Greeks in Foreign Cockpits team representative and lecturer, researcher/author Mr. Dimitris Vassilopoulos.
Military History researcher and writer, as well as the biographer of Vassilios Vassiliadis, HAF Captain (ret.), Angelos Mansolas.
The announcing poster for the event regarding Vassilios Vassiliadis tribute.
On October 24, 2019, we were honored to be invited by the Cultural Institute of Chios to speak about the great RAF Greek Ace, Vassilios Vassiliadis, and the Greeks in Foreign Cockpits subject. Flying his Mustang Mk.III and his Tempest very aggressively, he managed to be credited with 10 kills, before he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Bocholt, Germany, on March 25, 1945, the same day as the Greek Revolution anniversary against Ottoman Turks. The event was organized by the Cultural Institute of Chios because of the national anniversary of the 28th of October, well known worldwide as the OXI Day, the day when the Greek people stood up behind their leader, Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas and denied the Italian forces to enter Greece unopposed. We also took a chance to speak also for the gallant pilots of the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF) who against all odds, fought gallantly against the Italian and German forces, having their RAF brothers on their wings, shooting down 68 enemy aircraft and 23 more as probable. The speech took place in the Michael Bournous Hall of the Chios District building in Chios Island. Along with us the notable researcher and military history writer, HAF (ret) Angelos Mansolas, spoke about the great ace, having the distinction to write Vassiliadis biography, after conducting thorough research. Ιt must be noted that Mr. Mansolas proposed that a plate should be placed outside his house as well as his bust, in the municipal garden, along with other Chios notable personalities. The event was prolonged by the Vice Governor of Chios Island, Mr. Pantelis Bougdanos, followed by the President of the Cultural Institute of Chios, Mrs. Maria Vassilakaki. Mrs. Vassilakaki read the letter of Vassilios sister, Mrs. Maria Rokou Vassiliadis and a nice surprise was the presence of Vassilios Vassiliadis niece, Mrs. Vasiliki Vassiliadis her name was given to honor of her uncle name. Both our representative, Dimitris Vassilopoulos as well as Angelos Mansolas would like to express their gratitude for the hospitality of the event organizers.
You can read the lecture and see the presentation slides given by Dimitris Vassilopoulos, in the following link:
For the time being, only the Greek edition is available.
Vassilios "Vass" Vassiliades, of Greek origin, joined the RAF in October 1942 and was posted to Squadron 19 of Wing 122. It was on April 22, 1944, that he shot down a Me109 during an escort flight over the area of Strasbourg, the subject of this beautiful painting by the late Roy Grinnel. He then flew the Tempest and reached a total of 10 victories before he was killed by flak during a strafing attack on March 25, 1945. (Roy Grinnel via https://www.caffrenchwing.fr)
Vice Governor of Chios of North Aegean District, Mr. Pantelis Bougdanos.
The niece of the great ace, Mrs. Vassiliki Vassiliadis.
President of the Cultural Institute of Chios, Mrs. Maria Vassilaki.
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