President's Message for the Festive Season

 

As the President of the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee I would like to wish all our members, friends and supporters all the very best for the festive season.
Thank you for your support and assistance which has helped deliver many successes during 2015 including the unveiling of the new Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial at Foote Street Reserve in Albert Park.
2016 will also be a big year and we look forward to working with you all as we continue to delivering the other important projects we have been working so hard to achieve.
We'll keep you posted on our progress and we look forwarding to working with you in the New Year.
Best Wishes.

Lee Tarlamis
President
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

Anzac Gallipoli Centenary Commemorative Event - The Anzac Evacuation of Gallipoli

Lambis Englezos, Christina Despoteris and Jim Claven at the Shrine. Photo Jim Claven 2015

On Sunday 20th December a moving commemorative event was held at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance.
The occasion was held to commemorate the end of the Gallipoli campaign, marking the day one hundred years ago that Anzac troops evacuated the Gallipoli peninsula. Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay were evacuated by 20th December 1915. The last Allied troops to leave the peninsula evacuated from Cape Helles on 9th January 1916.
The ceremony is an annual one organised by the Friends of Gallipoli Inc., led by Dr John Basarin, OAM.
The ceremony began with a short commemorative service at the new Gallipoli memorial  that has been erected near the Shrine, followed by a formal wreath laying within the Shrine itself.

Photo Jim Claven 2015

Photo Jim Claven 2015

Many were in attendance, including diplomatic representatives, members of parliament and many descendants of Anzac's who served at Gallipoli - including the daughter of Alec Campbell the last WW1 Anzac to pass away.
Alec's daughter spoke movingly of her father, of how he was born in Tasmania, suffered the diseases of the peninsula, was eventually invalided to Egypt and then Australia. Alec became a fervent opponent of war and marched in the anti-conscription marches held during WW1.

Photo Jim Claven 2015

Photo Jim Claven 2015

Nick McCallum of Channel 7 interviews Alec Campbell's daughter. Photo Jim Claven 2015

The Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee was represented at this event and was invited to lay a wreath at the service at the Shrine. Ms Christina Despoteris, Vice President of the Committee, assisted by myself, layed our wreath. Other members of the Committee attended the event, including our Patron Lambis Englezos.
The Friends of Gallipoli Inc. (FOGI) have been supporters of our Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial project. For more information about the FOGI click here.

The new Gallipoli memorial near the Shrine. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

WW2 Anzac Veteran Bill Rudd Honoured - Moves to erect a new Commemorative Memorial at Methoni and Pylos

Mr Nick Georgopoulos, Mr Bill Rudd and myself. Photo Jim Claven 2015

As we approach the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Crete and Greece in WW2, it was a pleasure to assist in organizing a small gathering to honour one of Australia's veterans who survived a tragedy off the coast of Greece in 1942 - former Anzac Sapper Bill Rudd, survivor of the Nino Bixio tragedy off Methoni in 1942. 

The gathering took place in early December and included introducing Mr Bill Rudd to the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to Australia, his Excellency, Mr Dafaranos, and Mr Nick Georgopoulos, who as a young man in Methoni helped lay to rest some ANZACs who had died in an earlier tragedy near Methoni in 1941. 

Mr Nick Georgopoulos greets Mr Bill Rudd. Photo Jim Claven 2015

The occasion was Mr Rudd's 98th birthday. 

Essendon-born Bill was a Sapper in WW2, serving in the Middle East. A veteran of the battle of El Alamein, Bill survived the tragedy of the Nino Bixio - an Italian vessel transporting Allied Prisoners of War from Benghazi to Bari in Italy. 

The ship was torpedoed off Methoni in August 1942 and was eventually towed into Pylos harbour. Approximately 400 Allied POW's were killed. Bill would eventually escape from Italian captivity and make his way successfully to Switzerland and survived the war.

Sapper Bill Rudd in WW2

Nino Bixio

The Nino Bixio followed in the wake of the tragedy of the Sebastion Venier, another Italian POW transport ship (formerly the Dutch vessel the Jason or Jantzen). This ship was also torpedoed off Methoni in December 1941, with many POWs being killed. Mr Nick Georgopoulos was a young man living in Methoni at the time who helped bury some of the Allied dead.

Mr Rudd has dedicate much of his time to recording the story of Allied POW's in Europe and especially the tragedies of the Nino Bixio and the Sebastiano Venier. He has been hoping that a memorial be erected at Methoni and possibly Pylos to honour those Allied POW's who suffered in these tragedies off the Greek coast.

Photo Jim Claven 2015

It was an emotional meeting between Bill and Nick, with His Excellency Mr Dafaranos expressing the appreciation of the Hellenic Republic for his service and communication a personal message on his birthday.

Mr George Iliopoulos, His Excellency Mr Dafaranos, Mr Bill Rudd, Mr Nick Georgopoulos, Cr Jim Grivokostopoulos and Mr Paul Sougleris. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Representatives of Melbourne's Messinian community - Mr George Iliopoulos, Mr Jim Grivokostopoulos and Paul Sougleris - were also in attendance, presenting Mr Rudd with some gifts from Greece and announcing their intention to support the erection of commemorative memorials at Pylos and Methoni.

It was a pleasure and an honour to help bring them together.

Pylos harbour and Navarino Bay. Photo Jim Claven 2013

Others in attendance included Mr Peter Ford, the son of a New Zealand veteran of WW2's Greece and Crete campaigns, and Mr Steve Kyritsis, RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch President.
To view the news report in Neos Kosmos, click  here.

