It is appropriate on this day that a HANZAC Painting was delivered. In 1942, the Battle of Greece and Crete was at its climax and the ANZACs were fighting for their lives on the Island of Crete. The painting that I refer to had been painted by a mate in Cairns and had travelled all the way from Far North Queensland to our home in leafy Watsonia, a Northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria.
It took me a while to unpack it as the painting had been very carefully wrapped so that it would not be damaged. The tall, stocky and bearded courier who delivered it in the rain was happy to do so and be part of the journey once I explained what the package contained.
What is so special about this painting is that it was painted by a extremely talented and creative veteran. Gene Pratt is his name. Not only was he a magnificent soldier, but also a talented musician and painter.
Gene and I both served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment in Townsville, Far North Queensland some fifty years ago. I must confess that Gene was a far better soldier than I, as I was always the one, getting into punch-ups and in constant trouble. But then again, I was just a lad who was looking for adventure, just like all my other mates.
Anyway, this article is not about me but about Gene and his contribution to the nation and certainly to the HANZAC Memorial, located in Pellana, Laconia, Greece. (the home of Helen of Troy and her husband Menelaus, Master of the War Cry). HANZAC stands for Hellenic ANZAC and is a tribute to all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice during WW2 in Greece. Gene I must add like many other veterans is a HANZAC Guardian and I am chuffed and delighted to have received the painting.
It was in 2021 that I asked Gene to paint it using a photograph that I had sent him. The colours and the image of the background and scenery have been captured well. It now hangs in the “Great Hall” at home and it is one of the centre pieces in the room. Located above the world map where the Adamis family has travelled over the past 125 years.
I intend to photograph it and go to Officeworks where the staff embed the image onto canvas and take a copy to hang in the Cottage in Pellana, Laconia, Greece, which incidentally is my place of birth. Having said that, I will make time to put together a pamphlet or a short book of sorts, describing the HANZAC Memorial and have Gene Pratt’s Painting on the front cover.
I have written this article and dedicate it Gene Pratt, whose blood is worth bottling. It is important to note that this memorial is as a result of many contributors whose make up is of the veteran and non-veteran communities and this is what makes it so special. I encourage everyone to visit the memorial at least once in their life time and at the same time enjoy the hospitality of the village of Pellana, Kastoria and the mountain villages.
The beach and Sparta the capital of Laconia, is but some 15 minutes to the South by car.
The following are the current Guardians of the memorial:
1. THANASIS DAVAKIS – PATRON GREECE
2. JIM HAMMETT – PATRON AUSTRALIA
3. RESERVED TBA – PATRON NEW ZEALAND
4. PETER ADAMIS – CHAIRMAN
5. MAURICE BARWICK – TREASURER
6. GEZA BENKE – SECRETARY
7. STEFANOS SGOURDAS – MARATHON COORD
8. KOSTAS MIHALOPOULOS – ASSETS MANAGER
9. CONRAD ADAMIS
10. DAVID ADAMIS
11. MATTHEW ADAMIS
12. MARK ADAMIS
13. PAUL ADAMIS
14. WILLIAM ADAMIS
15. GARRY ADAMS
16. NICK BAKIS
17.MARCUS BASTIAAN
18. EDWARD BLACK
19. MICHAEL BLAXLAND
20. EDWARD BRYSON
21. BILL CHARLTON
22. BARRIE DANIEL
23. GIUSEPPE DE SIMONE
24. NICK DEROS
25. GEORGE DIMOS
26. VASILIKI DIMOS
27. CHRISTINE ETHEL
28. HELEN FINNIGAN
29. DENNIS GEORGE
30. CHRIS GLEKAS
31. KALIOPI GLEKAS
32. KON GLEKAS
33. COLIN GOODWIN
34. PETER HATHERLEY
35. RON HILL
36. KEVIN HURLEY
37. VIOLET HURLEY
38. LARRY ILIFFE
39. PETER JASONIDES
40. PETER KALLIAKOUDIS
41. TERRY KANELLOS
42. PANAGIOTIS KARAGIANNIS
43. ILIAS KATSOS
44. TONY KELLY
45. AZHAR KHAN
46. LUKE KIROPOULOS
47. GABBY KIWARKIS
48. SAM KOSTOULIAS
49. MICHAEL KROGER
50. DOUGLAS LUIK
51. DIMITRI MALIAROS
52. GEORGÈ MANSFORD
53. SANDRA MERCER-MOORE
54. PETER MERCOULIA
55. PAUL MITCHELL
56. DONALD NORMAN
57. KALIOPI PAPAPOSTOLOU
58. BILL PAPASTERGIADIS
59. GEORGE PARASKEVOPOULOS
60. PANAGIOTIS PARASKEVOPOULOS
61. WARREN PAYNE
62. GENE PRATT
63. PAUL PRICKETT
64. THANASIS RASSIAS
65. PETER ROBERTS
66. JIM ROZAKLIS
67. KOSTAS SGOURDAS
68. PANAGIOTIS SIGALOS
69. MICHAEL SUKKAR
70. MAVIS TREGONNING
71. STUART THRUPP
72. LEON TSONGAS
73. STAVROS VALASSIS
74. MARIA VAMVAKINOU
75. DIMITRI VAROUTSIOS
76. GEORGE VASSILOPOULOS
77. KOSTAS VLAHAKIS
78. ELENI VLAHOGIANNI
79. WAYNE WHITROD
80. CRAIG YOULL
81. JOE ZAPP
82. BARRY ZIEBELL
83. SUSAN ZIEBELL
84. THEMISTOCLES PATSILIVAS
85. RESERVED NZ
86. RESERVED NZ
87. RESERVED NZ
89. RESERVED NZ
90. RESERVED NZ
91. RESERVED NZ
92. RESERVED NZ
93. RESERVED NZ
94. RESERVED NZ
95. RESERVED NZ
96. RESERVED NZ97. RESERVED NZ
98. RESERVED NZ
99. RESERVED NZ
100. RESERVED NZ
As always, stay strong, never give up, remain vigilant and never have fear as a companion for the sun will still rise up in the morning. Peter Adamis is a (not for profit) Journalist/Commentator. He is a retired Australian military serviceman and an Industry organisational & Occupational (OHS) & Training Consultant. An avid blogger, contributing to domestic and international community news media outlets as well as to local and Ethnic News. He holds a Bachelor of Adult Learning & Development (Monash), Grad Dip Occupational Health & Safety, (Monash), Dip. Training & Assessment, Dip Public Administration, and Dip Frontline Management. Contact via Email: abalinx@gmail.com