Greek Presidential Guards in Camden for special Anzac tribute

The Anzac legend was born during the Great War in places such as Gallipoli, Fromelles and Villers-Bretonneux.

The legend grew During World War II, when one of the biggest expeditions of our Diggers was as part of the Allied effort to save Greece from Nazi occupation in 1941.

Many Anzacs either perished or were taken prisoners of war during the Battle of Crete, one of the major conflicts of the second global war.

Both the people of Crete and those on mainland Greece treated the Anzacs as heroes, helping them wherever they could against the Nazi juggernaut.

This was a repeat of 1915 when following the withdrawl from Gallipoli the people of Greece, from the highlands of Macedonia to the Aegean islands, put out a welcoming mat for our Diggers.

On Saturday, April 28, three days after Anzac Day, a small but significant step will be taken towards creating an awareness of the link between the Anzacs and Greece.

And it will happen right here in Macarthur.

Visiting members of the Hellenic Presidential Guard will come to Camden to take part in a wreath laying ceremony to commemorate all the Anzacs who served in Greece.

The Consul-General of Greece, Christos Karras, will do the wreath laying honours at the ceremony at the war memorial in Bicentennial Park, opposite Camden RSL, on Cawdor Road.

The ceremony will start from 4pm and the public is welcomed to attend.

John Tsekas, from Macarthur Greeks and who organised the commemoration, says it will be a unique opportunity to see the famous Hellenic Presidential Guard in the flesh.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Anyone wishing to see the guard would have to visit Athens, where they are a living landmark of the city, standing still in front of the Presidential residence and the Unknown Soldier monument, and hourly demonstrating their trademark synchronised gait, while changing guard,’’ Mr Tsekas said.[/social_quote]

The evzones, as they are called in Greek, who are a massive tourist attraction in Athens, must be taller than 1.87m and be in excellent physical state, able to go through a long, strenuous training that allows them to stay perfectly still for an entire hour.

The contingent of nine evzones and three officers has once again been released by special permission of the President of Greece.

They will visit Adelaide and Sydney to take part in official Anzac Day ceremonies, commemorating the history of the Anzacs and their involvement in the Battle of Crete and the Greek campaign, when Australian and Greek soldiers fought side by side for their shared values of freedom and democracy.

Thanks to Macarthur Greeks, we can add Camden to their schedule.

Mr Tsekas said his aim was to provide an opportunity for South West Sydney residents of Greek heritage to see members of the Presidential Guard right here in Macarthur.

“We would like to invite everyone in the community for what should be a great photo opportunity at Camden,’’ he said.

“The Anzacs of Greece are labelled the forgotten Anzacs and they deserve recognition, and we want to create a little bit of awareness about that as well.

“This unique relationship between Anzacs and Greeks shows the highest form of humanity,’’ Mr Tsekas said.

“These new generation Anzacs are of national historical significance and are important to Australia’s heritage.’’