Jim Claven

Secretary

Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

Hellenic Ambassador to Australia visits our Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial

Last Saturday  our President, Lee Tarlamis, accommpanied the the Ambassador for Greece in Australia Mr Haris Dafaranos, on a visit to our Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial in Albert Park.He was accompanied by our Vice President Christina Despoteris.
This was the first opportunity the Ambassador has had to visit this new Memorial and he was extremely impressed.  Lee said it was an honour to show His Excellency the Memorial, explaining the journey we have all been on, how the memorial was created by our sculptor Peter Corlett OAM and the beautiful unveiling event we held on the centenary of the arrival of the Australian nurses on Lemnos in 1915.


His Excellency expressed his appreciation at our achievement and the lasting legacy that we have created symbolized in this memorial to the Hellenic link to Anzac.

The President of the Thessaloniki Association 'The White Tower' Paul Mavroudis also visited the memorial. The Thessaloniki Association have been long supporters of our Committee, including hosting the launch of our photographic exhibition earlier this year. It was Paul's first visit to the memorial and he said that the memorial reinforced the enduring links between Australia and Greece.
If you haven't been to see it yet make sure you visit Foote Street Reserve, Albert Park. You won't be disappointed.
To read the Neos Kosmos report on his visit (in the Greek language), click here.
To read the Ta Nea report on his visit (in the Greek language), click here.
Thanks to Neos Kosmos and Ta Nea for covering the Ambassador's visit. 

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

Pack up your troubles - Music and the Great War - Free Exhibition at the Percy Grainger Museum

There is a very good exhibition on at the University of Melbourne's Percy Grainger Museum on Royal Parade, Melbourne.
The exhibition explores the role the music played in Australai's Great War, with exhibits exploring some the following themes:

• the various patriotic songs that were written, performed and sold during the war;
• the bands that were formed within the Anzac units;
• some of the instruments that were played - and even made - by serving units;
• how music was used to help the injured in hospital;
• Percy Grainger's war - in the US Army;
• music hall and other reviews that were performed for the troops overseas.

Below are some of my photographs from the exhibition. The exhibition is open until the end of December 2015. It's worth a visit.

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Percy Grainger's US Army uniform. Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Anzac band marching through Bapaume France. Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Anzac band leading Australian nurses in march past Melbourne Town Hall. Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Illustration from Egyptian themed musical popular with Anzacs. Pack Up Your Troubles Exhibition. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Jim Claven 
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

Lemnos Nurse Evelyn Hutt's 1915 Map - Lemnos, Imbros, Tenedos and more

Lemnos, Imbro and Tenedos.

Tasmanian Nurse Evelyn Hutt served with the 3rd Australian General Hospital on Lemnos in 1915.
Amongst Evelyn's collecrtion of memorabilia treasured by her daighter, Ms Judith Gunnarsson, is a map dated August 1915.
It is Bartholomew's War Map of Italy and the Balkan States and appears to have been published as part of the British magazine, the National Review. Evelyn has even signed the map.
As well as Lemnos, Evelyn served on the Italian front towards the end of the war.
The map contains a number of interesting histoircal features. Above and below are reproduced some of my photographs of some of these details.
Thank you to Ms Judith Gunnarsson for sharing this beautiful map.


Rhodes and Symi. Detail from Bartholomews 1915 War Map owned by Nurse Evelyn Hutt. Photo Jim Claven 2015

The Cyclades. Detail from Bartholomews 1915 War Map owned by Nurse Evelyn Hutt. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Samos to Kos. Detail from Bartholomews 1915 War Map owned by Nurse Evelyn Hutt. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Chios and the Chesme peninsula, including Reis Dere. Detail from Bartholomews 1915 War Map owned by Nurse Evelyn Hutt. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Mytilene. Detail from Bartholomews 1915 War Map owned by Nurse Evelyn Hutt. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Genoa and surrounds, Northern Italy. Detail from Bartholomews 1915 War Map owned by Nurse Evelyn Hutt. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Constantinople. Detail from Bartholomews 1915 War Map owned by Nurse Evelyn Hutt. Photo Jim Claven 2015

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee

You are Invited - Centenary of the end of the Gallipoli campaign - The Melbourne Shrine, 12 noon, 20th December 2015

Gallipoli, Turkey. 1915. A group of some members of the 1st Light Horse Brigade Train, AIF. These men were the last of the unit to leave Gallipoli at the evacuation. AWM

The Friends of Gallipoli Inc (FOGI) will be holding a commemoration of the centenary of the end of the Gallipoli campaign in December 1915 at the Melbourne Shrine.
The formal event will take place at 12 noon, The Sanctuary of the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne, on Sunday 20th December 2015. All are welcome to attend the ceremony.
As the Friends of Gallipoli promotion states:
"The guns fell silent in the ANZAC Sector at Gallipoli in the early hours of the 20th of December 1915. The Centenary of this important event is to be commemorated at the Shrine of Remembrance with a wreath laying ceremony at the Sanctuary.
After nearly nine months of fighting, the last of the ANZAC troops evacuated with heavy hearts and in anticipation of a different kind of a Christmas, leaving their dead comrades behind. The Turkish forces were relieved that there would be no more fighting, that they could mourn many thousands who perished defending their homeland and that peace had finally prevailed."

The event at the Shrine will be proceeded by the inaugural FOGI Award presentation at the Australian Turkish Friendship Memorial at 11 a.m. The memorial is located about 200 m. north of the Shrine. After the presentation, the participants will move to the Shrine for the ceremony.
The FOGI, a not-for profit organisation, is co-ordinating these ceremonies.
All are welcome to attend both ceremonies.
Thanks to Dr John Basarin for sharing this information.

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee