The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Giannis Kefalogiannis attends the Honour and Memory Event for the Captain of the Royal Air Force Anastasios “Tasos” Vamvoukas,[...]

Home >3rd position> The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Giannis Kefalogiannis attends the Honour and Memory Event for the Captain of the Royal Air Force Anastasios "Tasos" Vamvoukas, Georgios Κ. Vamvoukas "Kriaris", General of the Hellenic Army and Georgios D. Vamvoukas "Tsirmiris", General of the Hellenic Gendarmerie

The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Giannis Kefalogiannis attends the Honour and Memory Event for the Captain of the Royal Air Force Anastasios "Tasos" Vamvoukas, Georgios Κ. Vamvoukas "Kriaris", General of the Hellenic Army and Georgios D. Vamvoukas "Tsirmiris", General of the Hellenic Gendarmerie

June 2, 2024

The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Giannis Kefalogiannis attended today, Sunday 02 June 2024, the Honour and Memory Event for the Captain of the Royal Air Force Anastasios "Tasos" Vamvoukas, who fell in Korea on 26 May 1951, Georgios Κ. Vamvoukas "Kriaris", General of the Hellenic Army and Georgios D. Vamvoukas "Tsirmiris", General of the Hellenic Gendarmerie, which took place in Livadia of Mylopotamos. There he was received by the Commander of the 5^thAirmobile Brigade Brigadier General Nikolaos Kostakis.

In the context of the event, a Divine Liturgy, a Memorial Service and Wreath Laying were conducted. At the same time, musical happenings took place conducted by the Philharmonic of the Rethymno Municipality and the Georgios Vamvoukas (Flaskis) Band, as well as traditional dance events conducted by the "Lazaros and Manolis Chnaris" Folkloric Association.

Parties' representatives, local self-government representatives and members of cultural associations also attended the event.

During his address, the Deputy Minister stated:

"Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a particular pleasure for me to be here, once again, in Livadia of Mylopotamos, a village with a resounding presence in the struggles of Crete. A village with heroic inhabitants, who shed their blood for the tree of freedom. And joy becomes emotion and pride, since we are called to honour the memory of the heroes of the Vamvoukas Family. Officers gifted with morality, morale and bravery, who were the protagonists of our homeland's history and with awe we voice their names:

Captain Anastasios "Tasos" Vamvoukas, who fell in Korea on 26 May 1951,

Georgios Vamvoukas son of Konstantinos, the legendary "Kriaris", General of the Hellenic Army and

Georgios Vamvoukas son of Dimitrios or "Tsirmiris", General of the Hellenic Gendarmerie.

Therefore, today's event is not solely a memorial event. It is an act of recognition and gratitude to those who dedicated their lives to the defence of our homeland and the ideals of freedom and democracy.

The Captain of the Royal Air Force Anastasios Vamvoukas, born and raised on Crete, homeland of the brave, carried within him the indomitable spirit of the Cretans. He embodies, in the best possible way, the values and the traditions of our island, an island with a rich history of struggles, blood and sacrifice. His valiance, courage and decisiveness, characteristics of the heroic Cretan soul, were promoted through his dedication to the air force and the homeland. His sacrifice constitutes a beacon for all of us and reminds us what is the high price we must pay for freedom.

The Hellenic Army General Georgios Konstantinos Vamvoukas, the legendary "Kriaris", constituted the model of the courageous warrior, selfless Greek and patriot. He participated in the victorious Balkan Wars of 1912 - 13, he was active in the Asia Minor Campaign in 1919 - 1922 and left his glorious mark on Crete during the hardships of the National Resistance in 1941-1944. His military superiors evaluate and characterise him as a dignified, honest, calm, willing, serious, disciplined, hard-working, moral, sincere, diligent, courageous, proud, ingenious, direct, brilliant warrior, brave and laborious, as well as an Officer of substantial commanding capability. He offered his military services to the Homeland for approximately 40 years. Always on the front-line. The nickname Kriaris (ram) denoted his mettle, decisiveness and courage, to vehemently butt the enemy walls, like a battering ram.

The Hellenic Gendarmerie General Georgios Dimitrios Vamvoukas "Tsirmiris", an indomitable soul with a free spirit, took part in all the campaigns from 1912 up to 1922. During the battles, he had the opportunity to demonstrate his great braveness, joyfully undertaking the most dangerous missions, which he completed with absolute success. The next war also found him on the battlements and furthermore he participated in the Battle of Crete. For this activity, he was awarded ten medals and decorations, of the Hellenic and allied forces, among which, three were Medals of the Order of Merit, while he was twice promoted for gallant actions.

Therefore this bust, which I have the honour of unveiling today, is not solely a monument. It is a reminder for all of us and for the future generations, that for the freedom and the security we enjoy today, we are indebted to individuals like Captain Vamvoukas, General Kriaris and General Tsirmiris. All of them were a beacon, constantly reminding us of the value of sacrifice and our debt to defend our homeland's ideals. From their example, from their struggle, strength is drawn by those who fight daily on land, at sea and in the air, defending the national ideals and sovereign rights of the country. This great monument could not exist without the cooperation and contribution of many individuals. Therefore, I would like to express my wholehearted thanks to everyone who contributed to the raising of this monument. Your effort and dedication to the preservation of their memory are absolutely praiseworthy.

As Armed Forces and as citizens, we are responsible for preserving and defending the ideals and the values for which our heroes fought and sacrificed themselves. Let us commit today that we will continue to work with the same dedication and the same courage which characterised these heroes. Let us always remember them as a glorious paradigm of valiance and virtue and let us be inspired by their heritage, so that we can achieve a better and more secure future for our homeland.

To their eternal memory".