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Our Committee is raising funds to create a lasting legacy telling the story of Lemnos' link to Gallipoli and Australia's Anzac story. Our projects include the Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial in Albert Park, the publication of a major new historical and pictorial publication and more. To make a donation you can also deposit directly by direct debit into the Committee's bank account: Account Name: Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee Inc; Bank: Bendigo Bank; Account No: 188010037; BSB No: 633000; Include your surname in the reference section. For further information on our legacy projects or to make a donation please contact either Lee Tarlamis 0411553009 or Jim Claven 0409402388M

Tuesday 3 February 2015

Lemnos Commemorative Events Scheduled for April 2015 - Update 6 More Details on Presentations on Lemnos and in Athens

The Committee has recently been advised of the commemorative events being planned for Lemnos in April 2015. These events have been determined in consultations between the Australian Embassy in Greece and the Lemnos Authorities, and have also involved representatives of New Zealand and Canada.
We have also been advised by the Lemnos Friends of Anzac as well as by the Canadian Ambassador to Greece, His Excellency Robert Peck. HE Robert Peck has advised us of the Canadian sponsored commemorative events on Lemnos.

Commemorative Events on Lemnos (April)

The following updated list of the scheduled commemorative events to be held on Lemnos in April 2015 is provided to assist visitors:

Friday 17th April 
1800 - Canadian Nurses Memorial Plaque Unveiling by Canadian Ambassador to Greece, HE Robert Peck. Unveiling of memorial plaque to Canadian nurses by Ambassador Peck. This plaque will memorialize the two Canadian nurses who died on Lemnos in 1915 and are buried in Portianos Military Cemetery. Followed by speech on Gallipoli campaign and the role of Lemnos and showing of ABC Docu-drama episode from "ANZAC Girls" at Portianou Cultural Centre, with buffet/reception hosted by the Canadian Government.

Ships in Mudros Harbor, French troops in foreground. Lemnos, 1915. AWM image.
Saturday 18 April 2015
1.1000 - HMAS Success berths at Myrina, Lemnos
2. Chief of Navy (CN), Vice Admiral Tim Barrett AO and the Australian Ambassador, John Griffin, fly Athens to Lemnos

Graves, East Mudros Military Cemetery. Lemnos, 1915. AWM image
3. 1730 - Events at Moudros: Memorial service at East Moudros Military Cemetery, laying of wreaths by official representatives, speeches on the Centenery of the Gallipoli campaign, followed by a parade or march at East Mudros Military Cemetery or at Moudros harbour front, to be followed by a photographic exhibition at the Moudros Cultural Centre and reception on behalf of the P.E. Limnos (location TBC). Alternatively, a sunset service at East Mudros Military Cemetery (Time to be confirmed)

3rd AGH staff attend a burial party. Portianos Military Cemetery. Lemnos, 1915. AW savage Photograph. State Library of NSW.

Sunday 19 April 2015
1. 1100-1530 - Events at Portianou (TBC):
0930 - Memorial service at Portianos Military Cemetery, laying of wreaths by representatives
1200 - Commemorating Gallipoli's Hellenic Heart - Lemnos and the Anzacs 1915 - Portianou Cultural Centre
Jim Claven, historian and Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee Secretary, will make a major presentation, illustrated with overhead images, explaining Lemnos' link to Anzac, drawing on the words and photographs of the diggers and nurses themselves.
Lemnos and Gallipoli - A Story in Pictures - Photographic Exhibition at the Portianou Cultural
Centre

This presentation will be accompanied by a major Photographic Exhibition featuring 40 of the most iconic images from 1915, taken by the diggers themselves.
Mr. Jim Claven, has selected these images based on his extensive research of the Lemnos link to Anzac. Those selected have been sourced from various collections in both Australian and overseas and feature the photographs taken by the Anzac's themselves as well as by other famous Allied official photographers. Amongst others, it features the work of AW Savage, an Australian soldier with the 3rd Australian General Hospital, Philip Schuler, one of Australia’s war correspondents at Gallipoli and Ernest Brookes, the British official war photographer.
The images tell in a vivid way the story of Lemnos’ role in Gallipoli. As the base for the campaign, the place of assembly and practice prior to the landings on 25th April, as the location of the Australian hospitals and their 130 nurses, where the great Anzac Rest camp was erect as a place of recuperation and as a place of recreation and interaction between these young Australians and the local Greek population – an interaction which continued to the waves of post-war migration to Australia.
The latter photographs are particularly poignant, revealing the Australian soldiers and nurses visiting local churches and spas, villages and cafes – and having their photos taken with local villagers. They show the local villagers helping the Allies and being tended at the Australian hospitals on the Island.
Note that the Exhibition will be gifted to the people of Lemnos by the Lemnian Community of Victoria.
(MORE INFORMATION ON THESE EVENTS TO COME)

The team from the destroyer HMS Hunter playing a game of soccer against a 6th Battalion team at a camp on the Aegean island of Lemnos. AWM image

