Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
1
RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch
RETURNED SOLDIER –
“APOSTRATOS”
Memorial Hall, 14A Ferrars Place South Melbourne Vic 3205 Phone (03) 9699 9844 November 2017
Dear Veterans, 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. I would like to thank all those that
attended the launch of my new book Kokoda-New Guinea last July at Queens Hall
Parliament House Melbourne. A special thanks to Dr Robert Webster for officially
launching it and MPs Murray Thompson MP, Martin Foley for their continued support.
I hope you enjoy this edition of the Returned Soldier “Apostratos” Newsletter
Steve Kyritsis OAM, President
The Eternal Flame, Shrine of Remembrance
See OHI Day article on page 6
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
2
Date Milestones and Past Events 21st July 2017 Book Launch at Queens Hall - “Greek-Australians in the Australian Armed Forces
Kokoda World War II”
22st July 2017 Book Launch Function at St Kilda Town Hall
10th September 2017 Father’s Day at the Hellenic Sub Branch
28th October 2017 OHI Day at the Australian Hellenic Memorial & Shrine of Remembrance
11th November 2017 Remembrance Day
Date Future Events
Saturday
16th December 2018
Hellenic Sub branch Christmas function. Three course meal, traditional Greek
music by DJ George Dalaras, a great atmosphere not to be missed.
Sunday
4th February 2018
Hellenic Sub branch visit to the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in
Ballarat Victoria
Book Launch at Queen’s Hall Old Parliament House Melbourne
On Friday 21st July, Dr Robert Webster OAM, State Branch President of the Victorian RSL, formally launched the
third book written by Steve Kyritsis in the grand Queens Hall, Old Parliament House. The book is titled “Greek-
Australians in the Australian Armed Forces Kokoda World War II”. Families of Kokoda Veterans attended, as well
veterans from other conflicts.
10 Rosemary Court Mulgrave (03) 9561 5922
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
3
Pictured left to right - Major Terry Kanellos, Murray Thompson MP,
Steve Kyritsis OAM, Martin Foley MP, Dr Robert Webster OAM
Steve Kyritsis OAM with Afghan war veterans Major Dan
Cairnes (middle) and Warrant Officer 2 Ken Tsirigotis
Major Terry Kanellos hosted the event
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
4
Pictured left to right are Vietnam Veterans with New Guinea WW2 Veteran Jim Scott after the book launch - Brian
Murray, Major General David McLaughlin AO (Retd), John Cullen OAM, Terry Pollard, Jim Scott (Aka Sykiotis),
Steve Kyritsis OAM, Dr Robert Webster OAM, Keith Datson, Jim Michalis, Phillip Pizimolas, Basil Tiligadis
and George Zafiris.
Steve Kyritsis OAM receives the 2017 RSL ANZAC OF THE YEAR Award
Each year at the National RSL
conference, all RSL State Branch
submit an award nominee for the
Anzac Of The Year. This year, the
Victorian State Branch winner was
our very own Sub Branch President,
Steve Kyritsis.
Congratulations to Steve
for receiving the most prestigious of
the RSL awards on the 5th July 2017.
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
5
The award was read out by Lieutenant Colonel David Ford (Ret), in the
presence of Major General Simone Wilke and RSL Victorian State President
Dr Robert Webster OAM.
Pictured Left to Right – Con Katsambanis, George Lekakis AO, Dennis Patisteas OAM, Steve Kyritsis OAM,
Warrant Officer 2 Ken Tsirigotis, Captain Luke Haitas and Emanuel Karvelas.
Reminder – Now Due
2018 RSL Membership fee (Service or Affiliate) - $35
Please contact Steve on 0418 571 800
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
6
Sub branch visit to the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat
On Sunday 4th February 2017, the Sub-Branch will travel to the POW War Memorial to attend the wreath laying
ceremony. The day will conclude with a picnic at Lake Wendourie within the magnificent Ballarat Botanical
Gardens.
The bus will depart 8.30am sharp from the Sub Branch. Please bring picnic food, chairs and tables. Cost $20pp.
Booking essential - please phone Steve 0418 571 800 or Terry 0414 209 674
2017 OHI 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.
John Cullen OAM RSL State Branch Victoria
Greek Consul General Christina Simantiraki
Maria Maniou
Pan Cretan Association of Melbourne
Spiros Rombotis, President
Lefkadian Brotherhood Vic
Dimitrios Varnas, President
Pan-Epirotic Federation of Australia
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
7
Warrant Officer 2 Ken Tsirigotis lays a wreath inside the Shrine
Behind Ken (L-R) – John Cullen OAM, RSL State Branch Victoria,
John Drakos, Dept Veteran Affairs, Father Christos, Nick Staikos MP
OHI Day 2017…, back at the Club rooms….
Teachers and Students of
St Johns College and Oakleigh Grammar
Emanuel Karvelas & 12yr old Marika Tsourekis interview her Papou
91 year old Dimitrios Tsourekis. He gave a detailed account about his
WW2 experiences near Kalavrita Greece that nearly cost him his life.
