The Committee of the Australian Hellenic Memorial Melbourne, commemorated the 81st Anniversary of the Battle of Crete, last Sunday, in memory to all those that served and died in Greece 1940-41.
A large crowd attended the ceremony including the Greek Consul General in Melbourne, Mr. Emmanuel Kakavelakis; the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, Vice Admiral Ioannis Drymousis; Colonel Miltiadis Militsis, Colonel Ioannis Fasianos, and the representative of the Governor of Crete, Councillor Kostas Dandoulakis.
In their speeches, both Mr. Kakavelakis and Vice Admiral Drymousis, spoke of the importance of never forgetting the ANZACs and other Allies for their sacrifice supporting Greece in World War Two as well as the Cretan civilians for looking after and feeding many Allies during the War.
The names of 17,000 Australians and 7000 New Zealand Forces that served in the Greek Campaign 1940-41, of which 1881 died and were buried on Greek soil have been carved on Crypt of the Australian Hellenic Memorial, to be remembered forever.