This year a group of West Australians will accompany Premier Geoff Gallop in commemorating ANZAC day under the shadow of the Acropolis in Greece . At first glance, Greece might seem like a strange destination for the 14 high school students accompanying Dr Gallop on the 2005 ANZAC Student Tour. In fact there are very strong ANZAC connections with Greece that stem from both World War 1 and World War 2.
Lemnos Hospital in the Perth suburb of Shenton Park was officially opened in 1926 , and until recently provided medical services to ex-service men from all wars. It was named after the Greek island in the Aegean Sea used both as a hospital and administrative area for the Gallipoli campaign during World War 1. On the island of Lemnos , many ANZAC soldiers are buried at the East Moudros and Portianos Military Cemeteries . The students on the tour will attend a memorial service on Lemnos hosted by the local Governor.
In World War 2, the 2/11 Battalion - the 'City of Perth Regiment ' comprising young men from throughout WA, was among many units comprising the Australian 6 th Division dispatched to mainland Greece from Egypt in an attempt to defend Greece against an attack by Hitler's armies. The Division never had a chance. It was out numbered, outgunned and had very little air cover. Reaching as far north as the legendary Mt Olympus it occupied part of a defensive line that was quickly outflanked and overrun.
Over the period 17 - 25 April (ANZAC Day) 1941, the 2/11 th was part of a chaotic withdrawal that passed through Larisa (the legendary home of Achilles), the famous rock pinnacles at Meteora and Thermopylae, the location of a famous 'last stand' in 480 BC when Leonidas held back the Persian tide for a several heroic days of fighting against overwhelming odds.
On 25 April, the 2/11 managed to redeploy from the port of Piraeus to the island of Crete where another hasty defense was established.
The 'City of Perth Regiment ' didn't have long to wait. On 20 May 1941 , the Battle for Crete began with a massive German airborne assault spearheaded by the largest ever paratroop drop. The 2/11 th fought around Rethimno and after a week of bitter fighting, in great confusion tried to fight its way south towards the designated embarkation point off Crete back to Egypt .
In the confusion that followed, many of the unit members were captured and others were able to escape to Egypt with the assistance of the monks from the Greek Orthodox Monastery at Prevelly - which had become a rallying point for many Commonwealth soldiers. It is in commemoration of this monastery and the assistance provided by the Greeks on Crete that Prevelly Beach Park was named and the Chapel of St John at Prevelly, Margaret River Western Australia was built.
The students on the tour will join with Dr Gallop in ceremonies on Crete and will visit the Monastery at Prevelly as well as war Cemeteries near Souda, Rethimno and Maleme.
The members of the 2005 ANZAC Student tour will indeed have the opportunity to reflect on and learn from the comradeship, courage, determination and spirit of the original ANZAC soldiers who landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and those who followed during World War II, through their visit to Greece . They will also be walking in the footsteps of heroes - both ancient and modern!