Deputy Minister of National Defence Giannis Kefalogiannis Attends Festivities for the 83rd Anniversary of the Battle of Crete

On Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May 2024, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Giannis Kefalogiannis, representing the Prime Minister, attended the events that took place in Rethymno, for the 83rd anniversary of the Battle of Crete.
On Saturday 25 May, the Deputy Minister attended the memorial services officiated by his Eminence, the Metropolitan of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, Mr. Prodromos, and the wreath laying that took place at the Mylopotamos Fallen Heroes Memorial and the Battle of Crete Memorial, in the presence of the re-enactment group Vrakofori of Crete, as well as the Hellenic – Australian Memorial.
At the Mylopotamos Fallen Heroes Memorial, addresses and speeches were delivered to pay tribute to the fallen men of Mylopotamos.
At the Hellenic – Australian Memorial and the Battle of Crete Memorial, honours were rendered by the Honour Guard the 5th Airmobile Brigade and the Marching Band of the Municipality of Rethymno.
The festivities included speeches, addresses, a parade of cultural association groups, student delegations, and the Marching Band of the Municipality of Rethymno, traditional dances by dancing groups of the city and the award of RSL scholarships to excellent students of Rethymno and Heraklion.
At the Battle of Crete Memorial, the Deputy Minister was accompanied by Chief HAGS, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, and the Commanding General of the High Command of Interior and Islands, Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou.
On Sunday, 26 May, Mr. Kefalogiannis attended the official doxology at the Metropolitan Church of the Presentation of the Theotokos and then went to the Fallen Memorial in Misiria, where he attended the memorial service officiated by his Eminence, the Metropolitan of Rethymno and Avlopotamosm Mr. Prodromos.
The events were concluded with the wreath laying and the award of prizes to the athletes who came first in the “Sacrifice Race in Honour of the Fallen of the Battle of Crete”.
The Deputy Minister of National Defence stated in his address:
“83 years after the Battle of Crete, we do not forget the vigorous resistance of the Cretans for a Free Country. It will always remain engraved in the collective memory as one of the strongest examples of struggle for Freedom and Independence.
As a tribute to our ancestors, who sacrificed their lives for Country and Freedom, it is necessary to maintain the message of Unity.
Today, the women and men of the Armed Forces guarantee every day the defence of national sovereignty and the interests of Greece. We thank them and we are always by their side”.