Kythera Liberation Festivities
Angelo Victor Crethar of Lismore had the honour of leading the rejoicing on the North Coast of NSW over the liberation of Kythera in Sep1944. Quoting him on 3Oct44 the Northern Star, under the prominent heading North Coast Greeks Jubilant Over Kythera Relief, had this to say:
Nowhere was the news of the relief of the island of Kythera by Allied forces more joyfully received than in Lismore and the North Coast generally. Most of the Greek community in Lismore, Grafton, Casino, Kyogle, Ballina, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Murwillumbah are Kytherians.
In case he had not heard the glad tidings, Mr Angelo Crethar, of Lismore, had telephone calls from fellow Kytherians in Murwillumbah and Grafton immediately after the official announcement was made on Monday.
“The liberation of our island from German domination is great news for us,” he said yesterday. “We have every reason to feel jubilant and happy that the freedom of Kythera has been restored. The whole Greek community on the North Coast share in that jubilation. It is a great relief to them. Many Kytherians here were worried about their relatives and friends on the island and now they are looking forward to hearing from them soon and learning about their condition and how they have fared during the enemy occupation.”
One of the most picturesque and historic islands of the Ionian group in the Mediterranean, Kythera is about 20 miles from Cape Matapan in the vicinity of which the Italian navy was decisively defeated and scattered by British units. Being very mountainous, only a small part of the island is cultivated….
Before the war the population of Kythera was about 20,000. The Kytherians are of a very fine stock and being an enterprising people many of their young men, finding their opportunities limited at home, have emigrated to Australia and America and become good citizens of their adopted country. There are about 20 Kytherians and their families in Lismore. (The 1947 census shows 231 Greek born citizens in the para one towns, excluding Grafton.)
The following day, probably due hangovers, Lismore’s quota of £140,000 in the Second Victory Loan, received its biggest boost in one day’s trading since the beginning of the campaign…. A large portion of the £7010 invested in the loan yesterday came from nine members of the Greek community who, on receipt of news that the island of their birth, Kythera, had been liberated, invested liberally as a gesture of appreciation for the work done by the liberating forces…. (Angelo Crethar, Eric Crethar, Harry Crethar, Nick Crethar, Peter Crethar, Jack Nick Bavea, Nick Crones, Jack and Denny Panaretto. A couple of days later Jack and Denny, still celebrating Jack’s safe return from AIF service, threw in another £300.)
But, now broke, that was about the end of celebrations for the Richmond Greeks. Down on the Clarence however, Kythera became Flavour of the Month over a couple of months.
Anthony Lambrinos Notaras kicked things off in Grafton on the same day his old schoolmate did in Lismore: Mr A. Notaras, of Grafton, yesterday pointed out that the island of Kythera, between Crete and the mainland of Greece where allied troops were reported yesterday to have landed, is the place where 90 per cent of the Greeks in country towns of NSW and Queensland come from. He and his brother, Mr J. Notaras, Messrs Peter Bernard, G.W. Langley, J. Moulos, all of Grafton, the Gleesons of Coffs Harbour, and the Feros of Dorrigo, all came from Kythera.
Mr Notaras said there were about 10,000 Greeks in the island and almost as many of the islanders in Australia.
Two days later the Kempsey Argus repeated the article and added The Mottee brothers, of Kempsey, are to be included amongst the names mentioned above. They were elated to hear the good news of the relief to their homeland.
Others on the mid rivers to be included are Messrs George Conomos (Wauchope), George Potiries (Macksville), Peter Vlandys and Jim Aronas (Port Macquarie), George and Jack Zanders, Jim Marcella (Taree), Peter and Andy Mallita (Coffs Harbour) and Manuel Kolantgis (Bellingen).
