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2nd WORLD WAR
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At the commencement of the 2 nd World War the battle cruiser “G. AVEROF” took the lead once again, as the flag ship of the Hellenic Fleet. However, in April 1941 after the collapse of the Front, the Ministry of the Navy ordered the scuttling of the ship to avoid being captured by the enemy. In the hearts and morale of the Greek crews, the departure of the remaining ships of the fleet for Alexandria was out of the question without the safe companionship of Uncle George, the heroic armored battle cruiser “G. AVEROF” as she was used to be called by the crews.
Thus, after the successful arrival of the cruiser at Alexandria, the ship headed towards Bombay for general overhaul and inspection. Initially “G. AVEROF” operated in the Indian Ocean, with the mission of protecting groups of ships that were sailing from Bombay to Aden. At the end of 1942 “G. AVEROF” sailed into Port Said, where she participated in missions of port protection.
With the withdrawal of the German occupation troops at the end of September 1944 and after an absence of three and a half years, the glorious “G. AVEROF” returned to Greece on the afternoon of October 16, anchoring triumphantly at Faliro Bay. |
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