Military History Tours Australia          Greece and Crete

On 6 April 1941, the German Army launched its attack against the Greeks on the Metaxos Line and the Allied Expeditionary Force located at Florina. The Allied Force, including the 6th Australian Division, were withdrawn from mainland Greece and so began the Battle for Crete. You are invited to join us as we commemorate the 71^st Anniversary of our 2^nd Generation ANZAC’s witnessing Dawn Service in Athens on ANZAC Day then follow the World War 2 campaign from the northern border of Greece where the Germans first entered the country, through Greece and across to Crete. Visit the battle sites, each with an informative briefing, and view the resting places of our fallen.

As this tour is very popular and successful, we intend to run it each year.

As we travel Greece, you will also see spectacular scenery and the classic white architecture set against the bluest of seas. We dine in traditional tavernas and enjoy the culture of a warm and friendly people. We cruise at the relaxed pace of the inter island ferry from Pireaus to Crete and by air conditioned coach between locations. The ambience of Greece is legendary, with its food, its music and the simple quality of its lifestyle. With a history dating back thousands of years, it is one of the most fascinating and inspiring travel experiences that you will ever have. Relaxed, friendly and enjoyable is the theme of this tour.  An experienced and knowledgeable Greek guide will also explain the significance of the legends that inhabit every site.

The April 2012 tour is open for booking. 

Highlights

	Athens, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora
	Presentations at the Battle sites
	Florina, Larissa, Lamia, Mt Olympus
	Athens to Crete by Ferry
	Defence of Rethymno.
	Heraklion, Maleme
	Souda Bay ... and more

Not included:

Costs: 18 days, 17 nights.  Based on share twin, or share double will be approximately $4,995 per person, single supplement $750.

Itinerary (Dates and Details to be Confirmed)

Day 1 - 23 April 2012 – Athens: Arrivals throughout the day and free time in this wonderful city, particularly where our hotel is located near the Plako. The Plako with its narrow streets full of shops and restaurants is a wonderful place to spend a leisurely afternoon.

Day 2 - 24 April 2012 – Athens: Early morning visit to the Acropolis, then a tour of Athens and the Museum. The remainder of the day and evening is free to relax and meet other guests and to enjoy parts of this beautiful city. B

Day 3 - 25 April 2012 – Athens: ANZAC Day, this is a very special day on the 71^st Anniversary of the battles that were taking place near Athens as the Australians were gathering to evacuate to Crete.

An early wake up call before coffee and tea in our hotel lobby then off to the Service. On arrival you will be ushered into the area at the base of the Cross of Sacrifice for a traditional Dawn Service. At the completion of the Service there will be time at the Cemetery to inspect the area before our coach arrives to take us into Athens for our special breakfast. The afternoon is at leisure for you to further enjoy this city as tomorrow we leave Athens. B

Day 4 - 26 April 2012 – Olympia: After breakfast we say farewell to Athens as we drive out to Olympia via the Corinth Canal, Argos and Kalamata. Corinth was the location of the German para drop that secured the crossing into the Peloponnese and Kalamata was the last evacuation beach. o/n Olympia B/D

Day 5 - 27 April 2012 – Olympia: This morning we will be taken through the historical Olympia site and stand in that first ever Olympic arena, see the area where the current Olympic Games flame is lit prior to its journey to the country holding the modern games. The temples, training areas and museum are very well maintained and tell a wonderful story of history. Following lunch in the village we head out to the coast where will visit a military museum that has been established by a retired Military family. Dinner in our hotel. o/n Olympia. B/D

Day 6 - 28 April 2012 – Delphi: : An early start as we head to Delphi, visiting the Castalia Springs and Athena Sanctuary. In Delphi our guide will take us through the history of the Oracle and we will visit the special museum that is on the hill overlooking the location where the Oracle was housed. That evening we enjoy dinner together in those famous hills of Delphi. B/D

Day 7 - 29 April 2012 – Meteora: An early start as we head north to Kalambaka via Brallos Pass and Domokos. Domokos was a major defensive position and we take time in the village to overlook that defensive position. In Kalambaka we will visit the famous monasteries on the mountains. Kalambaka was also a blocking position during the withdrawal and due to the successful holding action there our forces in Larissa were able to escape. B/D

