Military History Tours          On Tour - Greece and Crete Tour 30 April 2013

Breakfast before our tour of the Monasteries on Meteora. The next few shots depict shots taken of and from the Monasteries.

Another shot of the Monastery followed by a photo showing the basket and mechanism that was used to lift the priests and provisions into the Monastery prior to the current steps being built in the 1920's.

Our group was briefed by Ellena prior to us entering the church and it is a pity that I cannot show the beautiful paintings that cover the whole of the ceiling. The top of the wall and ceiling depicts the immortal heavenly aspect and the lower the life on earth aspect. All painted in the Byzantine period around the early 16th Century.

The outside aspect of the Monastery on the mountain is itself beautiful and there are well kept gardens and walkways.

Brig Savage was ordered to establish a blocking force at the Grevena Road junction. However, following a reconnaissance he decided that there was not an adequate position in that area as he had now a reduced force, losing the 2/6 and 2/7th Battalions to the force at Domokos but with still a large force itself enough to do the task at the right site.

He then blew the bridge at Grevena and a couple on the road to Kalabaka and 5 Km north of Kalabaka he selected his position, with the raging torrent of the main river covering his left flank, the swollen creek to his front and a major mountain protecting his right flank. With his 7 cruisers running a covering force action from Grevena to his position and with his 2/5 Bn, less a company, 2/11 Bn, troop Anti- Armour and MG support from the MG Bn in place on his selected position, it would have needed at least and attack by a Division to cause him problems.

There was not however any action here as he was able to move south prior to the Germans getting close to this position.

On the hills surrounding the position there is a vast amount of the herb thyme growing and when walked on it the aroma filled the air. I wonder if the soldiers smelling the aroma knew what it was, maybe not as the cooking adventures provided by the influx of immigrants following the War was yet to be known,

Tomorrow we head further north to Florina and the location of the first action by the Australians in the War. We will be meeting a huge contingent of both local dignitaries, including the Bishop, the Mayor, the Head of the Regional Prefecture, The Head of the Department of Macedonia Thrace and a group of Parliamentarians from Victoria Australia. Our team, including our cornet player will conduct the Service and then take up the invitation to join all for lunch.

We will report on these activities in tomorrow's posting.

These last shots show the area of the Savige Force blocking position 5 Km north of Kalabaka.