85th anniversary of the Battle of Crete – Programme for Battle of Crete commemorations 17th -24th May 2026
The most notable event is the première of the documentary by New Zealand film maker John Irwin.
This is the first in a series of six documentaries on the women of Western Crete during World War II, using material gathered over the past 20 years by film maker John Irwin.
21st May at 20:00: Cultural Centre of Chania – details see below.
Programme of events of the memorial week 17th to 24th May
Sunday 17th May 2026
11:00: Gouverneto Monastery, Akrotiri – War Memorial
– Memorial Service
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthem
– Greeting from the Mayor of Chania Panagiotis Simandirakis
– Speech on the events in the area by a Representative of the Community of Akrotiri
Organised by: Municipality of Chania, Gouverneto Monastery.
Monday 18th May 2026
11:00: Municipality of Kandanos-Selino
Memorial to those Executed, Palaiochora
– Memorial Service
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthem
– Speech on the events in the area by the President of the Traditional Association of Selino, Nikolaos Apostolakis.
– Rizitiko sung by the Cultural-Traditional Association of Selino
– Traditional snacks offered by the Municipality of Kandanos-Selino
Organised by: Municipality of Kandanos-Selino.
19:00: Nea Hora Harbour, Chania – Memorial to the Fallen Inhabitants of Nea Hora
– Memorial Service
– Roll of Honour
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthem by the Municipal Band of Chania
– Greeting from the Mayor of Chania Panagiotis Simandirakis
– Speech entitled “The Cretan people in the face of the conqueror: the Battle of Crete”, by Giannis Skalidakis, PhD History, Lecturer in the Political Science Department of the University of Crete
– Rizitiko sung by the Chania Artistic Association “Kritikes Madares“
Organised by: Municipality of Chania, local bodies of Nea Hora.
Tuesday 19th May 2026
19:00: Municipality of Kissamos – War Memorial, Kallergiana junction
– Memorial Service
– Roll of Honour
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthem
– Greeting from the Mayor of Kissamos Giorgos Mylonakis
– Speech with the title “‘Never again’: the single heritage of the war” by Spiros Daudakis, Historian, National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos”
– Rizitiko sung by the “Ι Kissamos” Association of Rizitiko Singers
Organised by: Municipality of Kissamos.
Wednesday 20th May 2026
11:00: Agia – Golgotha Memorial
Organised by: Municipality of Chania, with the participation of the Primary and Secondary Schools of Chania.
19:00: Municipality of Apokoronas
Agii Pantes – Agia Sofia Charitable Foundation, in Memory of the Battles of Stylos and Babalis (1941)
Thursday 21st May 2026
11:00: Kolymbari – Cadets’ Memorial
– Memorial Service
– Roll of Honour
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthem
– Greeting from the Mayor of Platanias Giannis Malandrakis
– Speech by the Director of the 5th Airmobile Brigade “5th Cretan Division”, Brigadier Nikolaos Kostakis
Organised by: 5th Airmobile Brigade “5th Cretan Division”, Municipality of Platanias.
20:00: Cultural Centre of Chania – première of a documentary
by John Irwin
The first showing of the first in a series of documentaries by New Zealand director and producer John Irwin entitled “Out of Their Own Hands: Women of Crete and the German Occupation”.
Based on 50 hours of interviews recorded over the past 20 years, the six episodes in the series pay tribute to the strength, resilience and values of a generation of women from Western Crete during the course of the 2nd World War – how they adapted, how they resisted, survived and kept their communities united during those dark times.
The first, 60-minute episode is entitled “The Sisters of Galatas” and recounts the story of the sisters Anna, Vera and Despina Tapeinaki from Galatas – 12, 10 and 8 years old respectively at the time – whose lives were brutally transformed by the invasion of the German paratroopers. In the course of one night, the three sisters were thrust into the war and lived through the bombing and the fierce fighting which took place in the streets of their village. Their childhood came to an abrupt end as they became witnesses to death and destruction, supported the local fighters, helped Allied prisoners of war escape to the mountains and later took part in the activities of the Resistance…
Organised by: Region of Crete-Regional Unit of Chania, Cultural Centre of Chania.
Friday 22nd May 2026
10:30: Firka Fortress, Chania
– Ceremonial raising of flags
– National Anthems
Organised by: Region of Crete-Regional Unit of Chania, Municipality of Chania.