Day 8 - 30 April 2012 – Meteora: A further day viewing this historic area as well as the location of the blocking force, Savage Force, that was to cover the west of the main withdrawal route before returning to our hotel in Kalambaka where we will dine together in our hotel or at a local restaurant. B/D

Day 9 - 1 May 2012 – Florina : We are now moving into the area where the 6th Division deployed prior to the German invasion. We are not far from the Albanian Border and it was out here that the Greek Cavalry Regiments acquitted themselves so well. They were not defeated by the Germans but bypassed and left to their own resources to either try and rejoin the main Greek Army or melt into the countryside. B/D

Day 10 - 2 May 2012 – Florina: Today we visit the areas where the 6^th Division propped and waited for the German assault. We will discuss those positions and the battles that followed. Ptolemaida will be among our visits today. Not only will we walk the ground of those actions, but we will take time out to enjoy some of the culture of this part of Northern Greece. Tonight we have dinner in our hotel in Florina. B/D

Day 11 - 3 May 2012 – Kozani: A special day as we commence our withdrawal to the south. If possible we will take time for a couple of unusual visits. B/L/D

Day 12 - 4 May 2012 – Larissa Area: We leave Kozani and head down to the area of the east coast after visiting Elassona on the route taken by our troops as part of their fighting withdrawal. We settle into our hotel for our two (2) nights in the coastal town of Platamon. This lovely seaside town was the area where the 21^st New Zealand Battalion put up such a wonderful defence. B/D

Day 13 - 5 May 2012 – Platamon: This will be a special day visiting the Pinios Gorge and visiting the sites of this important action. We also visit a small village in the mountains behind Platamon, a village that has only local vehicles and looks out over the town to the sea beyond. We return to Platamon for dinner. B/D

Day 14 - 6 May 2012 – Athens: We return to Athens via Volos, Lamia, Thermopylae and Thebes. Dinner in a restaurant near the harbour and then we board the ferry for our overnight trip to Crete. B/D

Day 15 - 7 May 2012 – Crete: Early arrival in Chania where we visit a local hotel for our breakfast before we meet our guide for our tour of the Chania/Maleme Area. In the early afternoon we tour Souda Bay War Cemetery prior to settling into our hotel. B/D

Day 16 - 8 May 2012 – Crete: Breakfast in our hotel, visit the battlefield of Rethymon prior to heading across the island where we will traverse the evacuation route and visit the evacuation beach at Sfakia. We then proceed east along the coast past small villages until we arrive at Preveli Monastry where so many of our men were given shelter prior to evacuation via submarine. We return to our hotel in Rethymon for dinner. B/D

Day 17 - 9 May 2012 – Crete: We enjoy breakfast at your hotel before we set out to visit the battlefield at Heraklion. While in this area of the island we will visit The Knossos Palace that was the centre of the Minoan Civilisation. Following lunch in the town there is free time to explore this ancient town prior to us boarding the ferry for our overnight cruise back to Athens. B/D

Day 18 - 10 May 2012 – Athens: Early arrival into Athens and following breakfast our group either transfers to the Airport for departure or transfers to the Athens hotel for those who need to stay on in Athens. The tour ends this morning. B

 Use the Button to your left to find out more about Australians in the Loss of Greece and Crete during WW2.

This is from our Head Historian as he sat in a plane returning from Greece in 2011

I write this on my way home from Greece.

This 2011 Tour has been extraordinary as it has encompassed both the history of our forces as they supported Greece in its hour of need but also joined with the Greek and Cretan people as they remembered those actions of 1941. They remember the time our men and women came to their country, to help. Now it is their children, who, having been told of the deeds of our force in that time support us today as their parents did all those years ago.

Greece and Crete are certainly a long way from Australia and the people we met are very supportive and do realize the distance that we travel so as to pay our respects to those who fell while trying to stem that German advance. It was very interesting indeed to hear from the Commander of the Presidential Guard that “ there had only ever been one time in the history of Greece when another country had come to the support of Greece when confronted with an aggressor, that time was in 1941, when the fighting forces of Australia and New Zealand plus Great Britain had come to fight with Greece against the German invader”. We failed, at great cost, but the people of Greece have never forgotten that we came.

