Geelong Hellenic community commemorates OHI day and the 1941 battle of Vevi

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It was beauteous warm and sunny time when the Hellenic Orthodox Community of Geelong gathered past Sunday, 2 November to clasp their commemoration of OHI Day. These included members of some the section Greek and Cypriot community, arsenic well arsenic representatives of different assemblage organisations, including the Greek Community’s connection school.

The lawsuit followed connected from the regular Sunday religion work astatine The Dormition of Our Lady, Greek Church with the assembly surrounding the flagpoles flying the Australian and Hellenic flags successful the courtyard. The ceremonial proceeding commenced with a blessing by Father Christos Theodoridis.

Youth were represented by the Pegasus creation group, who stood to attraction astatine the absorption of the event, resplendent successful their traditional costumes led by well-known creation teacher Sotiris Sotiriou.

A little ceremonial code was made by Sotiris successful the relation of maestro of ceremonies successful which helium extolled the value of remembering the sacrifices made by our ancestors successful the look of Axis aggression successful 1941, arsenic well arsenic noting the Cypriot subject publication to that defence.

He welcomed the information of youth successful the lawsuit to guarantee this connection is continued into aboriginal generations. It was my pleasance to assistance the Community President Andrew Alexander successful the laying of the wreath, which was followed by a wreath being laid by Sotiris, connected behalf of the Pegasus creation group.

The lawsuit then moved to the assemblage hallway adjoining the Church, successful which it was my privilege to present the OHI Day address. The attendees were served beauteous caller loukoumades made connected the premises by the women of the Community, Penny Mokkas and Maria Koullas.

The assemblage is rightly arrogant of its achievements. The Community presented maine with a transcript of its past written by Jordan Mavros OAM, which tells the affluent past of the assemblage from the archetypal Greek cafes established successful Geelong successful the 1930-40’s by George Frangos from Epirus, done the accomplishment of Hellenes from crossed Greece and beyond (including Cyprus, Asia Minor and Egypt) to the ceremonial founding of The Hellenic Orthodox Community of Geelong successful 1956 and beyond. I americium told that galore of the archetypal members hailed from the Ionian land of Lefkada, and would play cardinal roles successful the section sportfishing industry. Soon the assemblage built its section Church and the assemblage hallway and various different auxiliary bodies, including the Community’s Greek connection school.

The walls of the Community Hall are decorated with beauteous images of Greece, arsenic well arsenic plaques and honour boards marking the cardinal milestones of the Community. One lists their beingness members, and different celebrates the visit to the Community of then Prime Minister Bob Hawke successful the 1980s. A young Sotiris Sotiriou is there standing adjacent to the then Prime Minister. A special plaque honours the founders of the Community arsenic a changeless reminder to each to recognise and respect the efforts and sacrifices of those who person created and sustained the assemblage and religion done their efforts implicit galore years.

In introducing maine and welcoming maine to the podium, Community President Andrew Alexander (whose practice is from beauteous Kastoria successful bluish Greece) spoke of the value of not lone remembering Greece’s heroic stand against the Axis powers during WWII, but besides Australia’s portion successful that stand. In commemorating Greece’s rejection of Mussolini’s ultimatum, we wage tribute to the courageousness and sacrifice of our forebears, whether they are Hellenes, Australians oregon those from the different Allied forces who came to Greece’s defence.

I began my code by explaining that the Hellenic nexus to Australia’s Anzac tradition stretches backmost to Lemnos and Imbros successful their roles successful the Gallipoli campaign, arsenic well arsenic to the Salonika run (both during WW1). These are the foundations of the Hellenic nexus to Anzac which were renewed successful the Anzac engagement successful the Greek run of 1941.

The absorption of my code them shifted to the conflict of Vevi fought successful Western Macedonia successful April 1941. This not lone was the archetypal large engagement for the Anzacs successful the Greek run but saw them service alongside Greek and British forces successful their effort to stop the German beforehand into cardinal Greece. While they achieved their nonsubjective – holding up the Germans for three days – the Allies forces were terribly mauled, facing superior forces. I explained however a fig of the young Australians who served astatine Vevi were from determination Victoria.

While the run would extremity successful withdrawal and the concern of Greece, the acquisition of support from mean Greek civilians near a lasting content connected the Australians who served there. This is reflected successful the records of Australia soldiers themselves who made their way to the evacuation ports such arsenic Kalamata and different locations such arsenic the coastal villages of Mani including Trahila, welcomed by section radical and offered generous hospitality successful their infinitesimal of need. I pointed retired that these sentiments besides diagnostic successful our caller documentary Anzac – The Greek Chapter, particularly successful the heartfelt words of Australian Greek run veteran Don Stephenson.

This is the bequest of 1941 that lies astatine three bosom of the Hellenic nexus to Anzac. The coming together of Australians and Greeks successful these hopeless days. Memorials to these battles and work stabs to this time successful Greece. It remains successful the hearts of descendants of some diggers and Greek civilians. When we commemorate OHI time successful Australia we retrieve this uniquely Australian nexus to Greece and its combat for freedom. To exemplify my address, it was supported by a bid of overheads, reproducing galore of the photographs of the. Australians successful the run held successful Australian private, state and nationalist archives.

The ceremonial proceedings ended with an code of thanks by Community Secretary George Ballas OAM. As the gathering enjoyed the hospitality of the assemblage – including a fewer glasses of Mythos brew and ouzo – stories were told of idiosyncratic connections to the Greek run and different subject campaigns that affected Hellenes. Community subordinate George Koullas who hails from Rizokarpazo connected Cyprus, explained however arsenic a young man, recently joined successful Cyprus, helium enlisted arsenic the Turkish penetration unfolded successful 1974. He spoke of the fearfulness of war.

Community leaders expressed the wish that the caller Greek run documentary – Anzac The Greek Chapter – beryllium brought to Geelong, perchance with an archetypal screening astatine the assemblage hall, followed by others involving supportive groups, such arsenic the section RSL. Watch this space.

My partner, Vicki Kyritsis, Vice President of the Greek Community of Melbourne & Victoria, expressed support for the large work of the Geelong Community to date, looked guardant to their continued maturation and aboriginal opportunities for practice betwixt the two communities. Many attendees besides expressed the wish that the successful yearly Greek Film Festival beryllium extended to see screenings successful Geelong. What a wonderful idea.

The Hellenic Community of Geelong similar galore others, had faced the challenges of renewal arsenic 1 procreation makes way for another. It was large to spot the galore younger members who person taken connected the mantel to assistance successful moving the assemblage by serving connected the assemblage enforcement such arsenic Andrew Alexander and Julia Pritchard.

The lawsuit concluded with overmuch parea, bully cheer and reflection connected the value of OHI Day and honouring the Australian transportation to it. Many attendees took the accidental to acquisition my publications – Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed, arsenic well arsenic Grecian Adventure. I look guardant to working with the assemblage successful Geelong arsenic they make aboriginal projects celebrating the Hellenic nexus to Anzac.

Jim Claven is simply a trained historiographer who has researched the Hellenic nexus to Australia’s Anzac story implicit galore years. A published author, his books see Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed, Grecian Adventure and From Imbros Over The Sea. Secretary of the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee, helium has played a cardinal relation successful the erection of galore memorials successful Greece and Australia honouring this Hellenic transportation to Anzac, including Albert Park’s Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial. He was besides the Associate Producer of the caller 1941 Greek run documentary – Anzac The Greek Chapter. He tin beryllium contacted by email – [email protected]

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