1400 Commemorative football (Soccer) match at Kontias football park between Hellenic Army and HMAS Success teams - recreating the game played in 1915. (TBC) *NEW EVENT* 
2. 1900 - Reception on board Australian warship HMAS Success berthed at Myrina for official representatives

The Allied fleet assembles, Mudros harbour. Lemnos, 1915. AWM image.
Monday 20 April 2015
1. CN departs Lemnos for Turkey (via Athens) (Time to be confirmed)
2. Ships sail from Myrina, Lemnos (Time to be confirmed)
3. 1300 - Ships conduct formation anchorage in Moudros Harbour (To be confirmed)
4. 1500-1600 Commemorative Service at Moudros Harbour Memorial - laying of wreaths, presentation of a video by Australian Embassy in the open area of Moudros Harbour front, symbolic lighting of 550 candles representing the dead buried on Lemnos. There will then be a performance by Lemnian traditional dancers, Greek traditional music and the promotion of Lemnian produce.

Note - Previously announced burial at sea service is unlikely to proceed. 
It is most likely that senior representatives and ships of the Hellenic Navy will also be present at Lemnos to take part in these commemorative events.

Young Endeavour is also planned to visit Lemnos but dates are not firm and its arrival is dependent on weather.

Friday 25th April 2015
Anzac Day Events.  Melbourne's RSL Hellenic Sub-Branch President Steve Kyritsis advises that they will be holding a memorial service on Lemnos on Anzac Day, with number of Australian Army Cadets present - more details to follow.


Other Lemnos Anzac Events

7th April- 30 June 2015 Art Exhibition - “NO MAN'S LAND”  by Nicolas Bliatkas and Irene Christoforidou . At the Art Space: "Ochre Blue" (P.Kyda 8), Myrina, Lemnos island. Under the aegis of Lemnos Municipality . Telephone: 003022540-26264 (Mobile: 6976220673). Opening Night: Tuesday, April 7th at 8.00 pm. Two visual artists, Irene Christoforidou and Nikolas Bliatkas participate in the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli in which the island of Lemnos had a strategic role as the base for the launch campaign for the Allied Forces. Bliatkas focuses on poems from World War Ι and through the use of mixed techniques introduces the viewer into a world of memory and meditation. Christoforidou in her works using colours symbolically: Black for War, White for marble monuments and Red as Life. *NEW EVENT*
To view the event leaflet, click - Lemnos Ochre Blue Anzac Art Exhibition Brochure


Athens - Anzac Day Events - 25th April 2015


Time (TBC) - Phaleron Military Cemetery Commemoration. The official Australian Government Anzac Day commemorative event in Greece will take place at the Athens Military Cemetery (Commonwealth War Graves) at Phaleron (Time TBC but more likely in the morning).
1930 - Commemorating Gallipoli's Hellenic Heart - Lemnos and the Anzacs 1915 - War Museum of Athens
Jim Claven, historian and Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee Secretary, will make a major presentation, illustrated with overhead images, explaining Lemnos' link to Anzac, drawing on the words and photographs of the diggers and nurses themselves. This presentation will be accompanied with a major article published in the Hellenic Navy's Quarterly publication.

The War Museum of Athens
The War Museum of Athens is located at the corner of Vasilissis Sofias Avenue and Rizari Street, Athens. For more information on the Museum click here. The Museum will also be open for visitors to view.

Lemnos and Gallipoli - A Story in Pictures - Photographic Exhibition at the War Museum of Athens
This presentation will be accompanied by a major Photographic Exhibition featuring 40 of the most iconic images from 1915, taken by the diggers themselves. The exhibition will be open to the public from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April inclusive.
Mr. Jim Claven, has selected these images based on his extensive research of the Lemnos link to Anzac. Those selected have been sourced from various collections in both Australian and overseas and feature the photographs taken by the Anzac's themselves as well as by other famous Allied official photographers. Amongst others, it features the work of AW Savage, an Australian soldier with the 3rd Australian General Hospital, Philip Schuler, one of Australia’s war correspondents at Gallipoli and Ernest Brookes, the British official war photographer.
The images tell in a vivid way the story of Lemnos’ role in Gallipoli. As the base for the campaign, the place of assembly and practice prior to the landings on 25th April, as the location of the Australian hospitals and their 130 nurses, where the great Anzac Rest camp was erect as a place of recuperation and as a place of recreation and interaction between these young Australians and the local Greek population – an interaction which continued to the waves of post-war migration to Australia.
The latter photographs are particularly poignant, revealing the Australian soldiers and nurses visiting local churches and spas, villages and cafes – and having their photos taken with local villagers. They show the local villagers helping the Allies and being tended at the Australian hospitals on the Island.
Note that the Exhibition will be gifted to the War Museum of Athens by the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee.

(MORE INFORMATION ON THIS EVENT TO COME)

Burial at Sea Service - A proposal to a commemoration of those buried at sea has been cancelled.

While there will be additions and changes to this list of events, they are provided by the Committee to assist those planning their travels to Lemnos in April 2015. Where we are advised of changes, we will endeavour to update this list (for those interested please check this page for updates).

Updated 3rd March, 2015

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee


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