Visit to the Maritime Museum of Crete
Inaugural presentation of new exhibits relating to the Battle of Crete, which include:
1) Australian warships which took part in the fighting during the Battle of Crete.
2) 20-cent coins from the Australian Mint commemorating the campaigns in Greece, Crete, North Africa and the Middle East, the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete and the role of Australian women during the war.
3) Stamp exhibition by the philatelist Giorgos Thomareis on the theme of “Crete 1940-1946: the difficult years before the outbreak of war”
Organised by: Australian Embassy in Greece, Region of Crete-Regional Unit of Chania, Maritime Museum of Crete.
13:30: 42nd Street Tsikalaria – Monument to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) commemorating the battle of 27th May 1941
– Memorial Service
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthems
– Greeting and speech by the Mayor of Chania Panagiotis Simandirakis
– Greetings from representatives of the Australian and New Zealand authorities
Organised by: Municipality of Chania in collaboration with the Cultural Association of Tsikalaria, Australian ANZAC Memorial Committee.
The 42nd Street Memorial in Tsikalaria, Chania, lies at the point where Tsikalarion Street now passes under the VOAK.
On 27th May 1941, the road was the site of a battle between the German 141st Mountain Regiment and ANZAC troops who stopped the German advance, protecting the Allied retreat. The name 42nd Street was applied humorously to what was then a dirt lane by British sappers who had bivouacked there and was incorporated onto British maps (Wikipedia).
According to the Greek Herald, the Australian government last month approved a grant of $5,878 (€3,600) which will go towards improving the memorial, including restoration work and the installation of new information signage.
18:30: Galatas – Greece-New Zealand Memorial
– Memorial Service
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthems
– Greeting from the Mayor of Chania Panagiotis Simandirakis
– Greetings from representatives of the Australian and New Zealand authorities
Organised by: Municipality of Chania.
Saturday 23rd May 2026
11:00: Alikianos – Keritis Monument
– Memorial Service
– Roll of Honour
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthems
– Greeting from the Mayor of Platanias Giannis Malandrakis
– Speech on the events in the area
Organised by: Municipality of Platanias.
18:00: Souda – Ceremony at the Allied Cemetery
– Memorial Service
– Laying of wreaths
– Flypast by the Red Arrows aerobatic team and an A400M transport plane of the RAF
Official arrivals: up to 17:45
Organised by: British Embassy in Greece.
Sunday 24th May 2026
Chania Cathedral – commemorative services
07:00 to 10:00: Holy Liturgy in commemoration of those Fallen and Wounded in the Battle of Crete
11:00: Official Doxology
Organised by: Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronas, Region of Crete-Regional Unit of Chania, Municipality of Chania.
Old Harbour of Chania
~11:30: Parade of flag bearers of the Traditional Associations of Chania
Representatives of the Traditional Associations of the Municipality of Chania will parade around Chania harbour, starting at Talos Square and ending at the Neorio Moro (Chania Sailing Club). With the participation of the Municipal Band of Chania
Organised by: Municipality of Chania.
12:00: Red Arrows Air Display
Air display by the Red Arrows Aerobatic Team of the Royal Air Force
Organised by: British Embassy in Greece, Region of Crete-Regional Unit of Chania, Municipality of Chania, 115 Combat Wing, Crete Naval Base, Port Authority of Chania.
13:30: Maleme – Ceremony at the German War Cemetery
– Memorial Service
– Laying of wreaths
Organised by: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Greece.
18:30: Maleme Aerodrome – Closing Ceremony, Battle of Crete Monument
Part 1
– Memorial Service
– Laying of wreaths
– A minute’s silence in Memory of the Fallen
– National Anthems
Part 2
– Greeting from the Deputy Regional Governor for Chania Nikos Kalogeris
– Greeting from the Mayor of Chania Panagiotis Simandirakis
– Speech by the Mayor of Platanias Giannis Malandrakis
– Greeting from the Government Representative
– Parachute jumps by the 1st Paratroopers’ Wing
– Aerobatics display by a single F-16 of the 115 Combat Wing
Organised by: Region of Crete-Regional Unit of Chania, Municipality of Platanias, Municipality of Chania, 5th Airmobile Brigade “5th Cretan Division”, 115 Combat Wing, Crete Naval Base, 1st Paratroopers’ Wing.
Sources: Regional Unit of Chania and www.kolymbaricourier.com
The complete programme issued by the Regional Unit of Chania can be found HERE.