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
8
2017 OHI 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. Two buses from Sydney came
down for the day, one from the Lemnian Association of NSW and the other one from the Mytilinean Brotherhood of
NSW. Both the Ambassador of Greece and the Cyprus High Commissioner were there to lay the first wreaths.
Fathers Day at the Hellenic Sub-Branch - 10th September 2017
Steve Kyritsis with oldest Dad of the day Con Katsambanis, the
youngest, Nick Mitropoulos with daughters Maria and Alexandra
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
9
Vale
We are saddened by the passing of a number of our Sub Branch members.
The RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch would like to pass on our condolences to the families of the following men.
Dimitrios Tsipouriaris
16th November 1922
to
26th May 2017
Haralambos Gavnoudias
Aged 70
Miltiadis Lavos
25th April 1937
to
04th October 2017
Corporal Doukelis (left)
with his brother
Ignatios Doukelis
26th June 2017, Aged 88
Ignatios was a Korean War Veteran
who served with the Greek
Expeditionary Force in 1953.
He was the recipient of the UN Medal
and two Gallantry Medals – The
Medal for Outstanding Acts and The
3rd Class Military Cross.
The following is a summary of a chat
Apostratos had with Ignatios on the
30th March 2013 at the Hellenic RSL:-
Ignatios had no choice to serve in the
Korean War. The 605th Greek Infantry
Battalion was chosen to deploy in
Korea, so off he went.
“At that time, no one wanted to serve in an overseas war that seemed to have no meaning. I went as part of the 14th
Greek Deployment which had a total of 440 soldiers. We arrived in Korea one damp afternoon. A four hour train
ride brought us to our base and pretty well the front line. From the very first moment, it struck me how tough and
difficult this warfare was. Our company of about 120 soldiers came across many thousands of Chinese enemy. Each
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
10
dawn, I would wonder if I would live to see the sunset. The enemy would attack us from everywhere. They had
snipers in the trees that would shoot at us. Men around me would fall from sniper fire not knowing where the shot
came from”.
We asked Ignatios about the Gallantry medal he received – The award of 3rd Class Military Cross. He smiled. He
stated that he simply did what he had to do.
“One dark night, we were in a ravine and on one side of a creek. As usual, I held the Bren heavy machine gun. Just
then, I saw enemy soldiers crossing the creek and running directly towards me. We weren’t expecting them because
we had been informed of an enemy retreat. The only thought that crossed my mind was if I didn’t shoot, they would
have wiped us all out. I started firing the machine gun and gave the order to fire back. The rest of the company
engaged the enemy. At the conclusion of the battle, we caught about 200 Chinese prisoners of war. I remember
chasing them back across the river, a few dropped their rifles as they ran which we collected”.
“When the battle was over, the OC (Officer in Charge) came over and yelled at me because I fired without receiving
orders from my seniors. Sure enough, the process was that I be charged because I engaged the enemy without
receiving orders. I put this down to a command error which can happen in time of war. This eventually led to me
receiving the 3rd Class Military Cross. I saved the lives of my fellow soldiers. This was my greatest achievement. I
was also given a pass out to Tokyo Japan. Upon my return, our company had been rotated to the rear. We had
some skirmishes during the rest of the war, but nothing like what I saw in my first few months of duty”.
Editors Note – The Ceasefire between opposing forces was signed on the 27th July 1953.
Greeks often crossed paths with US soldiers. Ignatios remembers them as friendly and often gave the Greeks
biscuits from their US ration packs. At the conclusion of the discussion, Ignatios showed us his issued copy of a US
Army book titled “The Fifteenth Infantry Regiment”. He pointed to page 93, which showed Queen Company
Machine Gun Platoon with Corporal Doukelis sitting in the front row.
Gordon DevereauxWhite
24th August 1920 - 28th October 2017
World War 2 Navy Veteran. He served in the Greek Campaign 1940-41
aboard the HMAS Sydney (II). Gordon was often seen at many Hellenic
RSL Commemorative events.
Apostratos hopes to print Gordon’s impressive story in the next issue,
due March 2018. His story also features in Steve Kyritsis’ book:-
Greek-Australians in the Australian Armed Forces WW1 & WW2
Celebration of the Book Launch at the St Kilda Town Hall - 22nd July 2017
The St Kilda Town
Hall function was a
great success.
All had a great
time, the photos say
it all.
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
11
Vietnam Veterans chat with Major General Jim Barry (Ret) AM MBE RFD ED
(Left to Right) - Theo Poutakidis, Steve Kyritsis OAM, Phillip Pizimolas, Major General Jim Barry, George Zafiris
Dr Robert Webster OAM State President of the Victorian RSL and Jim Michalis.
Please email any newsletter content suggestions including photos you may have to Emanuel Karvelas at "[email protected]"
12
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 22nd October at the Memorial. The aim of the competition is to explore the
Australian and Greek involvement in Greece during both World Wars and teach youth the story behind
commemorative events. The Hellenic Sub Branch is a proud sponsor of the school competition.
A winning entry from year 4-6 student Jorges
Andriopoulos. The text on the slouch hat is a poem
explaining the significance of the poppy.
Dennis Katsamas from The Ithacan Philanthropic Society
and Lieutenant Colonel Athanasios Masouras present
Christina Ragopoulou with her award.