102-year-old ANZAC veteran Leslie Cook, who lives in Canberra and is one of the few surviving soldiers of the Battle of Crete during WWII, has received a personal letter of gratitude from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The letter was personally delivered to Mr Cook by Greece’s Ambassador to Australia, Stavros Venizelos, on the occasion of OXI Day.
In his message, Prime Minister Mitsotakis expressed “the deepest gratitude of the Hellenic Republic and the Greek people” for Mr Cook’s “remarkable bravery and courage” alongside his fellow ANZAC soldiers during the 1941 battle.
“Your legacy – and that of your fallen comrades – forged indissoluble bonds between the ANZACs and the people of Greece, and laid the foundations of an enduring friendship between Greece and Australia,” the Prime Minister wrote.
Mitsotakis’ letter added that the courage shown on the battlefield “continues to inspire,” serving as a reminder that “peace must never be taken for granted. It demands vigilance, courage and sacrifice.”
Quoting Thucydides, Mitsotakis noted, “Happy are the free, and free are the brave,” and affirmed Greece’s enduring gratitude: “Your courage and devotion will always have a special place in our nation’s history… a lasting reminder of the price of freedom and the strength of solidarity between our peoples.”
The Embassy of Greece in Australia described the moment as one of “rare pride and heartfelt emotion,” thanking Mr Cook for his service.
