Surviving The Peace Chapter 2 – October 29, 1944

Oct 30, 2017

Surviving The Peace Chapter 2 (29 October 1944) has been posted. It’s from the second entry of October 29, 1944.

I was getting too morose as the day dragged on, and my ankle had swollen up after my rampage through the streets to get to Eva. Despite my ankle, I just had to get up and walk around. I’ve never been one to just sit down for long periods of time. Unless, of course, I was waiting to ambush German soldiers. I’m not going to be doing that now. Eva was asleep, the nurses were doing their afternoon rounds, and the Australian soldier that I wanted to talk to was fast asleep too. As I walked through the ward to get out, my stomach rumbled.

I walked out into semi-darkness. There was a sliver of light on the horizon peeking through the clouds. I would have admired the view if I wasn’t hungry.

“Is Eva asleep?”

I looked around when I heard Thanasi’s voice and found him leaning on the crates. I almost didn’t recognize him. He had shaved off his beard right after I had seen him earlier. “She was when I came out here. What happened to your face? Did a razor attack you?”

Thanasi laughed. “I haven’t shaved in four years; I thought I might see what was under there.” He put his arm around me and I wondered what he was doing. I sure hope he wasn’t about to tell me how Anthony was sweet on me or something as silly.

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something. I made a promise to Father Haralambos about taking care of you, and I’m determined to keep it. I promised him that you and Eva would leave Greece.”

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OHI Day 28 October – In Memory of My Brothers

Oct 28, 2017

Today is 28 October and that means it’s OHI Day (Οχι) – We calebrate / commemorate the NO that got us into World War II on 28 October 1940. It was also the start of the slide into a national nightmare that didn’t end until 1945. My brothers, Michael, Thieri and Theodore went to war against the invading Italians. We won that battle. Little did we know that we would unleash the beast that was Nazi Germany and the thousands that died because of that.

Ohi Day or Oxi Day (Greek: Επέτειος του «’Οχι» Greek pronunciation: [epˈetios tu ˈoçi] Epeteios tou “‘Ohi”, Anniversary of the “No”) is celebrated throughout Greece, Cyprus and the Greek communities around the world on 28 October each year. Ohi Day commemorates the rejection by Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on 28 October 1940, the Hellenic counterattack against the invading Italian forces at the mountains of Pindus during the Greco-Italian War, and the Greek Resistance during the Axis occupation.

In Greek with English subtitles

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Painting of Australian Soldiers in Tempi Valley Fighting The Germans in 1941

Oct 24, 2017

Towards the end of 1940, Italian forces invaded Greece from Albania. In February 1941 the British advance in North Africa was halted and a force, which included the 6th Australian Division, was organised and sent to assist the Greek nation.

On 6th April the Germans invaded Greece and Yugoslavia simultaneously. The British force, which by then had not been fully concentrated in the country, initially encountered the Germans in the northern mountain passes. Outflanked and outnumbered the defenders were forced back, and the campaign developed into a fighting withdrawal into southern Greece. At various points along the way, however, units of the force offered stubborn and sprinted resistance, to the stronger German forces, which also possessed control of the air and could operate at will against the defenders.

This painting shows a scene of desperate activity in the area of the Tempe gorge, where lightly-armed Australian troops battle against German armoured units, with air support, as they advanced across the Pinios River in a thrust towards Larisa.

Credits: Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial

Reference: In The Blood of the Greeks (Book 1, Intertwined Souls Series)

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