Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, Alison Duncan, has presented Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with a commemorative coin marking the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Greece and Crete.
Issued in a limited edition by the Royal Australian Mint, the coin commemorates the enduring bonds forged between Australia and Greece during one of the defining campaigns of the Second World War.
The Battle of Greece and Crete remains one of the most significant chapters in the shared military history of the two nations. Through service, sacrifice and hardship, Australian and Greek forces — alongside the people of Crete — forged deep bonds of mateship and solidarity that continue to underpin the strong friendship between the two countries today.
During the meeting, Ambassador Duncan also presented Prime Minister Mitsotakis with an additional commemorative coin for the collections of the Konstantinos Mitsotakis Foundation.
The gesture carried particular historical significance given the wartime legacy of the Prime Minister’s late father, Konstantinos Mitsotakis, who served in the Cretan resistance during the war before being taken prisoner.
His story remains closely associated with the courage, resilience and commitment to freedom that defined the Cretan resistance movement during the Nazi occupation.
The commemorative coin serves as both a tribute to those who fought during the Battle of Greece and Crete and a symbol of the enduring relationship between Australia and Greece more than eight decades later.
