial Auditors (1852), Court of Appeals and two ordinary Courts Martial (1860), Military Bakeries (1861), and a Disciplinary Company for insubordinate soldiers (1861). An Army Band was also established for the Athens Garrison, consisting of fifty-one musicians. Finally, the “Central War School” (1829) was renamed to “Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon)” (1834).
After the deposition of Otto (1862) and the ascension of George I to the throne (1863), the “Army Regulation” of 1833 continued to be in force until 1876.
#ΕλληνικόςΣτρατός, #HellenicArmy
