Gallipoli Campaign Commemorative Program on Lemnos - 3 May 2023

 

The Australian Pier Memorial, north of Moudros. Photo Jim Claven.

The Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee has been advised by the Regional Authorities on Lemnos of the following program of events for the annual commemoration of the Gallipoli campaign to be held this year on 3rd May 2023.

Program of Commemorative Events in "Honor and Memory of the Fallen in the Gallipoli Campaign"

Date: Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Location: The Commonwealth War Cemetery, Moudros.

Program:

10:30 Arrival of the Officials

10:40 Memorial Service

10:50: Wreath laying National Anthems Army Trumpet Salute

11:15 Remark by the Representative of North Aegean Region

11:20 Remark by the Mayor of Lemnos

11:25 Remark by the Representative of the Commonwealth of Australia

11:30 Remark by Government Representative Walk within the Cemetery

End of Ceremony

The ceremony is open to the public.

Anyone who is wishing to take part by representing a commemorative organization or by laying a wreath as part of the ceremony should contact the local  authorities on Lemnos. Alternatively, you may advise our Committee by emailing Jim Claven, the Secretary - on jimclaven@yahoo.com.au - who will pass on your request.

Jim Claven, Secretary

The Australian Nurse Arrive on Lemnos, August 1915. Photo Albert Savage. Courtesy State Library of NSW.

Announcement - 2023 Gallipoli Commemorative Services on Lemnos

 

The authorities on Lemnos have announced that this years annual Gallipoli campaign commemorative services may take place in May rather than the usual date prior to Anzac Day.

The Committee received this information from the Sub-Prefect's Office of the Regional Unit of Lemnos today. 

No definite date has been confirmed, however this is likely to take place between 3rd and 9th May 2023.

When we receive further information regarding the events on Lemnos we will publicize it through further blog posts and social media.

Regards

Lee Tarlamis OAM MP President & Jim Claven, Secretary

Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial Repaired

 

A message to all of our members, supporters and friends - the Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial has been repaired! Above and below are some photographs of the repaired Memorial taken today by the Secretary, Jim Claven.

Last week our Committee was alerted to damage inflicted on the Memorial by a vandal. The nurse component of the Memorial had been sprayed painted. This is the second time since its unveiling in 2015 that the Memorial has been defaced with paint. Local resident, urban historian and former Mayor and Councillor Janet Bolitho let is know.

Sadly our sculptor - Peter Corlett OAM - on being informed about the damaged, lamented that this is not uncommon on public sculptures. 

The Committee would like to express its thanks to all at the City of Port Phillip who acted so swiftly to repair the damage. We would particularly like to thank Justin Gayner, the Programming & Curatorial Lead at the City of Port Phillip - and of course the restoration workers who completed the repairs. Well done. Thanks to the Council's Sandra Khazam too for her on-going support. The community thanks you for your efforts.

It is important that graffiti or other attention seeking acts like this are removed quickly to limit the "5 minutes of fame" of the perpetrator. They obviously have no appreciation of the work and funds that have gone in to create such a work, all by community volunteers.

As a mark of appreciation for her diligence in alerting us to the damage last week, the Committee has presented Janet Bolitho with a complementary copy of our book - Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed. It is only through local people like Janet that our Memorial can be monitored. Thank you Janet.

And thank you to all our friends and supporters who contacted us to offer assistance and express disgust at the damage to one of the few Memorials in Melbourne to feature a sculpture of a woman.

The Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial again stands proud and ready to host this years commemorative event in August. 

Lee Tarlamis OAM MP, President & Jim Claven, Secretary

Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial Vandalised - Again

 

It is with great sadness that we report that our beautiful Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial at Lemnos Square in Albert Park has again been vandalized with paint.

The vandalism occurred last week. It was brought to the attention of the President by local resident, urban historian and former Mayor & Councillor Janet Bolitho with the City of Port Philip. She supplied us with the above photograph revealing the damage.

It appears that the damage is similar - though more extensive - to the previous graffiti vandalism which the Memorial was subject to in 2020. At that time local residents intervened to minimize the damage and alerted the Committee.

