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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

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 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



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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



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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.



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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



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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



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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.



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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



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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



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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.



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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.



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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.


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