A host of ceremonies, speeches, book launches and parades will honour the Anzac story in Greece this year, with the 75th anniversary of the Greece and Crete campaigns set to mark the bonds forged in war between Australia and Greece.

In Melbourne, while some events began this month, most will take place throughout April and May, with the schedule continuing through to the end of the year.

This year’s official wreath-laying ceremony in Victoria will take place at the Shrine of Remembrance on Sunday, 10 April at midday, with a second ceremony at the Australian Hellenic Memorial in Domain Gardens.

The ceremonies will be preceded by a service and doxology at St Efstathios in South Melbourne. Later the same day the Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne and the Pancretan Association of Melbourne will host a lunch at the Cretan House, Nicholson Street, in honour of surviving veterans.

Highlights of the April program include a luncheon in honour of 103-year-old 2/7th Battalion veteran Mr Les Manning, a presentation by the eldest surviving daughter of Captain Reg Saunders, Ms Glenda Humes, recounting her father’s experiences in Crete, and the launch of a new revised edition of Dr Peter Ewer’s much-respected book Forgotten Anzacs.

Sydney’s 75th anniversary events include a wreath-laying ceremony at The Cenotaph, Martin Place, on Saturday 16 May, at 1.45 pm, followed by the Battle of Crete Annual Ball in the evening. A memorial service will take place at the Greek Archdiocese Church in Redfern on Sunday 17 April.

Canberra’s official commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony will take place at midday on Thursday 14 April at the Australian Hellenic Memorial, Anzac Parade.

Ceremonies in Crete

Thursday 19 May is the focus for the official Australian ceremonies in Crete this year, with the commemorations at Stavromenos at 10.30 am, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Australian Hellenic Memorial in central Rethymno at midday. In the evening at 6.30 pm the new 42nd Street Memorial will be dedicated at Tsikalaria.

Galatas will host the main New Zealand commemoration on the evening of Friday 20 May, and the wreath-laying ceremony at Souda Bay Allied War Cemetery will begin at 6.00 pm on Saturday 21 May.

Full details of the Melbourne events are available from the Battle of Crete and Greece Commemorative Council c/o Tony Tsourdalakis on 0419 856 736.

For Sydney events contact Nick Andriotakis, secretary of the Joint Committee for the Commemoration of the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign, on 0411 183500.