Caulfield Grammar Anzac Day Assembly Honors Lemnos' Sister Hutt and 1941 Greek Campiagn's James Zampelis

Photo Jim Claven 2016

On Tuesday I had the honor of addressing Caulfield Grammar School's Anzac Day assembly.
In my address I re-counted in words and pictures the story of a nurse and a digger who served in Greece as being symbolic of the experience of the over 75,000 Australian service personnel who served in Greece across both world wars – and the over 750 who remain in its commonwealth war cemeteries.
I told the story of Tasmanian Sister Evelyn Hutt, her service on Lemnos with the other nurses of the 3rd Australian General Hospital and her amazing collection of photographs. I went on to tell the story of St-Kilda-born Gunner James Zampelis, a Second World War Anzac of Hellenic descent, who served in the Greek campaign of 1941 and was killed defending Crete.

Photo Jim Claven 2016

The school assembly included the recital of Bruce Dawe's poem "Gallipoli", the reading of a post-Gallipoli address by Lieutenant Staniforth Ricketson (a former Grammarian and Gallipoli veteran) dedicated to his fallen comrade Burt Sheppard and featured the story of one Grammarian, Claude Terrell Crowl, who was killed at Gallipoli in 1915.
See the extracted article from The Argus of Melbourne in 1915 reporting the unveiling of an honour roll to the 150 former Grammarians who had joined the AIF by July 1915. The list includes Claude Crowl.

It would appear that at least two former Grammarians may be buried on Lemnos - Colonel Linton and Private Horace Harton. I aim to liaise with the school to verify its connection to Lemnos. Watch this space.
Thank you to Principal the Rev Andrew Syme and Mr Gary Tyler for the invitation to address the school.

Caulfield Grammar Principal the Rev Andrew Syme, myself, student Lachlan Hogan and Mr Gary Tyler. Photo Jim Claven 2016

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee