Those interested in Australian history, will no doubt be familiar with the Kokoda campaign of WWII. But what many may not know, is that 316 men of Greek origin served alongside the Australian forces in their adoptive homeland.
The Japanese had an objective to capture Port Moresby and use Papua New Guinea as a springboard to launch attacks into Australia. The only way to do this was to land ground forces at the northern part of Papua New Guinea, and proceed towards Port Moresby through the Kokoda Track.
Thousands of Australian servicemen were involved in defending this track and halting the Japanese advance.
The Kokoda campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 where the fighting was some of the most desperate and vicious encountered by Australian troops in the Second World War.
Steve Kyritsis OAM will look back on this time in history, and the role of the 316 Greek men in a lecture titled ‘Greek Australians in the Australian Forces: Kokoda Track – New Guinea WWII’.
Taking place at Melbourne’s Greek Centre as part of the Culture and History Seminars Program, aside from having personal experience in the Australian Armed forces, he has also contributed significantly to the literature on Greek Australian servicemen in the forces, as the author of three books on the topic.
Mr Kyritsis is the serving President of the Hellenic RSL and the Australian Hellenic Memorial Foundation in Melbourne.
The free lecture will be given on Thursday 16 August at The Greek Centre (168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne, VIC) at 7.00 pm. Presentation will be given in English.