The Australian Embassy in Greece hosted a ceremony at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Athens to commemorate ANZAC Day, honouring all those who have served in armed conflict.
The cemetery commemorates 584 Australians and 731 New Zealanders who fell defending Greece during World War II.
It was hosted by Australian Ambassador to Greece Alison Duncan and welcomed members of the Australian and New Zealand communities in Athens to the service.
Among those in attendance who laid wreaths to pay their respect were Greece’s Deputy Minister of Defence Yiannis Kefalogiannis; the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces, Vice-Admiral Christos Sasiakos; the representative of the President of the Hellenic Republic Commander Konstantinos Laskaris; Ambassadors and representatives of foreign missions in Greece; the New Zealand Honorary Consul in Greece Ioanna Gouvatsou; and members of Greek Australian and Greek New Zealand associations.
The Hellenic Armed Forces Military Guard and Military Band, students from St. Catherine’s British School and students from Campion School Athens also participates in the service.
More commemorative services will be held in Lemnos, starting at the Commonwealth Cemetery of Moudros with Wreath Laying, observation of a minute’s silence in memory of the Fallen in the Gallipoli Campaign and a National Anthems Army Trumpet Salute.
Principal of Moudros Gymnasium and Deputy President of the Association “The Lemnos’ friends of Anzac” Theodora Lymperi will give a speech.
Ceremonies will then move to the Port of Moudros with flowers laying before the Australian Plate at the port by members of the local Cultural Association of Moudros “Pavlos Kountouriotis”, dressed in traditional clothes.
This will follow with four traditional dances from the dancing group of the association.
There will be services at the Commonwealth Cemetery of Portianou before a motorcade will drive by points of interest associated with the Gallipoli Campaign.
