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Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"

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RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch

RETURNED SOLDIER –

“APOSTRATOS”

Memorial Hall, 14A Ferrars Place South Melbourne Vic 3205 Phone (03) 9699 9844 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

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=HDPs2IV2V6AjPM&tbnid=Dz0R51Y00g2b4M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.godoy.no/weber/engelskweb/Australia/Geography.htm&ei=A3_cU9z6EsK58gW2_4GoBA&bvm=bv.72197243,d.dGc&psig=AFQjCNHcVVHEqlK5llWdRsv6yi3TkhA2cA&ust=1407045722182243


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Date Milestones and Past Events

25th March 2017 Greek National Day – Melbourne and Canberra

2rd April 2017 Annual General Meeting of the Hellenic Sub Branch.

25th April 2017 Anzac Day

7th May 2017 Mother’s Day at the Hellenic Sub-Branch.

8th May 2017 72nd Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE DAY)

25th May 2017 Dinner with Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros

27th May 2017 Commemoration - 76th Anniversary of The 1941 Battle of Crete

Date Future Events

Friday

21st July 2017

Book Launch at Queens Hall - “Greek-Australians in the Australian Armed Forces

Kokoda World War II”

Saturday

22st July 2017

Book Launch Function at St Kilda Town Hall - “Greek-Australians in the

Australian Armed Forces Kokoda WWII”

Sunday 10th

September 2017

Fathers Day at the Hellenic Sub Branch

Saturday

28th October 2017

OHI Day at the Australian Hellenic Memorial & Shrine of Remembrance

72nd Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE DAY) Monday 8th May 2017

On the 30th 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 7th May in Reims,

France and on 8th 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 8th

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.



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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) 9555 9475

Email Address: [email protected]

Street Address: L1, 346-348 Highett Rd Highett Vic 3190




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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 1968-69. Michael also enlisted during the 1st 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).



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Mother’s Day – 7th 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



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Sneak preview ahead of the Book Launch - Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd July

In February 1942 Australian and Dutch troops were captured at Ambon in Indonesia, on the 15th 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



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Welcome dinner - Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros

On Thursday 25th 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.



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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) 9561 5922



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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



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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.



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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 1942. 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 27th 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.



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76th 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 2017


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