Paxos Festival

ADRIAS – They were all heroes

The biography of the legendary destroyer

“Adrias – they were all heroes’ book, published in 2022 by Kyklops Publications,was written by journalist and researcher, Margarita Pournara, who for the first time will be presenting to us the whole true story of this legendary battleship! Margarita Pournara, being a daughter to reservist lieutenant, Georgios Pournaras, is part of the last generation of Greeks that have heard at some point in their lives stories about the Second World War from first hand. After having researched this book for many months, she managed to skillfully depict the true story about Adrias, one of the most heroic ships of the Greek Navy ever. Paxiots should be additionally proud for having a fellow countryman serve on that boat; Spyros Mourikis, was then a sub-chief mate and later became an accomplished Vice Admiral and Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff.

Presentation will take place in both Greek and English.

Free Entrance.

To the left: Spyros Mourikis in 1943 (from his daughter’s, Aliki Mouriki’s family archive). On the right: Destroyer ADRIAS being launched and the Greek flag being raised on July 20th, 1942 in Wallsend on Tyne.  Αrchimandrite, Virvos holds the inaugurating mass, while BBC covers the whole ceremony. The flag was raised by leading seaman, Dimitris Maltezos. (foto: Imperial War Museum)