RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch RETURNED SOLDIER APOSTRATOS

Transcription

1 RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch RETURNED SOLDIER APOSTRATOS Memorial Hall, 14A Ferrars Place South Melbourne Vic 3205 Phone (03) June 2017 Dear Veterans, Members and Friends of the RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch Over the last few months, our Sub Branch has been very busy with the Greek Independence Day, Anzac Day and WW2 Battle of Crete events. This year is the 75th Anniversary of the Kokoda-New Guinea Campaign. I hope to see you all at the launch of my new book. "Greek-Australians in the Australian Armed Forces Kokoda World War 2". Details are in the enclosed flyer. A big thankyou to Thomas Zandes who retired from our committee after 17 years of service. A warm welcome to our newest members, Dionissios Daskalou, Antonis Tsourdalakis and Captain Luke Haitas. I hope you enjoy this edition of the Returned Soldier Apostratos Newsletter Steve Kyritsis OAM, President The Hellenic Sub Branch Marches at the 2017 Anzac Day Parade Continued on page 3 1

2 Date Milestones and Past Events 25 th March 2017 Greek National Day Melbourne and Canberra 2 rd April 2017 Annual General Meeting of the Hellenic Sub Branch. 25 th April 2017 Anzac Day 7 th May 2017 Mother s Day at the Hellenic Sub-Branch. 8 th May nd Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE DAY) 25 th May 2017 Dinner with Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros 27 th May 2017 Commemoration - 76 th Anniversary of The 1941 Battle of Crete Date Friday 21 st July 2017 Saturday 22 st July 2017 Sunday 10 th September 2017 Saturday 28 th October 2017 Future Events Book Launch at Queens Hall - Greek-Australians in the Australian Armed Forces Kokoda World War II Book Launch Function at St Kilda Town Hall - Greek-Australians in the Australian Armed Forces Kokoda WWII Fathers Day at the Hellenic Sub Branch OHI Day at the Australian Hellenic Memorial & Shrine of Remembrance 72 nd Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE DAY) Monday 8 th May 2017 On the 30 th April 1945, Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader, committed suicide during the Battle of Berlin. Germany's surrender, therefore, was authorised by his successor, Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz. The act of military surrender was signed on 7 th May in Reims, France and on 8 th May in Berlin, Germany. The war in Europe was over. Australians serving overseas joined wholeheartedly in the celebrations, Australian prisoners of war in European prison camps were liberated and began returning home. The 8 th May, was declared VE (Victory in Europe) Day, but in Australia, celebrations were tempered with the knowledge that the war in the Pacific was still to be won Pictured right - Winston Churchill waves to crowds in Whitehall, London on the day he confirms that the war with Germany was over. 2

3 Anzac Day 2017 Continued from page 1 A sea of umbrellas, cold and pouring rain did not deter tens of thousands of people from attending the Anzac Day Dawn service at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance. Later, as with every year, thousands of people lined St Kilda Road to pay their respects to the men and women who served and continue to serve in the defence forces both in conflict and in peace. Theo Spanos (front) and Jim Colias (Rear) in a parade car Continued on page 4 Manny PANOURAKIS Phone Number: (03) Address: info@manvic.com.au Street Address: L1, Highett Rd Highett Vic

4 Anzac Day 2017 (Back at the Sub Branch) Continued from page 3 We received a surprise visit from our good friend Martin Foley MP, State Member for Albert Park Joanne and Dionissios Daskalou with Michael Vallis (Right). Michael did his National service with the Cypriot National Guard in Michael also enlisted during the 1 st phase of the Turkish invasion in the summer of 1974 and will not forget the chaos. Dionissios served with the Greek Battalion stationed in Cyprus during the 1974 conflict with Turkey. Rear Row - Australian Army Cadets from Sunshine 30 ACU. Front Row (Left to Right) Our Celebrity Chef Bill Koutras, Major Terry Kanellos, Commander John Michanetzis (Retd), Steve Kyritsis OAM (Vietnam 1968), Philip Pizimolas (Vietnam 1971), Major John Stewart (Retd), Captain John Luca, Theo Spanos (Korea 1950), Themis Borobokas, Martin Foley and Captain Vicky Creed (Retd). 4

