Jason Mavrikis honored with an MBE
For his action at the side of his brave British fellow soldiers, such as the late David Sutherland and Lord Jellicoe, and for his tireless efforts to promote friendly relations between Greece and Britain, Queen Elizabeth II has made Jason Mavrikis, a former commando in the Aegean and the Dodecanese during World War II a Member of the British Empire. Mavrikis received the decoration and the certificate from British Ambassador Simon Gass in a moving and joyful ceremony in the salon of the British Embassy residence in Loukianos Street. Representing the SAS Regimental Association was Frank Smith, who fought in Libya and Malaya (now Malaysia). Mavrikis dedicated his award to his commander Lord Jellicoe. A reception followed given by the ambassador’s wife Marianne Gass for Greek and British guests who included many who had fought for values such as freedom and independence, veterans such as general Constantine Korkas, who fought on the Albanian front and escaped to the Middle East before continuing his military career after liberation, Themis Marinos, who took part in the blowing up of the Gorgopotamos bridge, and Admiral Sotiris Georgiadis, a WWII historian.
