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Thursday, 25 June 2020

Lemnos - Travel Guides from the Past 2

Mount Athos from Myrina, Lemnos. Photo Jim Claven
And here is another guide to Lemnos - from 1981 (first edition 1967) - in the famous Blue Guide series, the volume on Greece, included three pages on Lemnos and the nearby Island of Ayios Evstratios.
Map of Lemnos from the Greece Blue Guide, 1981.
While many writers have tended to ignore the role of Lemnos in the Gallipoli campaign until more recently (even to the extent of failing to mention the graves there), it is interesting that this guide includes detailed reference to this role for the aid of visitors, stating that:
"The Gulf of Mudros, one of the best natural harbours in the Aegean, became the base, in the First World War, of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. Hence Sir Ian Hamilton launched his attack on the Dardanelles (25 April 1915). In the same harbour the armistice with Turkey was concluded on 30 October 1918 on board the H.M.S. Agamemnon, - East Mudros Military Cemetery, to the N.E. of the town with c.900 British Commonwealth dead, contains also a French memorial, though the French graves were removed in 1922. At Portianos, on the w. side of the inner harbour, lie a further 350 dead of the Gallipoli campaign."
The guide also mentions Lemnos many other attractions, its ancient and medieval history.
Click here to read the first pages of the guide, and here for the final pages of the guide.
Enjoy.

Jim Claven
Secretary, Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee




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