Unearthing a New Story
An unexpected piece of personal history found during studying for the Castle of Platamon
UNEXPECTED
Konstantina Kalimeri
4/2/20251 min read


It's truly remarkable how sometimes, the story of a monument suddenly intertwines with your own personal history...
As a tourist guide, continuous learning and research are part of the job. Recently, while digging into the history of Platamon Castle in Greece, I stumbled upon an article in a military history magazine. It detailed fierce battles fought in the Platamon area during World War II.
Specifically, in April 1941, a New Zealand Infantry Battalion stood against advancing German tanks, attempting to block their push into Southern Greece. A brutal battle followed, and the historic castle itself came under heavy bombardment. Ultimately, the New Zealanders were forced to retreat, often in small, scattered groups, moving south from the Tempi Valley towards the Fthiotida region.
Reading this, something clicked. A memory surfaced – my great-grandmother, "Babo" as we affectionately called her, used to recount stories from 1941. She spoke of her brother, Georgios, who was part of the Greek Resistance. According to her stories, he saved several New Zealand soldiers by hiding them for 12 months in a cave near my family's village (Neo Monastiri Domokou, right on the border between Thessaly and Fthiotida).
Could it be? I rushed to ask my father, who confirmed it! The family story was true, and incredibly, the New Zealand government had sent an official thank-you letter to my great-uncle Georgios for his bravery.
While I can't know for sure if the soldiers my great-uncle sheltered were the exact same ones retreating from the Battle of Platamon, the timing and location make it highly possible. Suddenly, a chapter of history that felt distant became intimately mine.
It's a powerful reminder that places hold stories. As tourist guides, we learn to listen closely to what they tell us. Sometimes, if you listen carefully enough, you might just discover a piece of your own story echoing back.
Photos:
A historical photo showing Platamon Castle under German artillery fire on April 15, 1941.
The thank-you letter sent by the New Zealand government to my great-grandmother Erato's brother, Georgios Anastasiou Patsialidis.

