20c 2026 Service Amid Strife - Greece & Crete UNC

Issued by the Royal Australian Mint, this 2026 Coloured Uncirculated 20 Cent Coin commemorates Australia’s involvement in the Greece and Crete campaigns of 1941 during the Second World War.

Following Italy’s invasion of Greece via occupied Albania in October 1940, Nazi Germany launched a full-scale invasion in April 1941 after Italian forces failed to secure victory. Commonwealth troops, including the 6th Division of the Australian Imperial Force, were deployed to support the defence of Greece. Despite determined resistance, Allied forces were eventually forced to withdraw south to the island of Crete.

The battle for Crete soon followed, with German forces capturing key airfields in the western part of the island, allowing further reinforcements to arrive. Lacking sufficient heavy weaponry and air support, Allied troops were ultimately unable to hold Crete and were forced to evacuate. The campaign came at a heavy cost, with more than 1,600 Australians killed or wounded and over 5,000 taken prisoner.

Throughout the campaigns, Greek and Cretan troops fought side by side with Australian and other Commonwealth forces against fascist aggression. In the years following the war, many Greeks and Cretans migrated to Australia, with the shared wartime experiences helping to forge lasting bonds between the communities despite differences in culture, language and ethnicity.

Featuring a striking coloured design and presented in official Mint packaging, this 2026 20c Coloured Uncirculated Coin is a meaningful tribute to the courage, sacrifice and enduring legacy of Australians who served in Greece and Crete during WWII.