Over the next three weeks the Grafton Daily carried various articles and editorials singing the praises of Greece, (with many allusions to the spirit of Leonidas and his Spartans holding the pass at Thermopylae…), culminating in reports, over three editions, of the formal knees up at Grafton High School. With the Mayor presiding, and in the presence of many VIPS, clergy and the local MLA, Nick Langley of South Grafton led a contingent consisting of Anthony and Jack Notaras, Peter Bernard, Peter Theodore, Nick Andronicos and Jim Langley to formally hand over a Greek flag to the school. After the speeches Miss Irene Notaras led the gathering in a rendition of the Greek National Anthen (the same lass who came 4th in year 2A said the paper a little later. Onya Irene.)
Two weeks later the Armistice Day Observance at Grafton continued the Greek flavour, with Arthur Bernard leading the parade carrying the Greek flag followed by Peter Bernard and Jim Langley who bore between them a magnificent wreath fashioned in flowers of the blue and white of Greece. A week later Peter Bernard announced his intention to stand as an alderman at the council elections in early December. (He just missed out.)
The Grafton Daily finished off with the publication of a telegram from Mr Vrisakis, Greek Consul-General, thanking the Greek community and citizens of Grafton for showing in an active way their understanding and sympathy for our cause. Grafton now boasts ‘Kythera Park’ out along the Armidale Road and ‘Kythera Place’ in South Grafton.
In the meantime George Conomos of Wauchope, just discharged from WW2 service, got so carried away he rushed up to Warialda for a formal engagement to his fiancée, Mary Bonos, the niece of Sid, Harry, Jack and Jim Zantis of Inverell and Warialda. Said the Wauchope Gazette: About 70 visitors …from Grafton, Guyra, Bundarra, Inverell, Bingara, Gravesend, Moree, Wee War, Narrabri and Gunnedah… attended the engagement dinner… at the Zantis Café in Warialda. …. Andy Comino of Wee Waa was master-of-ceremonies.
In between all this was a grand celebration at the Bundagen (Repton) farm of Mr and Mrs Souris, reported by both the Grafton Daily and the Bellingen Sun: Repton, 12 miles from Coffs Harbour, was the scene of a unique and happy function on Sunday last when well over 100 Greeks and their families from Grafton, Dorrigo, Urunga, Macksville and other North Coast towns congregated to celebrate…. the liberation from the grip of the hated Hun of their country, or at any rate of two important parts of it, viz., the Island of Kythera, the birthplace of most of the Greeks residing in NSW, and the capital city, Athens… (the Bellingen paper also mentioned that Greek nationals flocked from places as far afield as Armidale, Tamworth, Inverell….)
The green lawns, shady trees and waving flags presented an ideal setting for the occasion and excitement ran high as party after party arrived to be greeted and welcomed by friends meeting, in many instances, for the first time in years and in some cases the first time since school days on the lovely Island of Kythera, from which island most of those present had migrated….
A priest from Sydney was the guest of honour and part of the festivities was the thrice immersion of baby Maria Peter Theodore in an improvised baptismal font. ….
It was a touching scene. Their thoughts directed to their homeland, to parents, relatives and friends of whom they had heard no word during the dark days of recent years. Little wonder that eyes were moist, that hearts were sad. But, as the clouds lifted from over Greece, so the sadness passed away, and soon the gathering was back to its former happy mood and wending its way to the dining hall, a large shelter constructed of leaves and bushes under which a most sumptuous repast was spread, for the Greeks are not used to doing things by halves…..
Before the gathering dispersed a collection was taken for the benefit of the people of Kythera and it was responded to with typical Greek generosity, no less than £230 being contributed….
Cameras were busy recording snapshots of happy groups to be sent to relatives and friends and sons of those present now in the battle areas with the AIF, and a coloured moving picture film was taken of much of the proceedings.
So after all that wordage here’s the punch line: Does anybody have a copy of this historic footage?
Brinos Notaras thinks this photo was taken at a major function/ceremony in Lismore during or shortly after WW2.
Portion of the Grafton contingent numbered as follows:
1. Anthony Lambrinos Notaras
2. Nick Langley (Anastasopoulos)
3. Peter Arthur Bernard (Venardos)
4. John Lambrinos Notaras
5. Theo Lambrinos Notaras
6. Jack Paul Moulos
Can anyone confirm the occasion and/or the other participants?
