The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos met with the Ambassador of Australia to Greece John Griffin on Friday.

National Defence Minister P. Kammenos stated the following:

“I met the Australian Ambassador to Athens and the Defence Attaché. The meeting was about a commemoration that we will organize jointly, the Ministry of National Defence of Greece, the Hellenic Navy General Staff and the Australian government. 100 years will be completed since the creation of the expeditionary force of Australians and New Zealanders who fought during World War I, supported by the Greeks. 4000 injured Australians and New Zealanders were hospitalized in Lemnos Island.

In April, we will be glad to host veterans, the veterans who survived the Battle of Crete, who will visit Lemnos. In cooperation with the Hellenic Navy and the Ministry of National Defence, joint events will be held with the participation of the Greek community in Australia, Australian statesmen, people who fought together with the Australians and New Zealanders and the survivors of this great allied operation in Crete.”

The Minister of National Defence extended an invitation for the Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs M. Rolandson to attend the commemoration.

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