Prometheus II

Prometheus II (Προμηθεύς II) was a minor group of the Greek Resistance during the Axis occupation of Greece in World War II, engaged in sabotage operations in collaboration with the Special Operations Executive.

History
Its original name was "Prometheus I", and it was headed by Colonel Evripidis Bakirtzis. Later in 1941, its leadership was taken over by the Navy Second Lieutenant Charalambos Koutsogiannopoulos, and it was renamed as "Prometheus II".

Maintaining close relations with the British Special Operations Executive, the group carried out sabotage operations in Piraeus, Attica, and the airfield at Molaoi. It was also active in political developments of the period.

Thus Koutsogiannopoulos is known to have forced, at gunpoint, Colonel Napoleon Zervas, the leader of the National Republican Greek League (EDES), to leave Athens and undertake armed resistance in the mountains. Zervas, despite having received 800 gold sovereigns from the British for the purpose, was reluctant to do so, and was tarrying in Athens. The group continued its activities until February 1943, when the occupation authorities broke it up. Koutsogiannopoulos was arrested but managed to escape.

During the Dekemvriana of 1944, Koutsogiannopoulos sided with the National Liberation Front (EAM) against the British and government forces. As a result, in the post-war period he faced prosecution, and received no recognition for his Resistance activity.