Our Fundraiser - A Great Success

Major Terry Kanellos, master of ceremonies, addresses the Gala Dinner

Well last Saturday, the Hellenic RSL Sub Branch and Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee held its Gala Dinner.
It was held in the historic St Kilda Town Hall.
Over 300 guests attended, including dignitaries and many members of Melbourne's Greek community - including many with links to Lemnos.

Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Major Terry Kanellos - Secretary of the Hellenic RSL Sub Branch and member of our Committee. Terry did an amazing job in preparing for the evening and keeping the event to time.

Our Sculptor Peter Corlett's model or maquette of our future memorial statue to Lemnos' Anzac link

Mr Lee Tarlamis, our President, opened proceedings. Lee explained the work of our Committee in building awareness of Lemnos' Anzac link both in Australia and in Greece. He outlined our various projects - and especially our main project - the erection of a new commemorative Memorial statue at Albert Park's Foote Street square.He pointed out our fundraising success to date, the various ways that people could contribute to our project and urged all to spread the word and to help us raise the need funds to make this a reality.
Lee also launched our new Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Poster - a very nice addition to any office or home - which is on sale as a fundraiser for only $10.

Captain Albert Jacka, VC, Mayor of St Kilda. AWM

Cr Amanda Stevens, Mayor of Port Phillip, welcomed guests to the historic St Kilda Town Hall and reminded the audience of the connection of the biulding with Lemnos' Anzac tradition.This hall is quirte famous and has strong connections to Lemnos' Anzac links. It was where Captain Albert Jacka in the 1920's presided as Mayor of St Kilda - Australia's first VC winner who spent time recuperating on Lemnos in 1915. And it was where in the 1930's Matron Grace Wilson - formerly of the 3rd Australian General Hospital on Lemnos - attended a commemorative dinner on behalf of the nurses who served in WW1.

Letter inviting Matron Nurse Wilson to the St Kilda Commemorative Dinner in 1934

Mr Murray Thompson MLA addresses the guests.

We were glad to receive presentations from Mr Murray Thompson MLA and Ms Jenny Mikakos MLC on behalf of the Victorian Government and Opposition. Mr Thompson announced that - following the success of the first Anzac Students tour of Lemnos - the Victorian Government had decided that Lemnos would be part of the Centenary Year Premiers Anzac Student Prize winners tour. Thank you Murray.
Ms Mikakos recounted her participation in last years inaugural Anzac Conference on Lemnos and the important of the Lemnos Anzac story as part of the enduring link between Australians and Greeks.
We also received a very warm letter of support from the Australian Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP.

Letter of support from the Hon Tony Abbott, Prime Minister

Bianca Gerrard addresses the Gala Dinner

We were particularly delighted to here the addresses of two of the young students - winners of the Victorian Premiers Spirit of Anzac Student Prize - who had toured Lemnos as part of their visit to Gallipoli and the Western Front.
 Everyone was moved by the speeches delivered by Bianca Gerrard and Michael Manoussakis. They spoke of the warm reception they received from the Lemnians on their visit and how they were moved by the Anzac connections on the Island. Their speeches were well received.
Well done Michael and Bianca.

Michael Manoussakis addresses the dinner.

The event included auctions and raffles - presided over by our master of ceremonies, Major Terry Kanelos. Bidding was vigorous and thank you to all who helped raise our funds. We also sold many of our commemorative badges and new Memorial Posters.
While we have not yet totalled up the fundraising proceeds from the night, we are sure that they have made a substantial contribution to making our memorial statue a reality.

I address the dinner on Lemnos' link to Anzac

And I made a presentation explaining some of the key features of the Lemnos link to Anzac, its connections to Port Phillip, all accompanied by a photographic display of images from 1915 and of Lemnos today.
Any Greek night would not be complete without some Greek dancing!

An event such as this requires a lot of helpers and volunteers.
Thanks to all who assisted us with this great fundraising event. In particular the Committee would like to thank Terry Kanellos, Steve Kyritsis, Lee Tarlamis, Malama Varvara, Nick Kydas, Christina Despoteris and Annie Tsourlinis.
And thanks to the Hellenic RSL Sub Branch and the Lemnian Community of Victoria for its support of our event.
Keep posted for our next fundraiser in coming months.
And thank you to all who came along and supported our night.

