Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg
Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ | Wehrmacht |
| Rank | General der Panzertruppe |
| Battles/wars | World War I, World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Leo Dietrich Franz Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg (2 March 1886 – 27 January 1974) was a German cavalry officer in World War I and a general during World War II. He was particularly noted for his expertise in armoured warfare and his command of Panzer Group West during the Invasion of Normandy.
Geyr was born in Potsdam and joined the German Army in 1904. From 1933-37, he was a military attaché to the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands, residing in London.
On 10 June 1944, Geyr was wounded when Royal Air Force aircraft attacked his newly established headquarters at La Caine in Normandy.[1]
From 1945-47, Geyr was in American captivity. He died in Irschenhausen near Munich.
Ranks
- 1917: Rittmeister
- 1932: Oberst
- 1935: Generalmajor
- 1937: Generalleutnant
- 1940: General der Kavallerie
- 1941: renamed to General der Panzertruppe
Notes
Regarding personal names: Freiherr was a title before 1919, but now is regarded as part of the surname. It is translated as Baron. Before the August 1919 abolition of nobility as a legal class, titles preceded the full name when given (Graf Helmuth James von Moltke). Since 1919, these titles, along with any nobiliary prefix (von, zu, etc.), can be used, but are regarded as a dependent part of the surname, and thus come after any given names (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke). Titles and all dependent parts of surnames are ignored in alphabetical sorting. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.
- ^ H. L. Thompson. "New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force". New Zealand Electronic Text Centre.
External links
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