After liberation, in early 1945 the Averof transferred the Regent, Archbishop Damaskinos οn his highly symbolic trips to Thessaloniki and Rhodes where, according to his statement, “the engagement of the union of the Dodecanese with Greece’’ took place. Moreover, in May 1947, the Averof making her last independent journey, participated in the celebrations for the liberation and official integration of the Dodecanese into the National body.
Subsequently, the ship, being tied up at the Salamis Naval Base, was used as Headquarters of the Fleet until the end of 1951, when the new cruiser “Elli” became the new Flagship. The legendary ship had now aged and it was time for her glorious retirement. In 1952 she was ordered to be decommissioned. The Averof was then towed near the islet of Agios Georgios, opposite Paloukia, Salamina, where she remained for the next few years. In 1957 she was towed to Poros where she was moored in front of the Naval Academy, which was later named Petty Officers’. There, she remained for about 20 years maintained rudimentarily, with the result that she at least remained in an externally visible condition. At the same time, negotiations were taking place on the fate of the ship. In fact, there was even talk of the possibility of her dismantling and selling her as scrap metal, which fortunately was not implemented.
Finally, in 1983, the Navy made the financially brave decision to reinstate the ship as a National Heirloom. The costs required for this project were huge as the ship was immobilized for almost 32 years, with the interior spaces in particular to be in poor condition. The Navy proclaimed a fundraiser to supplement its budget for the project, which was done with great success.
The restoration decision began to be systematically implemented in 1986, when the Averof extensive rolling, tanking and restoration works were carried out. In general, the first restoration work was carried out by the crews of the Naval Base, which continued in Skaramangas shipyards and then in Elefsina shipyards. In October 1985 a permanent anchorage was created in Faliro, where the Averof, stern-moored, took the position in which she is located to this day. The Averof today is characterized as “Floating Naval Museum”, manned by an Officers’ Staff and crew of Petty Officers and Sailors, who continue maintenance work and recovery. In this new page of the ship’s history, Commander Pavlos Kountouriotis, grandson of the glorious winner of the Balkan Wars, was designated as the first Commanding Officer of the ship in 1985.
The George Averof is the only ship in the whole world that survives, having taken part in the two World Wars and at the same time is the only example of an Armored Cruiser type that survives to this day.
