Sydney metro station set to be named after indigenous ANZAC with strong ties to Crete

·

A new Metro station at Pitt Street is set to be named after Captain Reginald Saunders, the first indigenous Australian to serve as a commissioned army officer in Korea and WWII.

The Daily Telegraph has reported that the name decision comes after NSW Transport Minister, David Elliott, personally intervened in a departmental push to use the name ‘Gadigal Railway Station’ instead.

Mr Elliott moved to overturn the proposed name in a bid to honour Captain Saunders, who is considered a local ‘hero.’

Australia’s First Indigenous Officer, Captain Reginald Saunders. Photo: Australian War Memorial.

Captain Saunders has a strong connection to the Greek island of Crete during WWII. He was supported by the Tzangarakis family from the village of Labini in Rethymno prefecture. He evaded capture on Crete for almost one year until he finally escaped to Egypt.

READ MORE: ‘The Anzacs had great respect for Greece’: Nick Andriotakis details the enduring relationship.

On May 2016, the 42nd Street Memorial plaque was unveiled in Chania, Crete, to commemorate the Battle of 42nd Street, which Captain Reginald Saunders fought in alongside the Maori Battalion.

Minister Elliott believes the new station should include a plaque of this life story, as well as images of the Captain.

Transport for NSW formally proposed the alternative name to ‘Gadigal Railway Station’ on February 21. If it is approved by the Geographical Names Board, it will be advertised for public comment.

Source: The Daily Telegraph.

greek film festival sydney new

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

‘Una Faccia, Una Razza’: The politics of memory and the power of saying ‘OXI’

The annual homage to “OHI” Day stems from Greece's Prime Minister Metaxas firmly stating “OHI” (NO) to Mussolini's request.

The Master Miller and the art of olive oil perfection

The Master Miller’s mission has its roots in a philosophy that begins at the olive tree and reaches the heart of those who seek quality.

Brain regain: For the first time in 14 years, more people return to Greece than leave

For the first time in over a decade, Greece is witnessing a positive migration balance as more Greeks return home than emigrate.

When everyday Greeks said OXI: Resistance and survival during World War Two

“Aera!” (Air!) roared Greek soldiers as they clawed over jagged rocks on the brutal Pindus Mountains during Italy’s 1940 invasion.

Botanical Park of Crete: Rooted in fire, inspiring hope

The October 2003 fire started with electrical cables in a village near the Marinakis family’s olive groves.

You May Also Like

‘Friendship the only solution’: Istanbul mayor meets with Athens counterpart and Greek PM

Athens mayor Kostas Bakoyannis is hosting Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on a two-day cultural tour of the city.

Tributes flow for famed composer Mikis Theodorakis

Greece is in three days of national mourning for the composer best known for the catchy bouzouki music of 1964 film Zorba the Greek.

How Anzac POW John Robin Greaves escaped German captivity in Greece

ABC News recently published the story of John Robin Greaves; An Anzac trooper who beat the odds to survive a prisoner of war camp in Greece.