Battle of Crete commemorations began early this month in Sydney and Crete, Greece with Victoria joining in last week. Hundreds of veterans, members of Cretan Clubs are gathering around the city to remember the price of freedom paid by the Cretan people and their Allied bothers during the 1941 campaign.

Here is a list of commemorative events set to take place this week:

Thursday 23 May 
6.50pm: Greek Military Officials Vice Admiral Paxivanakis and Lieutenant Colonel Christos Anastasiadis arrive in Melbourne from Canberra with flight Virgin VA 278.
Mr Paxivanakis of the Hellenic Navy is specialised in Communications and Electronic Warfare systems, he is a graduate of the Hellenic Naval War College and the ΝΑΤΟ Defence College (NADEFCOL) in Italy. He has been awarded with all the medals, decorations and commendations stipulated for an officer of his rank and seniority.
Mr Anastasiadis has over 2500 flying hours with NATO E-3A and the Hellenic AWACS. After having been assigned at the Air Defence Directorate of the Hellenic Defence General Staff, dealing among others with NATO and Tactical Data Links subjects, in 2016 he moved to Public Relations Directorate as a Deputy Director where he serves up today.

Vice Admiral Paxivanakis

Friday 24 May
9.00am: Greek officials meet with Greek military officers at Parliament House and members of the Greece – Victoria friendship committee.
11.00am: Commemoration service and wreath laying ceremony at the the Whittlesea War Memorial Statue, on Laurel Street. An olive tree planting ceremony will follow before the revelation of the honourary plaque at the Epping RSL War Memorial garden. Following the ceremony, Mayor Laurie Cox whose father was a war prisoner in Crete will hold a luncheon.
3.00pm: Press conference with Vice Admiral Paxivanakis at the Melbourne Greek Consulate.
7.30pm: Dinner in honour of the Greek Military envoys held by the Greek Consul in Australia Mr Dimitrios Michalopoulos.

Saturday 25 May
10.00am: Tour to the Shrine of Remembrance with Shirley Devery, author of For God, King and Country and daughter of Thomas Devery who fought in Greece and Crete in 1941. The Greek officers will then visit the commemorative and permanent exhibitions.
12.30pm: Luncheon in honour of the envoys and the Malevizi Municipality held by the Victorian RSL.
7.00pm: To commemorate the 78th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete, the Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne and Victoria in partnership with the Pancretan Association of Melbourne are co-hosting a Cretan Glendi featuring Dimitris Spyridakis and his band from Crete. The event is proudly catered by Sardellis Catering Concepts and will be held at 7pm on the 25 May at the Cretan Brotherhood Hall (148 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East). To book tickets call Jim 0411 224 532, Michael 0408 855 109 or John 0413 440 033.

Lieutenant Colonel Christos Anastasiadis

Sunday 26 May
10.00am: Liturgy in memory of the fallen of the Battle of Crete at the St Efstathios Greek Orthodox church by Bishop of Derbis Ezekiel.
11.00am: Parade and wreath laying ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance attended by Greek and Australian military officials, politicians and wider community representatives.
12.30pm: Visit to the Cretan Olive.
1.00pm: Short commemorative ceremony and wreath laying at the Greek Australian Battle of Crete monument
2.00pm: Official luncheon in honour of Battle of Crete survivors attended by church and state officials, members of local government, diplomats and military officials as well as members of the Cretan Brotherhood and the Pancretan Association.

Monday 27 May
9.30am: Greek military envoys to visit Oakleigh Grammar.
12.00pm: Customary meeting with Greek Orthodox Bishops Iakovos of Militoupolis and Ezekiel of Dervis.
10.30pm: Mr Paxivanakis and Mr Anastasiadis to depart from Melbourne to Athens.