The Secretary has alerted the authorities at the City of Port Philip who will be taking remedial action as soon as possible. The Secretary advised the Council that the sculptor -  Peter Corlett OAM - is willing to assist in the remedial action as he has offered in the past. Sadly Peter stated that such vandalism is not uncommon with statues and memorials.

We have also suggested that the Council might consider enhancing security at Lemnos Square to deter any further attacks on the Memorial (such as the deployment of cameras).

The vandalism is particular disgusting given that the vandal has chosen to interfere with one of the few statues honouring women in Melbourne and this has taken place close to the celebration of Greek Independence Day (25 March).

We look forward to the restoration of our beautiful Memorial in coming days or weeks back to the condition we all love (photo below by Jim Claven, 2018).

On behalf of the Committee we thank Janet for alerting us to this damage.

Jim Claven, Secretary & Lee Tarlamis, OAM MP, President

Wishing all our supporters and friends a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

 

Dear all

This year has seen us emerge from the trails of the COVID19 pandemic.

We were able to again hold our Armistice of Mudros commemorative service this year at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne in October, as well as discussions held regarding WW2 Anzac commemorative activities in Kalamata with Greek municipal authorities on their visit to Melbourne. On 9 August we were able to hold a small service at the landing site of the Australian nurses on Lemnos' Turks Head Peninsula. This was held on the anniversary of their landing in 1915. It was the first such commemorative service held at this important location on Lemnos - hopefully the first of many. 

We look forward to a return to our full program of activities in the coming year. A program of our activities will be posted soon.

The photograph on this years Committee Xmas Card was taken by Albert Savage of the 3rd Australian General Hospital and captures a local Greek Orthodox priest with some of his parishioners in a village. The photograph is from the Fryer Library Collection in the University of Queensland. It is evocative of the meetings between Australians (and other Allied service personnel) and Greeks on Lemnos during the Gallipoli campaign, of how they came together in the villages surrounding the Allied camps. We hope you enjoy our choice of image for this years card.

On behalf of our Committee, we wish all of our supporters and friends across the globe, a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. We wish you all a great festive season and look forward to working with you all again soon.

Yours sincerely

Lee Tarlamis OAM MP, President

Jim Claven, Secretary

Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed - Now Available at Sydney's Bilingual Bookshop

 

For all our supporters in Sydney - good news! 

Sydney's magnificent Bilingual Bookshop is now stocking copies of our Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed - A Pictorial History of the Anzacs in the Aegean 1915-16.

So if you are in Sydney and would like a copy, pop down to the Bilingual Bookshop at 180 Unwins Bridge Road, St Peters, NSW, 2044. You can also call an order a copy on 0400436079.

By purchasing the book you will not only be supporting our Committee's commemorative work but also this lovely local bookshop.

PS You can also get a copy of my Grecian Adventure - about the Greek campaign of 1941.

Click here to find out more.

Jim Claven, LGCC Secretary

Armistice of Mudros Commemorative Service - Shrine of Remembrance - 31 October 2022 - All Welcome

The Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee's annual service commemorating the Armistice of Mudros will be held on Monday 31st October 2022.

The service will be held in the Sanctuary of Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance.

The service will commence at 11.45am and conclude at 12.15pm. 

Attendees are requested to be present at the Sanctuary by 11.30am.

Members and supporters of the Committee will assemble at 11.15am at the Lemnos Tree and Plaque near the Shrine (near the main flagpoles on the Birdwood Avenue side of the Shrine forecourt) before proceeding to the Sanctuary.

A single symbolic wreath will be laid, with attendees invited to lay a poppies that will be provided. 

All are welcome to attend the service.

The service commemorates the coming into effect of the Armistice of Mudros which was signed on 30th October 1918 in Lemnos' Mudros Bay aboard the HMS Agamemnon (pictured above). The Armistice came into effect at 12noon the following day, 31st October 1918.

The Armistice brought to end the war between the Entente Powers and the Ottoman Empire, a war that had begun on 11th November 1914, ranging over the Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean and Greece. For Australia, the war that had in many respects begun with the arrival of Australian troops at Lemnos' Mudros Bay had now ended there.

The Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee has held this service at the Shrine since 2019. This is the first physical service since the recent COVID pandemic.

Jim Claven, Secretary, Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee