RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch RETURNED SOLDIER APOSTRATOS

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1 RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch RETURNED SOLDIER APOSTRATOS Memorial Hall, 14A Ferrars Place South Melbourne Vic 3205 Phone (03) Dec 2016 Dear Members and Friends of the RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch As we approach the end of another season, I wish to thank our committee for another successful and prosperous year at the Sub Branch. In this issue of Apostratos, there is considerable focus on the Medal Presentation event our Sub Branch hosted on behalf of the Greek Consulate for recipients of the Greek Medal of Honour who fought in the World War Two Greek campaign. A warm welcome to all our new members that have joined our Sub-Branch - Nikolaos Patsakas, Dimitrios Sgournellis, Manolis Papastamatis, Ilias Prodromitis, Dionysios Prodromitis and Mr Fotios Tsonis I hope you enjoy this edition of the Returned Soldier Apostratos Newsletter Steve Kyritsis OAM, President Mrs Susan Harriot-Daw and husband receive the Greek Medal of Honour from the Greek Consul General Mrs Christina Simantiraki for her late father Corporal Robert Richardson who served in the WWII Greek Campaign. Continued on page 8 1

2 Date Milestones and Past Events 22 nd April 2016 Welcome dinner - Lieutenant General Konstantinos Gkatzogiannis 13 th August 2016 First anniversary of the unveiling of the Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial at Foote Street Reserve, Albert Park. 18 th August 2016 The 1966 Battle of Long Tan Vietnam - 50 th anniversary 11 th September Fathers Day at the Hellenic Sub-Branch. All members and friends are invited. 28 th October 2016 OHI Day at the Hellenic Memorial & Shrine. 11 th November 2015 Remembrance Day Date 7.00pm Saturday 31 st December 2016 Future Events New Years Eve function at the Hellenic Sub-Branch. Three course meal, traditional Greek music by Mr Jim Varnas and his band, a great atmosphere not to be missed. 28 th October 2016 OHI Day 2

3 MP Mrs Georgie Crozier lays a wreath Major Terry Kanellos gives the Eyes Right command as the Procession marches past the eternal flame and onto the Shrine of Remembrance 3

4 Inside the Shrine of Remembrance Students from St Johns College lay a wreath inside the Shrine of Remembrance Welcome dinner - Lieutenant General Konstantinos Gkatzogiannis On Friday 22 nd April 2016, the Hellenic Sub Branch of the RSL hosted a dinner welcoming Lieutenant General Konstantinos Gkatzogiannis and Lieutenant Colonel Konstantinos Vasilopoulos of the Hellenic Armed Forces. Both Officers were in Melbourne to participate in the Annual WWII Battle of Crete Commemoration activities. The General was particularly interested to meet and understand the work done by Lambis Englezos in locating the grave of 250 WW1 Australian soldiers deemed missing in action during heavy fighting in Fromelles France (see article in previous edition Apostratos newsletter). Both Greek officers spoke at length with WO2 Ken Tsirigotis about his recent service in Afghanistan. Pictured left to right RSL Hellenic Sub Branch Treasurer Dennis Patisteas, President Steve Kyritsis, LT GEN Konstantinos Gkatzogiannis, LT COL Konstantinos Vasilopoulos, LT COL Athanasios Masouras (Ret), representing Melbourne Legacy WO2 Ken Tsirigotis and Larry Irwin President of the Battle of Crete 75 th Anniversary commemorative committee. 4

5 Do you remember me? LT COL Athanasios Masouras (Ret) meets up with his old Greek Army colleague Lieutenant General Konstantinos Gkatzogiannis. Both had served in the 95 EARMEA Battalion during an operation in Rhodes in 1987 as Captain Masouras and First Lieutenant Gkatzogiannis. We are saddened by the passing of Mr Theodoros Spirason (Spirakos) 24 th August 1920 to 28 th October 2016 The RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch would like to pass on our condolences to the extended Spirason family. 5

6 The Battle of Long Tan 50 Year Commemoration On the 17 th August, over 1000 Vietnam War veterans, including our President Steve Kyritsis, marched at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance to commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the most prominent battle of the Vietnam War, The Battle of Long Tan. 10 Rosemary Court Mulgrave (03) Appreciation plaques On the 28 th October 2016, Appreciation plaques were presented to Mr Michael Marakoudakis, Mr Chris Togias and Mr Dimitrios Fragakis for their services to our Sub Branch. Dimitrios Fragakis does not appear in the photo. 6

7 Hellenic Sub-Branch participates in the Australian Hellenic Memorial School Competition Again this year, The Australian Hellenic Memorial Foundation ran their School Competition which concluded with an awards ceremony on Sunday 11 th September at the Memorial. The aim of the competition is to explore the Australian and Greek involvement in Greece during both World Wars. Below is an entry from a year 4-6 student. Some of the quotes include They died so we can live and United through peace. Manny PANOURAKIS Phone Number: (03) Address: info@manvic.com.au Street Address: L1, Highett Rd Highett Vic

8 War Service of 31 Australian Greek Campaign Veterans Honoured by Greece WW2 veteran families after receiving the Greek Medal of Honour On Sunday, 6 th November 2016, the Consul-General of Greece, Her Excellency Christina Simantiraki, presented families of Australian WWII veterans with the Greek Medal of honour for service during the WW2 Greek campaign. The event was hosted by our Hellenic RSL Sub Branch. Over one hundred people attended including members of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, the Cretan community, the Lemnian Community of Victoria, the Papaflessas Brotherhood and the Kalamata Society - amongst others. The master of ceremonies was Major Terry Kanellos, Secretary of the Hellenic RSL Sub Branch. The Greek Medal of Honour OHI Day in Canberra A delegation from the sub branch attended the Canberra OHI day service. It was hosted by Major Terry Kanellos and again supported by the 30 Army Cadet Unit from Sunshine. 8

9 Major Hedley Stephens Serving with the 2/2 Field Regiment during the Greek campaign, Hedley Stephens was attached to the 6 th Division Headquarters. During the withdrawal from Greece, he was given responsibility to supervise one of the evacuation beaches. After this, he chose not to be evacuated and made his escape in German occupied Greece, eventually finding his way to the Island of Milos, between Crete and the mainland. Jim Claven Secretary of the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee (centre) with Susan Kimpton (daughter) and Bernard O Connor (nephew) of veteran Major Hedley Stephens. Hedley met with other Allied troops who had escaped from Megara, however all were captured by the Germans. Hedley served out the war as a POW in German prisoner of war camps. Gunner Victor Charles Foster Craig Sayers with his great Aunt Mrs Alice Stephenson (97) nee Foster, sister of Gunner Victor Charles Foster who served with the 3 rd Australian Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) Regiment and was killed in action at sea on the 29 th May 1941 during the evacuation of Crete. 9

10 Lieutenant Donald Cameron Photo - Seated is Mrs Patricia Cameron, wife of veteran Lieutenant Donald Cameron who served with the 2/7 th Battalion 6 th Division. Standing from left to right, President Steve Kyritsis, daughters Lindy Richardson and Judy Cameron. Donald Cameron served with war hero Captain Reg Saunders who was the first Aboriginal Australian to be commissioned as an officer in the Australian Army. Following the invasion of Crete in May 1941, the 2/7 th Battalion took part in the fighting around Hania including battles of 42 nd Street. As the Allies began to evacuate the island, the 2/7 th was called upon to carry out a series of rearguard actions in order to allow other units to be taken off the island. After the final Allied ships departed the island on 1 st June 1941, the battalion was left behind. As a result, many of its men including Donald Cameron and Reg Saunders were taken prisoner. Donald spent the rest of the war as a POW in German prisoner of war camps, whilst Reg escaped. With help from the local Cretan people, Reg hid for 11 months in the hills around the island and was evacuated from Crete by a British submarine in May Private John McGarrity Pictured are Loren Brown granddaughter and Mrs Patricia Brown daughter of veteran John McGarrity (2/2 nd ) who was killed at the Battle of Vevi in North Western Greece in The Battle of Vevi took place on 11 th 12 th April 1941, north of the town of Amyntaion, where Allied troops fought forces from Nazi Germany. Private Harry Harr Pictured are Mrs Pam Bennet and Mr Paul Haar, who received the medal on behalf of their father veteran Private Harry Harr. Paul has provided our sub branch with a terrific story of his father s experiences during war time Greece. To do the story justice, we have decided to print the complete article in our next edition of Apostratos Newsletter. 10

11 From Left to Right - Legacy Melbourne WO2 Ken Tsirigotis, Mr John O'Conor-Whyte, Assistant Director Operational Support Section Department of Veterans Affairs, Hon Bruce Atkinson MLC, President of the Legislative Council of Victoria, Greek Consul General Mrs Christina Simantiraki, Mr Steve Dimopoulos MP for Oakleigh representing the Hon John Eren MP State Minister for Veterans, former MP and Minister Mr John Pandazopoulos. Our Sub Branch and the Greek Consulate were inundated with messages of gratitude from family members that attended the medal presentation ceremony. Below is an extract of an received from Mr Kenneth Muir. From: Kenneth Muir Sent: Tuesday, November 8, 2016 To: Steve Kyritsis Subject: Greece - Commemorative Award Medal Ceremony - The late Staff Sergeant John Muir Dear Steve This note is to express the heartfelt thanks of my Family and I to the Greek people for this award to my late Brother Jack. Your assistance with the processes necessary for the award to be made is also greatly appreciated by us all. Would you please convey our sincere thanks to The Consul General of Greece. An award such as this, being made 75 years after the event that it commemorates, demonstrates the strength of feelings between our two Nations. In 2013, my Son, my Nephew and I visited the historic WW2 sites in Crete, an emotional experience for us all. We will never forget the warmth of the Cretan people towards Australians. My Brother s daughters Glenda and Melva, after receiving the award on Sunday, were deeply moved by the occasion. I very much regret that I was unable to attend. Yours sincerely, Kenneth C Muir 11

12 World War 2 Memorial Plaque Erected at Brallos Pass in Greece October 2016 The Memorial commemorates the service of the Australian 2/2 Field regiment in the important battle fought there in April The Plaque was erected by the 2/2 Field Regiment Association Victoria and unveiled by the Australian Ambassador to Greece, His Excellency John Griffin in the presence of Lt Col Zisis Moukas, representatives from the local council and our Sub Branch representative based in Thessaloniki Greece, Mr Dimitrios Harizanis. The Memorial location is where the 2/2nd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery and 2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion held positions during the rear guard action fought in Brallos Pass during the Allied withdrawal from Greece. These units inflicted heavy losses on the German armoured forces in this action. Fathers Day at the Hellenic Sub-Branch - 11 th September 2016 Manny Karvelas and Con Katsambanis announce the oldest Father on the day Mr Theodoros Spanos (left) and the youngest, Mr Con Kouskouris (above). Next Edition Returned Soldier Apostratos Due out March