The Georgios Averoff

[John Brown]

Georgios Averoff is the world's only surviving heavily armored cruiser of the early 20th century. During the Balkan Wars in 1912 and 1913, she was the Hellenic Navy fleet flagship during the campaigns in the North and Central Aegean islands, as well as the coastal cities of East Macedonia and Thrace.

Greece remained neutral during most of World War I. The Eleutherios Venizelos government in 1917 decided to participate on the Allies' side. At the end of the first World War in November 1918 she sailed to Constantinople and raised the Greek flag as one of the winning powers of the Great War. After, the signing of the peace treaties, Georgios Averoff with the rest of the fleet moved the Greek troops to Asia Minor.

She served on the Allied side during World War II, having fled to Egypt with the rest of the fleet. She led the Greek naval force when the fleet dropped anchor in the Faliron Bay, Athens on October 17, 1944, at the end of the Nazi occupation.

Georgios Averoff's last voyage was to Rhodes in May 1945, to commemorate the accession of the Dodecanese from Italy. She was towed to her permanent berth in Faliron Bay in 1985, where is now open as a museum.

I took the attached photos of the Averoff a few years ago whilst on holiday in Greece. Now for a bit of fun, in the first two pics, can anybody identify the objects in the water just off the ships bow? Send your ideas in a private message and I'll reveal the answer on Mon 11th Feb.

John

[astraltrader]

1984Sorry John I haven`t got a clue unless its a large mooring point or even a floating rubbish bin! To make up for my ignorance the least i can do is post a shot of this fine old ship in her prime rather than as a floating museum...

[herakles]

I have no idea what it is!

The Venizelos government wanted to join the war much earlier than that. He wanted to send Greek troops to Gallipoli. But the King wouldn't allow it. His wife was German and she objected strongly. The King was not a titular head in Greece. Venizelos resigned in disgust.

He was a great prime minister. The new Greek airport is named in his honour.

[The Sailor]

That object in the water is the funnel of a sunken ship. It extends to that smaller protrusion to the right.

[astraltrader]

Is that a guess or a fact Ian?

[John Brown]

Great picture Terry.

She looks even more handsome in black and white than in my colour pics.


Just to clarify though....my quiz question is about the small objects in the water near the bow. Not the big black and white thing sitting on top of a concrete block nearer the stern.


John

[astraltrader]

Ooops Sorry John! In which case I will have to plead ignorance and wait and see what transpires...

[The Sailor]

It's two men swimming with a horse John

[John Brown]

Give that man a cigar!!

I had hoped for the question to run for a week so lots would get a chance to have a go but you are too impatient. Yes, sailor is correct, it's two men swimming with a horse. I was taking photos of the ship when I noticed the objects in my viewfinder. I have no idea where they entered the water but they eventually came out right where I was standing. The men spoke no English so I don't really know why they had the horse in the water. I am guessing that perhaps the horse had a bad leg and they were exercising it without putting too much strain on it.

John

[herakles]

Send your ideas in a private message and I'll reveal the answer on Mon 11th Feb.
John



?????????????????????????

[John Brown]

Herakles.

That's what I was refering too in my last post about hoping it would last a week.

I guess some members are just really enthusiastic :-)

John

[herakles]

So John, now's the time to start another competition This time put the instructions in bold text!!