The Greek Government bestowed the Greek Campaign medal upon Australian veterans who served in Greece during World War Two as a symbol of appreciation for the Australian veterans’ significant contributions back in the early 1970s.
Two years ago, Consul General of Greece in Melbourne Emmanuel Kakavelakis initiated a search led by Steve Kyritsis OAM, President of the Australian Hellenic Memorial Foundation, to identify Australian veterans or their families who had yet to receive the prestigious Greek Campaign medal.The search proved to be a challenging but fruitful task, with 40 families making contact.
Kyritsis enlisted the help of Victorian veteran magazines and the National Veterans Newspaper, placing notices to seek out families of veterans eligible for the Greek Campaign medal from 1940-41.Kyritsis also combed through the National Archives Canberra to verify the service records of the veterans who served in Greece from 1940 to 41.
The diligence paid off, confirming the eligibility of the identified veterans and their families. A presentation is scheduled for Sunday, November 26, at the Hellenic RSL in South Melbourne, an event accessible by invitation only.
“Sadly, none of the 40 veterans who applied are alive today. Therefore, their sons, daughters, or other family members will graciously accept the medals on their behalf,” Steve Kyritsis told Neos Kosmos,
“During the Greek Campaign of World War Two, 17,000 Australians served, with 840 sacrificing their lives and finding a final resting place in Greek soil. The campaign witnessed many soldiers captured as prisoners, and some paid the ultimate price in action,” Kyritsis said.
Finally, the President of the Australian Hellenic Memorial Foundation expressed his gratitude “for the immense support received over the past two years from the Greek Consulate Melbourne, particularly Mr Emmanuel Kakavelakis”.
