The White Tower in Thessaloniki - 1916 and Today

The White Tower, Thessaloniki, 1916. Photographer Ariel Varges. IWM image Q 31876

The British archives contain thousands of photographs of Thessaloniki, Macedonia and Thrace during the Salonika campaign of 1915-18.

Above is a photograph of the iconic White Tower on Thessaloniki harbor photographed in 1916 by American war photographer Ariel Varges.

Biult by the Ottomans in the 16th century and having served as an infamous Ottoman prison, this was now a Greek government building which during the campaign housed the ancient Greek artifacts uncovered by British soldiers and formed the British Salonika Force Museum. The roof of the tower was also where British Royal Navy signalers tended a chicken coop!

Royal Navy signalers and their chickens, The White Tower roof, 1916. IWM image Q31877

The surrounds of the White tower contained famous restaurants which would be the location a famous dinner in January 1918.

It was here that the Anzac Dinner was held, a New Zealand organized affair, with Australian Doctor Agnes Bennett and hospital orderly Myles Franklin joining some of the Australian soldiers fighting in British units during the campaign.

Below is the White Tower today.

In honor of the 30 year anniversary of the Melbourne-Thessaloniki Sister Cities
Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee 

The White Tower today. Photograph Jim Claven 2012