Jim Claven
Secretary 
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

Deadline Gallipoli - New Drama Series to Tell the Journalists Story

Schuler, with binoculars and maps, watching the movement of Allied Shipping in Mudros Harbour from Mt Elias, Lemnos. Photo AWM

A new TV series is about to start production - Deadline Gallipoli - which will look at the Gallipoli legend from the point of view of war correspondents Charles Bean, Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, Phillip Schuler and Keith Murdoch. It will screen around the 100th anniversary of the World War I battle next year.


Australian actor Sam Worthington will star in the series and is quoted as saying:
“This is a fresh take on the Gallipoli story, with these four journalists fighting the upper echelons of the military to get the truth out and stop the carnage. “I’m honoured to bring such an important story to audiences, in Australia and around the world.”

Phillip Schuler was one of Australia's pre-eminent journalists to cover the Gallipoli campaign, including the role of Lemnos in the campaign. Along with Charles Bean Keith Murdoch and the British correspondent Ellis Ashmead Bartlett, Schuler played a major role in crafting what would become Australia's Anzac legend. But he has been overshadowed by his more well-known peers.
Schuler took many photographs of Lemnos during the Gallipoli campaign which are now in the Australian War Memorial.
For the full story on Schuler and his time on Lemnos see our earlier post - Lemnos Hero - Philip Schuler

Let's hope that the new series includes Lemnos' role in Gallipoli.

Deadline Gallipoli - The Australian

Australian nurses on Lemnos - with Lemnian donkeys and their owner!

Look at this wonderful photograph taken in 1915 of Australian nurses enjoying a donkey ride on Lemnos!
These are nurses from the 3rd Australian General Hospital.
Knowing as we do the traumas faced by these young nurses, and the ever present guns of war on the Gallipoli peninsula nearby - isn't it lovely to think that they - and some of the recuperating soldiers - were able to enjoy some relaxation on Lemnos.
And its just more evidence of the interaction between these young Australians and the Lemnian Islanders all those years ago.
The Australian war Memorial archive is full of these gems - lets make sure more people are aware of this great archive demonstrating Lemnos' role in the ensuring link between Greece and Australia goes.

Thanks to Faye Threlfall for finding this photograph.

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

Vale James Zampelis - Honouring the sole Anzac of Greek heritage buried in Greece

Gunner James Zampelis. AWN

The arrival of the first Australian soldiers and nurses in Greece on Lemnos in 1915 was the beginning of the strong connection between Australian soldiers and nurses and Greece that would grow with the years.
Less than 30 years later, Australian soldiers and nurses - along with their New Zealand and British allies - would return to Greece to defend it against an aggressive invader.
So it was in 1941 that Gunner James Zampelis - from Melbourne's St Kilda and whose family traced their origins to Lefkada - along with his comrades followed in the footsteps of those first Anzacs on Lemnos.
James and his unit fought in some of the toughest battles in the Middle East and Greece - taking part in the successful assault on the well-defended Italian base of Bardia in Libya, and then the fighting withdrawal through central Greece, including the famous defence of Brallos Pass and then the battle of Crete.
James is the only Anzac of Greek background (his father was born in Greece) who not only fought in the defence of Greece and Crete in 1941 but sadly was killed in action and is buried on Crete. He is memorialised at the Phaleron War Cemetery in Athens.
He was buried by his comrades near where he fell at the village of Mournies, south of Suda. But this grave could not be located after the war. So his name alone is memorialised at Phaleron.
Modern techniques might help identify his grave and remains.
It would be a fitting commemoration of James' service an sacrifice if his remains could be located and re-interred at either Phaleron in Athens or at the Suda War Cemetery on Crete.
Neos Kosmos Article - Vale James Zampelis
As part of its feature on the anniversary of the Battle of Crete, Neos Kosmos featured my article on James Zampelis and his war this weekend.
To link to the article on the Neos Kosmos webpage, click here.
Alternatively, you can read my scan of the pages by click here - for page 1 and for page 2.

Lest we forget.

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

Australian troops evacuated from Greece arrive at Crete's Suda Bay. AWM

Suda Bay harbour under attack from German bombers, May 1941. AWM

the commemoration of James Dimitri Zampelis on the memorial walls at Phaleron War Cemetery, Athens. Photo Jim Claven 2014.

Those we forget - Australia's WW1 casualties higher says new book

The official Australian casualty statistics suffered by the men of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF)  in the First World War are seriously wrong, with significant inaccuracies and omissions, this new book argues.
Groundbreaking research exhaustively examining over 12,000 individual soldiers' records has revealed that hospitalizations for wounding, illness and injury suffered by men of the AIF are five times greater than officially acknowledged today. 
As a proportion of its fighting force of men who were actually exposed to a theatre of war, Australia’s army suffered more deaths, more hospitalizations for wounding and more hospitalizations for illness and injury than the armies of Britain, Germany, France, Canada or the United States. Winning this war came at too high a cost for this young nation; for Australia, the First World War was indeed a pyrrhic victory.

But it does not finish there.
Of those Australian soldiers who survived, more than half of them were discharged medically unfit. Of those who were not discharged medically unfit, 60 per cent of them applied for pension help in the post war period; so four out of five servicemen survivors were damaged or disabled in some way. Of those who did not survive, it is now estimated that 62,300 died (+/- 400), approximately 550 by their own hand, mainly in 1919 and 1920, and a further 8000 men would die a premature death due to war-related causes in the post war years.
As we approach the Centenary of Anzac in 2015 it is important that re-assessments such as this are made. It brings us all closer to a fuller and proper appreciate of the reality of the suffering caused by the First world War - both on the battlefield and afterwards.

This new book is by David Noonan, its title is Those we Forget and it is published by Melbourne University Press. It costs $60. 

For The Age's article on this new book, click here.
To order the book, click here. 

The official Australian casualty statistics suffered by the men of the Australian Imperial Force in the First World War are seriously wrong, with significant inaccuracies and omissions.
Groundbreaking research exhaustively examining over 12,000 individual soldiers' records has revealed that hospitalisations for wounding, illness and injury suffered by men of the AIF are five times greater than officially acknowledged today. - See more at: https://www.mup.com.au/items/138445#sthash.3G1Od6lB.dpuf

The official Australian casualty statistics suffered by the men of the Australian Imperial Force in the First World War are seriously wrong, with significant inaccuracies and omissions.
Groundbreaking research exhaustively examining over 12,000 individual soldiers' records has revealed that hospitalisations for wounding, illness and injury suffered by men of the AIF are five times greater than officially acknowledged today. - See more at: https://www.mup.com.au/items/138445#sthash.8X5j3QCR.dpuf

Jacka VC Legend of Gallipoli - The Musical - Previews May 16

During the Great War all Australians knew his name - Jacka V.C.
Now, a century on, his EPIC story comes to the stage - Jacka V.C. Legend of Gallipoli, A New Musical.
Written by William James Smith, with the libretto based on the original novel “Hard Jacka” by Michael Lawriwsky as adapted by William James Smith
A cast of great singers will bring great men of yesteryear back to life.It was staged tonight at an exclusive preview at Northcote Uniting Church (Chalice) at 251 High St on Friday 16 May, 8pm.Starring: William James Smith in role of Jacka, Blake Testro, James Cutler, Lydia Kovesi, Mitch Roberts, Alice Bottomley, Will Sayers, Amy Cumming. Violin: Zachary Johnston Piano: Amanda Kepert
Directed by William James Smith.
Michael Lawrinsky reported that tonight's preview was well attended.
Look out for this new musical when it starts its run.
The Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee wishes the musical all success. Hard Jacka, Lemnos and St Kilda
Michael Lawrinsky's historical novel makes great mention of Jacka's comrade Ernie Hill and his fight to name the soldier settlement near Shepparton after Lemnos, the base for the Anzacs at Gallipoli. Members of the Committee will now that Jacka spent time on Lemnos during the Gallipoli campaign, visiting the Island on a number of occasions. He went on to be a future Mayor of St Kilda on his return to Australia.
For more information on Albert Jacka and his connection to Lemnos, click here.
It is one of the reasons why the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee fundraiser on 28 June will be held at Jacka's old Town Hall in St Kilda! For more information on this function click here.

Albert Jacka VC on Lemnos, 1915. AWM

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

New BBC drama - WW1 nurses - The Crimson Field

Various images from the series set. BBC

Great new BBC drama series on nurses serving on the Western Front in the First World War. Hopefully it will be shown in Australia.
To read about the series and the meticulous research that they went in to, click here to read the blog by the production designer.