Description

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One of the greatest true stories of World War II, now in Greek, inclusive of the historic material recently discovered. Seventy years later and after 500k copies sold the amazing story of "Sandy" Thomas, 96 today, is now published in the language of the country that it took place, and shaped the hero's life and carreer. George G. Spanos, has followed the hero footsteps seven decades after his adventure and enriched the story with annotations, remarks and recognition of the people that helped Sandy Thomas. The reader is able to understand deeper the WWII time-space in Greece, and Mount Athos. This is the only true WWII adventure that includes Mount Athos and shows the courageous involvement of the Athonite monks who inspite of the Nazi threats and extortions, risked their own lives and the very existance of their monasteries to save local and allied soldiers that were trying to get back to their bases in Egypt and Syria. A great read that involves true battles, true adventures, true escapes, true romance and true spirituality, with an unexpected end. This special edition includes the rare booklet "A Visit to Mount Athos, November 1944" in Greek, which also published separately by Athos Press, Ny and George G. Spanos.

About the Author

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W.B. 'Sandy' Thomas, D.S.O., M.C. and Bar, Silver Star (USA) was to tens of thousands of men in the New Zealand Division, a fabulous character, a legend. He was brought up on a farm in Riwaka at the top of the South Island of New Zealand, attending school in rural Motueka, not far from Nelson. Thomas's great grandfather had been a colonel in the Indian Army, and Thomas applied for the Royal Military College at Duntroon in Australia. He was declined entry because he had taken agricultural science instead of chemistry at high school. Consequently, this young man started work as a clerk in the Bank of New Zealand but, ironically, the future would find him lecturing at Duntroon. Thomas gained his commission in the Territorials before the war. In 1940 he sailed with the great convoy of troopships destined for the Middle East, but urgently diverted to the United Kingdom to counter the threat of German invasion after Dunkirk. From England he went to Egypt, Greece, and then to Crete. Thomas was left badly wounded and a prisoner on Crete, where this adventure begins. The story of his escape is still as gripping as when first published in 1951. Sandy, 97 today, lives vividly in Australia. George g. Spanos, was born in Athens, Greece back in 1972. An Independent Executive Consultant, an Entrepreneur in Shipping and Publishing, and a Writer, George is always researching to republish inspirational and spiritual works worth knowing of. Sandy Thomas' story, deserved George's attention and care in order to get its final closure in Greece after being published repeatedly as "Dare to be Free" in many languages. www.about.me/george.g.spanos