On Tuesday 24 October 2023, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Ioannis Kefalogiannis, accompanied by the Chief/HNDGS General Konstantinos Floros, attended the memorial service for the Fallen of the Sacred Band, held at the “SACRED BAND MONUMENT” at Pedion tou Areos. The ceremony was also attended by the Chief/HAFGS Lieutenant General Themistoklis Bourolias, the Chief/HAGS Lieutenant General Angelos Choudeloudis, the Chief/HNGS Vice Admiral Ioannis Drymousis HN, representatives of the Local Self-Administration, the Church and members of the families of the Fallen of the Sacred Band.
In his address, the Deputy Minister of National Defence pointed out the following:
“Reverend Representative of the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece,
Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff,
Regional Governor,
Chiefs of the General Staffs,
Madam Representative of Papagou-Cholargos Mayor,
Mr President of the Athens War Museum Executive Board,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Faithful to our debt again this year, we pay the least tribute and our proper respect to the heroic Sacred Band fighters, who gave their life for the Country and the highest virtue of Liberty, writing history with their successful raids in Tunisia, the Middle East and the Aegean islands.
Since its establishment in September 1942, until its disbandment in August 1945, the Sacred Band remained faithful to the national ideals and stood bravely opposite the enemy, seeking for a free Greece.
The “Band of the Elite Immortals” as it was called before being renamed “Sacred Band”, fought numerous and difficult battles, offering our country services of high national importance. For their continuous efforts and self-sacrifice in the battlefields and their remarkable war action, we will honour and praise them till eternity.
It is a special honour and profound duty to talk about these heroes; for the men who honoured their vow towards the homeland and signed with their blood the glorious pages of our Nation’s history.
“Young men with hands of steel, courage and real soul” General Andreas Erselman writes, referring to the 200 men, fighters of the Sacred Band, in a march of that time; a march for the action of the Sacred Band fighters, who, with self-sacrifice and self-denial, offered freedom to the Aegean and the Dodecanese islands.
In the name and memory of these men who demonstrated unparalleled heroism, being for all of us a springboard of national pride and dignity, we lay today wreaths of honour and gratitude.
Consistent with our sacred duty, we are here to keep the figures of our great Sacred Band fighters alive in our memory and heart, who, with overabundant courage remained firm until the last moment, at the bastions of debt and duty, teaching ethos, virtue and bravery.
The heroes we refer to today, faithful to the Spartan maxim “With your shield or on it”, forged with their values and ideals our National identity and National independence.
We honour their memory feeling nationally proud for the heavy heritage that they left behind and at the same time we think of our responsibility with regard to our history.
Today, more than ever, we need to look back and be exemplified from the unparalleled heroism, the faith and devotion that the men of the Sacred Band demonstrated in their Vow.
This elite military unit and its brave men will remain for ever in our historic, collective memory.
Let us bow silently and ecstatically against the grandeur of their sacrifice and let us not forget the men who, for our tomorrow, sacrificed their own present.
Honour and glory to our heroes.
They Will Always Be Immortal”.