5 Mother s Day 7 th May 2017 Mother s Day at our Sub-Branch was very successful. Flowers were given to the most senior mother, Mrs Eleni Stefaki and the youngest mother Mrs Stavroula Kanellos. A special thank you to Dimitri Varnas for donating the services of live band Epirotiki Company which helped make this a most enjoyable afternoon. RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch Committee The following members were voted into the committee at the 2017 AGM:- Steve Kyritsis (President) Terry Kanellos (Secretary) Dennis Patisteas (Treasurer) Emanuel Karvelas (Senior Vice President) George Kaltzidis (Vice President) Athanasios Masouras Theo Papas Bill Koutras Peter Stathopoulos Peter Mercoulia Dimitris Varnas Kyriakos Papadopoulos Themis Sitzoukis Con Katsambanis Peter Stratigis 5

6 Sneak preview ahead of the Book Launch - Friday 21 st & Saturday 22 nd July In February 1942 Australian and Dutch troops were captured at Ambon in Indonesia, on the 15 th February Allied forces including 15,000 Australian troops surrendered in Singapore. Java and Timor fell to the unstoppable Japanese and the Japanese fleet steamed south to the Coral Sea. In Australia, Darwin and Broome were bombed, Japanese mini submarines bombed Sydney's harbourside suburbs and sank a ferry at Circular Quay killing 21. In 1942 the Australian Territories of Papua and New Guinea were as much a part of Australia as the Northern Territory. The Japanese invasion of New Guinea was an attempt to capture Port Moresby via the Kokoda track. From Port Moresby the Japanese could, if they desired, launch a large scale invasion of the east coast of mainland Australia. Without it they could not. Who were the Greek Australians that fought on the Kokoda track? One of them, John Manolitsas is pictured third from the right in the book cover photograph 6

7 Welcome dinner - Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros On Thursday 25 th May 2017, the Hellenic Sub Branch of the RSL hosted a dinner welcoming Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Armed Forces and Lieutenant Colonel Christos Anastasiadis. Both Officers were in Melbourne to participate in the Annual WWII Battle of Crete Commemoration activities. Also in attendance were representatives from the Municipality of Maleviziou in Crete, Georgios Aerakis and Konstantinos Trigonis, Chairman of the Battle of Crete & Greece Commemorative Council Larry Irwin, Jim Papadimitriou President of the Cretan Brotherhood, Emanuel Starakis from the Pancretan Association, Lambis Englezos AM, former MP and Minister Mr John Pandazopoulos. Pictured Left to right Captain Luke Haitas, Lieutenant Colonel Christos Anastasiadis, Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros, Warrant Officer Class 2 Ken Tsirigotis, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Athanasios Masouras, President Steve Kyritsis OAM. 7

8 The General, who is ex-special forces, was most interested to hear from WO2 Ken Tsirigotis on what it was like to be on patrol in war torn Afghanistan. The Trio Belcantro (Left to Right) Committee members Themis Sitzoukis, Vice President George Kaltzidis and Kyriakos Papadopoulos. 10 Rosemary Court Mulgrave (03)

9 2017 Greek National Day - Melbourne Senior Vice President Emanuel Karvelas hosted two wreath laying ceremonies at the Australian Hellenic Memorial and within the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance. The day concluded with a light complimentary lunch back at our club rooms. Father Dimitrios A prayer for the fallen Greek Consul General Christina Simantiraki Anthony Drakopoulos, President Ithacan Philanthropic Society Ulysses Malama Varvara, President Lemnian Community Melb & Vic Peter Yiannoudis, President AHEPA AUST Sofia Mercoulias, President AHEPA VIC 9

10 2017 Greek National Day - Canberra A delegation from the Melbourne based Hellenic Sub Branch attended the Greek National Day event at the Hellenic Memorial in Canberra. Major Terry Kanellos hosted the wreath laying ceremony. 10

11 Pictured Left - Mrs Varvara Andriopoulou representing the Embassy of Greece addresses the audience WW2 Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) A total of 3,477 women served in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) during the WW2 in a variety of locations, including the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Britain, Asia, the Pacific (including New Guinea) and Australia. Six army nurses were present at Rabaul New Guinea when the Japanese invaded in January These women spent the rest of the war in captivity, mostly in Japan. Army nurses were evacuated from the rest of New Guinea at this time and did not return until October 1942 when Port Moresby was considered safe. On Thursday 27 th April 2017, Steve Kyritsis visited Elizabeth Brooken age 101 at the Kerana Community Centre Kew. Elizabeth was the youngest nurse deployed in New Guinea during WW2. Only five WW2 Australian Nurses are alive today. 11

12 76 th Anniversary of The 1941 Battle of Crete at the Hellenic Memorial Pictured above (Left to right) Steve Kyritsis, Pantelis Kalimnakis, Lieutenant Colonel Christos Anastasiadis, Captain Luke Haitas, Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros and Emanuel Karvelas. Next Edition Returned Soldier Apostratos Due out November