Spyros Kagialedakis (1872 - September 5, 1929)

From Chania in Crete, he was a Cretan revolutionary hero and Greek soldier, who fought during the Cretan Revolt (1895-98) and the Balkan Wars (1912-13).

From the beginning of the Cretan Revolt (1895-98), the 5th such Cretan Revolt after the initial revolt of 1821, Kagialedakis together with his 4 brothers, operated throughout Akrotiri, the peninsula northeast of the city of Chania.

While barricaded inside the Church of the Prophet Ilias in 1897 with other fighters, Spyros Kagialedakis showed true bravery.

During this Cretan Revolt, a group known as the “International Squadron”, a naval fleet made up of Powers of Europe – Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, UK – were intent on keeping the status quo and denying the Greeks of Crete their liberation from the Turks and their wish for Enosis with the rest of Greece.

They bombed the island of Crete, blockaded Greek ports and even landed their own troops wanting to stop the revolt. One of their bombardments shattered a mast which was holding and flying the Greek flag. Kagialedakis ran under this bombardment, recovered the Greek flag and made his own body the pole holding up the Greek flag.

His actions gained the admiration of the Great Powers' fleet, resulting in the ordering of a ceasefire. The Italian commander of the fleet, wrote in his memoirs: "Raising the flag in such a heroic way was a moment in my life that I will never forget."

This event was a great diplomatic victory for the Greeks and played a major role in achieving autonomy for Crete a few months later.

He also performed with distinction throughout the Balkan Wars, a victorious time for Greece, where much of its land and people were liberated and re-unified with the Greek state, but for Kagialedakis it would always be bittersweet, as he would lose his only son Georgios in the conflict, a grief he took to his grave.