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| Myrina Harbour, capital of Lemnos, where the Anzacs walked almost one hundred years ago, April 2012. Photograph Jim Claven |
The Committee is committed to promoting the recognition of the Hellenic link to Australia's Anzac story across both World Wars.
With the Centenary of Anzac in 2015 our immediate priority was to focus on the promotion of a number of key projects aimed at ensuring the inclusion of Lemnos in the Anzac Commemorations. These projects are both in Australia and Lemnos. Below are just some of these projects:
With the Centenary of Anzac in 2015 our immediate priority was to focus on the promotion of a number of key projects aimed at ensuring the inclusion of Lemnos in the Anzac Commemorations. These projects are both in Australia and Lemnos. Below are just some of these projects:
A Memorial Statue. Promote the proposal to establish a permanent memorial to Lemnos’ role in the Anzac story in Melbourne, in the form of a statue, featuring the soldiers, nurses andm locals. The Committee will develop the proposal, complete design work and seek government and community funding for the project. There is a possibility that this statue could be re-produced for location on Lemnos itself. It is intended that such a statue memorial should be completed and unveiled prior in August 2015, the anniversary of the arrival of the Australian nurses on Lemnos. This project was successful completed and the Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial unveiled at Foote Street reserve, Albert Park on the 8th August 2015. Annual commemorative services will be held here;
Annual Lemnos Anzac Ceremony. Working with the local Lemnos authorities and the Australian Embassy in Greece to assist in the organization of the annual Lemnos Anzac ceremony;
RAN Ship Visit during the Anzac Centenary (2015). Lobbied the Australian Government to include Lemnos in the planned Centenary of Anzac commemorations for 2015, encompassing consideration of an official RAN ship visiting Mudros Harbour as part of the commemorations. The Committee was successful in the organization of the visit of HMAS Success as part of the Centenary of Anzac commemorations on Lemnos.
Photographic Exhibitions. Promoting awareness of the role of Lemnos in the Gallipoli campaign through the creation of the Lemnos Gallipoli Photographic Exhibition. This has been created and displayed at the Victorian Parliament House, the Athens War Museum and on Lemnos, as well as in many local libraries and municipal exhibitions spaces across Australia;
A Major Historical Publication. Publish a major new publication, telling the story of Lemnos' link to Australia's Anzac story, through the reproduction of many of the photographs taken by the Anzacs during their service on Lemnos, all placed in context by the history of the connection told based on the many first hand Anzac accounts. This project was completed with our publication of Jim Claven's Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed: A Pictorial History of the Anzacs in the Aegean 1915-16 was published in 2019;
Lemnos Gallipoli Heritage Trail. Promoting to and cooperation with Lemnian authorities in the establishing of appropriate memorials on the island (i.e. the creation of the Lemnos Gallipoli Heritage Trail and relevant curatorial assistance for any planned new museum), with the aim of facilitating visitation through the creation of a number of interpretative site boards connected with the Anzac presence on Lemnos in 1915. In 2018 we reached agreement between the Committee and the Lemnos authorities for the creation of the Trail, with the first of our joint memorials erected in 2018 commemorating the Australian Pier north of Mudros. The Committee also supports the creation of a new Lemnos Gallipoli Museum on Lemnos;
Anzac Conference. Support the proposal to establish an annual Anzac conference (July) on Lemnos. The first Anzac Conference was held in 2013, and subsequent conferences have also been held; and,
Promoting Lemnos and Anzac. Promote the Lemnos-Gallipoli connection within Australia through lobbying, publications, the media and relevant events.
Taken together, we see these projects and other complementary activities, as major opportunities for the Greek authorities to promote the Anzac connection with Gallipoli and to an important new commemorative tourism opportunity for the Island and Greece. The tourism potential of promoting the Anzac connection with Lemnos should be appreciated. 12,000 Australians recently visited Gallipoli for the Dawn Service alone. An estimated total of 100,000 Australians make pilgrimage to Gallipoli annually - not to mention the numbers of New Zealand, British, Irish, French and Indian sub-continent visitors who are or could be attracted to re-connection with the Gallipoli story on Lemnos. We believe that Lemnos should be part of the Gallipoli commemorative experience.
Salonika Campaign
The Committee has also promoted awareness of the Anzac connection to Greece in the Salonika Front campaign of 1915-1918. Salonika is the location of the grave of the only Australian nurse to die in Greece during the First World War, Ballarat's Nurse Gertrude Munro. Many Australians served on this Front, including the author Miles Franklin (as a nurses aide) and Edmund Herring, who served as an artillery officer with a British formation. We have promoted awareness of this connection through published, articles, posts and presentations.
To this end we will soon hold an annual commemorative service at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance in honour of those Australian personnel who served on this front, including soldiers, nurses and other military personnel.
Click here for more on the Australians at Salonika in the First World War and here to read more about Nurse Gertrude Munro. The links below connect to other stories relating to the Salonika campaign:
The Greek Campaign of 1941
Our Committee is also engaged in supporting a number of commemorative activities concerning the Anzac connection to Greece through promoting awareness of the Australian involvement in the Greek campaign of 1941, and works with national and local authorities as well as sister organizations (including in the United Kingdom).
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| Lemnos Gallipoli Committee members Mr Lee Tarlamis MP, the Hon John Pandazopoulos MP, Mr Jim Claven, Mr Peter Volaris and Ms Sofia Kotanditis at the Ballarat Greek Ex-Servicemen Rememberance Day address, November 2012. Photograph Jim Claven |
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| Anzac memorial at East Mudros harnbour front, following official Anzac Day ceremony April 2012. For details on this plaque see the information provided by Dr Ross Bastiann OAM RFD, its creator. Photograph Jim Claven |
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| East Mudros Commonwealth Military Cemetery, April 2012. Photograph Jim Claven |
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| Mudros Bay, from East Mudros, April 2012. Photograph Jim Claven |
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