Members of Victoria’s Hellenic RSL, including veterans from Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan are set to take part in the official Anzac Day March in Melbourne on Thursday.
Led by president Steve Kyritsis, who will also march with his Royal Australian Regiment unit, the Hellenic RSL will join thousands of veterans as they make their way from central Melbourne at midday to the Shrine of Remembrance.
Steve told Neos Kosmos that the Hellenic RSL – which was originally formed in 1937 – was once again “proud to march on this historic day, to remember all the men and women that served and died for their country, those who gave so much for us to enjoy our freedom.”
“It is also important to remember the Greek Australian men that served,” said Steve.
In the First World War, 80 Greek Australians served in Australian forces, including 57 that were born in Greece and 12 were at Gallipoli. Some 2500 Australians of Greek descent served in Australian forces in WWII.
The Hellenic RSL has 170 members and officially commemorates the Greek National Day, the Battle of Crete anniversary, and OXI Day. It is the only Greek organisation that marches on ANZAC Day in Melbourne.
As president, Steve is a member of the recently-formed Lemnos-Gallipoli Committee, set up to acknowledge and promote Lemnos’ relationship to the Gallipoli campaign.
The committee is currently preparing a submission to the Centenary of Anzac to erect a statue of a nurse and Digger at Port Melbourne as part of Centenary commemorations in 2015.
“We’re hoping we’ll be able to put the memorial near Station Pier,” said Steve, “with its connection to both the many migrants who disembarked there, and those who embarked for war.”