The 66th anniversary since the Battle of El Alamein in 1942 and the Greeks killed there in the battles against the Axis forces were honoured in a ceremony held at El Alamein on Saturday, in the presence of the ambassadors of Greece, Cyprus and New Zealand.

Particularly moving was the presence of the sole surviving Greek combatant in the battle, 88-year-old Vassilis Sarris, who was surrounded by representatives of the veterans unions and three branches of the Armed Forces.

At the Greek cemetery of El Alamein, a memorial service was read out by Nitria Bishop Nikodimos and the head cleric of the Armed Forces Gen. Father George Apostolakidis.

Then the names of the 91 Greeks, officers, NCOs and men, killed in El Alamein between August and December 1942 was read out, after which officials laid wreaths at the memorial - including one sent by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias and placed by Commodore Ioannis Zotos in the presence of a detachment of Evzones from the Presidential Guard.

Source : Athens News