Final Preparations

We arrive in Thessaloniki on Friday 23 October 2009. In between the frantic organisation and packing of kit, we have finally raised interest with the Greek media. A key part of our expedition is to trace the families that helped Sandy during his escape, 68 years ago.

To help with this, we have gone back through the descriptions in Sandy's book - "Dare to be Free" and identified the following families:

• Old couple, with two sons, 30 mins walk from old prison within near to Thessaloniki city walls
• Gregorio, wife and two daughters (the youngest called Maria), near to the Airfield
• Family with 4 children (2 boys, 2 girls) in village north of main road (Nea Redestos or Vasilika?) Sandy gave them a Bank of Scotland pound note
• Farmer and wife near to Kalamoto, who were also hiding other NZ troops in a kalleva
• Yannos (a miller) and the resistance guide Niki – in village north-west
  of Arnea
• Lazarus and his father in Ierisos
• Mayor Salos in Ierisos
• Fisherman on coast west of Ouranopolis with two daughters - Trudi and Eta