It is now the sons and daughters of those Greek people who we tried to help who are very happy that the sons and daughters of those who came in 1941 are coming again to remember those Greeks, Cretans and Allies who paid the supreme sacrifice. It is such an emotional journey for many and each year we return our group is embraced by the people from those areas we visit, the same areas where our soldiers operated in 1941.

We at Military History Tours will continue to return and ensure that those who fought for freedom may always be remembered. The first ever ANZAC Day Dawn Service was held by us this year at the Phaleron Cemetery in Athens and we intend to return in 2012 for ANZAC Day.

Booking Terms and Conditions

1. GENERAL This tour has been prepared by Military History Tours Pty Ltd (MHT).

2. Military History Tours Australia Pty Ltd (MHT), urges you to read the booking terms and conditions and contact us or your travel agent if you need any clarification. At the time of publishing this on the internet, the arrangements outlined in it, the price and the inclusions were all confirmed. However, MHT reserves the right to make amendments to the program and the price, should conditions beyond the control of MHT change.

3. DEPOSITS A deposit of AUD $500.00 per person is required to secure a booking on the tour.

4. BOOKINGS Bookings can be made direct with MHT, or through your local travel agent. If your travel agent is not aware of this program, have them contact us and we will provide them with the details they require. The registration form must reach MHT, together with the deposit, to secure a reservation.

5. FINAL PAYMENT & CANCELLATIONS Final payment will be required by 30 November 2011 (except in the case of a late booking - bookings will usually be taken up to one month before tour commences). Any cancellations prior to this date will be entitled to a full refund. After 30 November 2011, cancellation will attract a 50% cancellation fee, and after 28 February, 2012, no refund will be applicable. You should consider insurance if you believe you may have to cancel arrangements close to these dates.

6. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS If you are travelling on an Australian passport, you will not need visas to visit Greece. However, we recommend that your passport has a minimum of 6 months validity at the time of your departure from Australia. If you are travelling on other than an Australian passport you should check with your travel agent or MHT on the requirements.

7. ACCOMMODATION All hotels used in this tour are at least 3 star standard.

8. CHILDREN & INFANTS No deposits are required for children under 12 years of age. However, they should be detailed on the registration form so that appropriate accommodation is provided. The cost for children and infants, under 3, will be provided on request.

9. SPECIAL REQUESTS Should you have special food requirements, a disability that will require special handling, or if you require a smoking or non smoking room, or any other need, please detail it on the registration form. Most accommodation in Turkey has a lot of smoking rooms, but we will allocate rooms with non smokers together when designated non smoking rooms are not available.

10. INSURANCE It is not acceptable for MHT to accept people on its tours who are not holding appropriate travel insurance. You should discuss the best for you with your travel agent or MHT prior to departure.

11. INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS A list of the inclusions and exclusions is detailed above. If you are not certain of anything, clarify with your travel agent or MHT.

12. TOUR CANCELLATION MHT reserves the right to cancel this tour at any time prior to commencement should booking numbers be insufficient to cover costs.  Should the tour be cancelled subject to this clause, all payments made to MHT will be refunded.

13. SUMMARY MHT has run battlefield tours for over 20 years. If you join this tour, MHT guarantee that should you have a specific Australian grave site to visit for family or other reasons, providing it is registered with Australian war graves and is near to the tour route, we will make sure you visit the site and have time to lay a wreath or poppy. 

14. LAW OF CONTRACT The contract for the tour is governed in all aspects by the law in the state of NSW and any legal action arising under the contract shall be litigated only in the appropriate court having jurisdiction in that state.

15. TRAVELLING WITH MEDALS

For those who wish to display their own or a relative's medals when showing their respects, the airline security situation must be recognised.  Due to the pin at the rear of all medal displays, it is no longer possible to carry them as hand luggage and they must be deposited in your main luggage (cargo hold bag).  Valuable original medals in your cargo hold bag could be lost.  Insurance can cover the cost to replace your clothing, not your great grandfather's original World War 1 medals.  It is recommended that you purchase a duplicate set, and put it in your cargo hold bag.

Leave your valuable original medals at home.