Members of the Battle of Crete and Greece Commemorative Council gathered in various events held by organizations and committees to honor the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives during World War I, particularly in connection with Lemnos and the neighboring North Aegean islands of Imbros and Tenedos. These soldiers played a crucial role in the ANZAC campaign during the Great War, and the close ties between Australia and Greece continued during World War II, where they fought as allies against Nazism.
To commemorate the Allies who departed from Greek soil on April 24th to attack Gallipoli at dawn on April 25th, the members of the Battle of Crete & Greece Commemorative Council gathered on April 21.
Chair of the Coordinating Committee, Natasha Spanou, together with Shirley Devery, Secretary of the 2nd/6th Australian Infantry Battalion, and Antonis Tsourdalakis, President of the Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand, attended a special commemoration event organized by the Austin Repatriation Hospital, dedicated to the ANZACs who lost their lives in the Gallipoli invasion. This annual event sees participation from various organizations and many descendants of soldiers who dedicated their lives to Australia.
On April 22, Ms Spanou, along with Ms. Devery, participated in a parade organized by the RSL Ringwood Branch. The parade took place on the main street Maroondah Highway, with hundreds of delegates from organizations, as well as descendants of veterans, marching in the parade. The event was followed by a solemn ceremony of remembrance and the laying of wreaths at the Memorial Clock Tower.
A special ceremony was held at the Nurses Memorial in Melbourne on April 25 to commemorate the nurses who also sacrificed their lives during World War I. Ms Spanou laid a wreath paying tribute to these heroines, recognizing their selfless service.
Reflecting on the importance of remembering the past, Ms Spanou said; “We live in an age when the ego dominates and we forget the ‘me’, so it is important to remember, commemorate, and honour all those who sacrificed united as one fist, for all of us. At the same time, it is important that the new generations learn about the past in order to strive for a better and more constructive future.
We never forget the heroes who fought and sacrificed their lives. Eternal memory” On the morning of April 25, members of the Battle of Crete attended various Dawn Service ceremonies organized by the RSL Branches in Oakleigh, Darebin, Epping, Ringwood, Pascoe Vale, Boronia, and Shepparton.
“We live in an age when the ego dominates and we forget the ‘me’, so it is important to remember, commemorate, and honour all those who sacrificed united as one fist, for all of us. At the same time, it is important that the new generations learn about the past in order to strive for a better and more constructive future.”
“We never forget the heroes who fought and sacrificed their lives. Eternal memory,” Ms Spanou said.
Ms Spanos’s heartfelt words resonated with the solemnity of the occasion, as the Battle of Crete & Greece Commemorative Council paid tribute to the brave soldiers who fought and died for their countries, forging an unbreakable bond between Australia, New Zealand, and Greece.
