Alexander Cocali, the son of Dimitrios Cocalis and Despina Calvocoressi, was born on the 11.11.1919, in Athens. He had three older brothers, George, Pericles, and Nicos and they had stayed for eight years on the island of Corfu, which they had extremely enjoyed. Due to unforeseen circumstances, they returned to Athens and lived in their house in Kypseli, which was, then, an exclusive upper-class neighbourhood, which attracted artists and intelligentsia.
Aleco went to the local primary school and then to the famous 2nd gymnasium of Athens. Simultaneously, he attended Berkshire School in Athens, which was a department of the British National Education system and studied English, English Literature and the History of the British Isles. After he went to the Economic University of Athens (ASOE) but World War II broke out and he joined the Greek Royal Navy and was a wireless operator of the Greek Destroyer Leon.
While the crew was fighting against the Germans, near Crete, Leon was hit and sunk. Most of the crew was saved due to the proximity to the island and found shelter in a mountainous village, near Chania. So Aleco and his comrades stayed there until they were arrested by the Germans after the famous Battle of Crete, which began on the 20th May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of the island. Despite the heroic defence of Greek and other Allied forces, along with the heroic resistance of the local civilians, the Germans, unfortunate, occupied Crete and, later, the whole of Greece
Aleco was held in a prison camp in Maleme, Crete until December 1941, when he and a few other prisoners managed to escape and sailed for Piraeus. His family were delighted to see him. They all managed to survive the violence of the German occupation and the lack of food with gratitude for being alive.
After the end of the war and the occupation, Aleco left for Karachi which was then India. My parents and I had, also, been trapped in Cephalonia, Greece during the occupation and were very happy to return to Karachi. I met Aleco when I was a young teenager and a student at Auckland House School in Simla. So, I went to school and he was sent to Hyderabad, Sind, by the firm for which he worked, Ralli Brothers.
In 1947 the Partition took place, i.e. India was liberated by the British, but was divided into Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan.
As I could not return to Simla, due to the Partition, I attended Karachi Grammar School, for a year where took a Senior Cambridge degree and then left for Alexandra College Dublin, where I stayed for two years and, finally. I went to Irena, a finishing school in Neuchatel, Switzerland for one year. I flew back to Karachi and I very soon found an interesting secretarial job at the Belgian Embassy in Karachi.
I started going out with Aleco and we were married at the Christ Church, Karachi on the 8th June 1954 and literally lived happily ever after. He became a successful businessman, created his own firm and was highly respected by both his clients and his adversaries. We have two wonderful sons, two charming daughters-in-law and seven precious grandchildren.
Unfortunately, on the 21st February 2013, Aleco, the love of my life, passed away at the Amalia Flemming Hospital at Melissia, Athens after a short illness.
OBITUARY
Aleco Cocali died on the 21st February 2913, at the Amalia Fleming Hospital, Melissia, Athens. Adored husband for 58 years of Joy, beloved father of Spiros and Janna, John and Elpida, proud grandfather and great-grandfather of Alexander and Tina, Joy, Konstandinos, Stephanos, Alexander, Christophoros and baby Janna, dear brother-in-law of Dolly and Cleo. He was much loved and respected and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
I must mention that I now have three fantastic great-grand-daughters, Janna, mentioned above, Sophia, and Nephele, who are the pride of my life!!
Aleco went to the local primary school and then to the famous 2nd gymnasium of Athens. Simultaneously, he attended Berkshire School in Athens, which was a department of the British National Education system and studied English, English Literature and the History of the British Isles. After he went to the Economic University of Athens (ASOE) but World War II broke out and he joined the Greek Royal Navy and was a wireless operator of the Greek Destroyer Leon.
While the crew was fighting against the Germans, near Crete, Leon was hit and sunk. Most of the crew was saved due to the proximity to the island and found shelter in a mountainous village, near Chania. So Aleco and his comrades stayed there until they were arrested by the Germans after the famous Battle of Crete, which began on the 20th May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of the island. Despite the heroic defence of Greek and other Allied forces, along with the heroic resistance of the local civilians, the Germans, unfortunate, occupied Crete and, later, the whole of Greece
Aleco was held in a prison camp in Maleme, Crete until December 1941, when he and a few other prisoners managed to escape and sailed for Piraeus. His family were delighted to see him. They all managed to survive the violence of the German occupation and the lack of food with gratitude for being alive.
After the end of the war and the occupation, Aleco left for Karachi which was then India. My parents and I had, also, been trapped in Cephalonia, Greece during the occupation and were very happy to return to Karachi. I met Aleco when I was a young teenager and a student at Auckland House School in Simla. So, I went to school and he was sent to Hyderabad, Sind, by the firm for which he worked, Ralli Brothers.
In 1947 the Partition took place, i.e. India was liberated by the British, but was divided into Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan.
As I could not return to Simla, due to the Partition, I attended Karachi Grammar School, for a year where took a Senior Cambridge degree and then left for Alexandra College Dublin, where I stayed for two years and, finally. I went to Irena, a finishing school in Neuchatel, Switzerland for one year. I flew back to Karachi and I very soon found an interesting secretarial job at the Belgian Embassy in Karachi.
I started going out with Aleco and we were married at the Christ Church, Karachi on the 8th June 1954 and literally lived happily ever after. He became a successful businessman, created his own firm and was highly respected by both his clients and his adversaries. We have two wonderful sons, two charming daughters-in-law and seven precious grandchildren.
Unfortunately, on the 21st February 2013, Aleco, the love of my life, passed away at the Amalia Flemming Hospital at Melissia, Athens after a short illness.
OBITUARY
Aleco Cocali died on the 21st February 2913, at the Amalia Fleming Hospital, Melissia, Athens. Adored husband for 58 years of Joy, beloved father of Spiros and Janna, John and Elpida, proud grandfather and great-grandfather of Alexander and Tina, Joy, Konstandinos, Stephanos, Alexander, Christophoros and baby Janna, dear brother-in-law of Dolly and Cleo. He was much loved and respected and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
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| Sun Flowers by Vincent van Gogh |
I must mention that I now have three fantastic great-grand-daughters, Janna, mentioned above, Sophia, and Nephele, who are the pride of my life!!
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