Rare Film Footage of the Anzacs at Gallipoli - AWM

Anzac Cove 1915. Photo AWM

Here is some rare footage of the Anzacs at Gallipoli, from the Australian War Memorial archive. Click here.
 This footage is believed to have been shot by Mr. Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, the English journalist who gave Australia its first description of the ANZAC troops at Gallipoli. His colourful and stirring accounts of Australian soldiers' bravery, particularly of their landing at ANZAC Cove, helped give rise to the legend of Anzac. Bartlett filmed live action in and around Anzac Cove from July to September 1915, and the resulting footage, screened in 1916 under the title With the Dardanelles Expedition : Heroes of Gallipoli, was an instant success with audiences in England and Australia. A print of this film was acquired by the Memorial in 1919. However the "new" footage shown here was not a part of the film as it currently stands. It was discovered as an unidentified film segment within a compilation of footage related to World War 1 , sold to the Memorial in 1938. The seller of the footage was unable to shed light on its origins.
We can only guess why the footage was removed from the Dardanelles film. Although it cannot be authenticated to an absolute certainty, the most probable origin of the footage is that Bartlett shot it, because he was the only person known to have operated a moving film camera at Gallipoli. However we can be grateful that by whatever means, this film was preserved to add to our precious sum of knowledge of this iconic campaign. Film accession number : AWM F08484 .

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

New Documentary - Gallipoli From Above: The Untold Story - Lemnos Mentioned

A new documentary was shown last weekend on the ABC. It's called Gallipoli from Above.

The great thing about the documentary is that it mentions and shows Lemnos - the ships in the harbour and the troops practicing their landings in 1915.
The documentary focuses on the landings at Anzac Cove and the intelligence and planning that was undertaken by the Anzacs - exploding the myth that the Anzacs landed on the wrong beach, faced withering fire and sustain large casualties on the beaches.
That's why it is good that despite its focus on the landings, it still mentions and shows Lemnos. Well done.
ABC promo on the documentary:
"Gallipoli from Above: The Untold Story is the true story of how a team of Australian officers used aerial intelligence, emerging technology and innovative tactics to plan the landing at Anzac Cove. Generals William Throsby Bridges and Colonel Brudenell White were charged with the difficult task of landing 20,000 ANZAC troops on a heavily defended and precipitous shoreline. They used an aircraft carrier, a tethered balloon and a squadron of biplanes to gather detailed information on the disposition of the Turkish defenders and developed a plan for the landing that avoided significant casualties. It is now nearly 100 years since the landing and hundreds of books, movies and documentaries have failed to grasp the significance of the ANZAC achievement. Instead, the mythology has clouded the real story of how these two influential Australian officers took control of the landing using every innovation they could muster to safely land their men on Z Beach. Gallipoli from Above: The Untold Story will change forever the way Australians think about Gallipoli"

For the History Channel link with short of the documentary, click here.
To watch the documentary on ABC Iview (until 9th May) click here.
You can purchase the DVD from the ABC Shop On-line, click here.

Stop Press - New Lemnos Gallipoli Fundraiser Announced!

St Kilda Town Hall - the location of our forthcoming fundraiser

The Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee proudly announces our new fundraising dinner dance and fundraising event.
This will be our premier event for 2014.
If you want to support the fundraising for our Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial project make a reservation now!
It will be held at St Kilda Town Hall on June 28.
Tickets only $75 - for a night of music, dancing, 3 course meal plus a few surprises!
Further details will be announced soon.
Tickets are strictly limited.
To make a reservation, please contact Terry Kanellos on 0414 209 674.

Lemnos Anzac Conference 2013 - New Photos from Nikolaos Karantonakis

The Inaugural Lemnos Anzac Conference, Portianou Conference Centre, 2013. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

One of the features of our inaugural Anzac Conference on Lemnos last year was the assisted we were given by the very talented Greek Australian photographer, Nikolaos Karantonakis.
He has kindly supplied some of his stunning black and white photographs to the Committee. If you reproduce these, please acknowledge Nikolaos' work.
Nikolaos is working on producing a photographic book on Greece. We look forward to seeing the fruits of his labours.
On behalf of the Committee - and Joe Caputo and myself - thanks to Nikolaos for your help.

The Mayor of Lemnos addresses the Conference. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

Lee Tarlamis MP addresses the Conference. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

Lee Tarlamis addresses the Conference, the Conference chairman, Deputy Mayor of Lemnos, Demetri Boulotis. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

Some of the Conference participants in Portianou. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

Some of the Conference participants outside the Conference Centre. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

Jim Claven addresses the Conference. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

The Hon John Pandazopoulos MP addresses the Conference. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

Jenny Mikakos MP addresses the Conference. Photo Nikolaos Karantonakis 2013

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

The Lemnos Contribution - Neos Kosmos

Victorian Premiers Anzac Student Prize winners and tour group at East Mudros Military Cemetery, Anzac Service, April 2014. Photo courtesy Anzac Student Prize

Last week Neos Kosmos published my story about the visit of the Victorian Anzac Prize students to Lemnos and the Anzac service held there a couple of weeks ago.
To read the story please click here.

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

The Gallipoli Catastrophe Documentary

Ari Burni Military Cemetery, near Anzac cove, the Sphinx behind. Photo Jim Claven 2013

Over this Anzac weekend have a look at this British documentary by the History Channel - The Gallipoli Catastrophe. Quite good.
HC The Gallipoli Catastrophe Documentary
Thanks to Andreas Kolaitis for finding it for us.

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

Diggers' Time on Greek Island remembered - Port Phillip Leader Story

The Port Phillip has ran an article on the Lemnos Anzac connection for its Anzac Day edition.
They include some details of the story and link to our Committee weblog.
They also advertise our important upcoming fundraising dinner to be held at the St Kilda Town Hall on June 28. Tickets $75; contact Major Terry Kanellos on 0414 209 674.

The article provided a link to our weblog as well as extracted some of our photographs from the site. To see the Leader's Remembering Lemnos photo gallery, click here.

To read the Port Phillip Leader article, click here
Thanks to Leader journalist Dana McCauley for her efforts.

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee