The Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanasis Davakis attended yesterday, Sunday 24 May 2026, as representative of the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the celebration of the 85 th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete. The celebrations were honoured by the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Anna.

In the framework of the festivities, Mr Davakis was welcomed by the Chief of HAFGS Lieutenant General (Pilot) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, the Deputy Chief of HNDGS Vice Admiral Theodoros Mikropoulos HN, the Commanding General of NAMFI Major General Nikolaos Dimitrakos and the Commanding General of the 5 th Airmobile Brigade “V Cretan Division” Brigadier General Nikolaos Kostakis.

The Deputy Minister observed the Official Doxology at the Holy Metropolitan Church of Chania, the RAF Red Arrows demonstration over the Venetian Port of Chania and the memorial service at the Maleme Airport, while later he laid a wreath and paid tribute to the fallen.

Mr Davakis, during his brief address, mentioned among other things:

“In May 1941, Crete girdled in flames, as stated in the old Hymn of Crete, experienced the gravest moments of its history and at the same time, with the bravery which distinguishes it and its people, it wrote the third epic of the Greek people during World War II. After the Epic of Albania, after the Epic of the Fortresses, it also wrote the Epic of the Battle of Crete.

There we had the help of our allies from Australia, the Great Britain, New Zealand, India, the whole of the Commonwealth. Today, 85 years later, with profound sentiments of emotion, gratefulness and pride, all of us here, and especially our young children but also the descendants of our allies, honour this anniversary.

Freedom, this supreme universal blessing, the pillar of human decency, cannot be counted in numbers and weapon systems. The enemy’s superiority here, in May 1941, did not break the resolve of the Cretan warriors. On the contrary, it fuelled and enhanced the spirit, the faith and the resolve of those few who fought the thousands that fell from the sky, during the first and largest airborne landing operation of the world military history.

This fight will live in our memory. The vigil light of memory remains and will remain lit forever.

They will forever be Immortals!”