Pavlos Konstantinidis

Pavlos N. Konstantinidis (Παύλος Ν.Κωνσταντινίδης) was a lieutenant of the Hellenic Army. He was killed in action on 26 November 1946 in Mandalon (a village of Pella Prefecture, near Giannitsa). His grave's inscription informs us that he was from Pontos (Black Sea's coastal area of Asia Minor). In bibliography he is wrongly mentioned as Stavros (Σταύρος) instead of Pavlos. He was the leader of the 8th Company of Gendarmerie for Pursuit and Hunting (8ος Λόχος Κυνηγών Χωροφυλακής). He and his company were protecting the village of Mandalon against Red Guerilla Attacks. Very early in the morning of November 26th 1946 big forces of Red Guerillas (of Slavic and Greek Origin) after blocking the roads to Mandalon (in order to stop potential reinforcements) commenced their attack. The company was surrounded and several Gendarmes killed in action. When first Guerillas penetrated in the village Konstantinidis initially though they were the expected reinforcements from Giannitsa. Nevertheless, in the process of identifying whether the troops were Guerillas or Reinforcements he was shot and killed. A horrible carnage of villagers commenced after that, since the company could not hold anymore. It had already significant loses, extremely limited ammo, no leader, the perimeter had been breached and they were surrounded whilst the first houses were already on fire. National Army managed to re-gain control of the village on November 27th but what they found once they entered is better not to be mentioned.