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Stefanos told me how he was summoned by the Director of the Naval
Station Admiral Mezeviris who asked him 〃Tell me； young man； what do
you know about wireless？〃
〃Well sir〃； replied Eleftheriou； 〃I studied Electrical Engineering in
Switzerland … I really don't anything about wireless。〃
〃Neither do I〃； replied the Admiral candidly。 〃Nor do most of my
officers。 We must set up a school to train technicians and wireless
operators。 I entrust you with the task of getting all the necessary books and
other materials。 Write to England； the U。S。A。； France and Germany and
get whatever you need。 When you are ready I will appoint staff to assist
you。〃 That was how Eleftheriou became the head of the first school for
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training wireless officers for the Greek Royal Navy。
A couple of years later Eleftheriou joined the staff of the Ministry of
Post & Telegraphs。 A newspaper of 1930 had a photograph of him with
one of his triplet sons。
In his capacity of Head of the Telecommunications Section at the
Ministry he worked hard to get official recognition of amateur radio。 A
handful of us who were active 'under cover' so to speak； frequently visited
him in his office。 He was a very likeable person and had a talent for
anecdotes。 One day he told us that he had attended a Joint Services
Committee which had been set up to study the requirements for building a
broadcasting station in Athens。 A station had been in regular operation in
the northern city of Thessaloniki （Salonica） since 1928； built by the
pioneer of Broadcasting in the Balkans Christos Tsingeridis。
When the question of wavelength for the proposed station was
considered somebody said a wavelength of 2；000 metres might be
appropriate。 One of the military officers； who shall be nameless； remarked
angrily 〃What！ 2；000 metres。 We are spending all this money only to be
received up to Koukouvaounes？ This is outrageous！〃 （Koukouvaounes
was then a small village with a funny name about 3 miles south…west of
Athens。
Eleftheriou lived to the ripe old age of 84。 When I last saw him he
promised to give me his collection of old photographs and a large number
of books and documents relating to the development of radio
communications in Greece。 Unfortunately； shortly after his death his wife
and three sons moved house temporarily and a packing case containing all
these priceless papers was lost in
7。 Norman F。Joly G3FNJ。 （Formerly SV1RX）。
I was born in Izmir （then known as Smyrna）； on the west coast of
Turkey in Asia Minor； in 1911； of British parents。 My British nationality
was established through the Treaty of Capitulation which was then in force
between Turkey and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland。 I remember there was a British Post Office in Smyrna and we
posted our letters with British postage stamps （of King Edward VII）
overprinted with the word LEVANT。
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My grandmother on my father's side had come from Russia。 It is a
strange coincidence that Takis Coumbias （ex SV1AAA）； Bill Tavaniotis
（ex SV1KE） and I all had roots in southern Russia。 My grandmother on
my mother's side was the daughter of the Dutch consul in Smyrna。 Quite a
mixed bag。
In 1922； at the end of the war between Turkey and Greece； the town
of Smyrna was destroyed by fire when the Greek army was routed。 My
widowed mother with four young children； was advised to take us on
board a British merchant vessel while the town changed hands。 We were
told to take a little food with us just for a day or two。 We carried a large
string bag with some bread； cheese and fruit； and one knife； one fork and
one spoon between the five of us。 I remember it was night and my mother
put all her jewelry in a small leather bag。 As I pulled the cord to close it
the pin of a large broach stuck out through the top。 My mother grabbed it
and said I would hurt myself … I was only 11 years old at the time。 She
looked around the bedroom； lifted up a corner of the mattress of her bed
and hid the pouch ‘safely' underneath it。 We hurried out of the house … and
never went back。
We and many other families spent one night on the merchant vessel
where there was no sleeping accommodation。 Next morning we were
transferred to a large hospital ship called MAINE。 All day we watched
small groups of the Turkish and Greek armies skirmishing on the sea…front
and in the evening many fires broke out in the town。 In the middle of the
night while we were sleeping the hospital ship sailed away to an unknown
destination。 After two or three days we arrived in Malta； where most of us
stayed for the next four years。
It was in Malta that my interest in wireless telegraphy was first
aroused。 We were housed in some military ‘married quarters'。 Close by
there was a wireless station which produced bright greenish…blue sparks
and crackling noises。 Its antennas were supported on three very tall
wooden masts painted bright yellow。 I soon discovered that it was GYZ
belonging to the Admiralty。 Malta was then （1922） a very big base of the
British Navy； in the good old days when England had an Empire。
I bought a kit of parts and assembled a small receiver and being so
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close to the powerful spark transmitter that was all I ever heard。
In 1926 when I left school my family moved to Greece and my
brother who was 7 years older than me； opened up a shipping office on the
island of Mitylene； in the Aegean sea。 My father and grandfather had been
in this business in Turkey。
It was in Mitylene in 1927 that I constructed my first short wave
receiver。 It had 3 valves with 4 volt filaments； heated by an accumulator
（storage battery）。 H。T of 130 volts was obtained from a bank of