This year’s annual Papaflessas Greek independence day dinner dance had much more to celebrate than usual – an historic naming and the launch of the new book by historian Jim Claven.
The well-attended celebration was held at White Rose Receptions on High Street Northcote, with music provided by Tetras and George Athansaskos on clarinet. Many dignitaries were in attendance, including the Consul General of Greece Mr Emmanuel Kakavelakis, Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta, Mr Lee Tarlamis Victorian Legislative Council MP for South Eastern Metropolitan, Ms Sheena Watt Victorian Legislative Council MP for Northern Metropolitan and Darebin City Councillor Ms Emily Dimitriadis, along with former Victorian MP’s and Government Ministers Ms Jenny Mikakos and Mr John Pandazopoulos. The dance also was honoured with the attendance of two sons of Greek campaign veterans, Mr Peter Ford and Mr Neil Churches. Papalfessas Publicity Officer, Ms Mary Tsaganas, acted as master of ceremonies for the evening, assisted by youth members of the community – Taksia Tsaganis, Carli Gotsis and George Mastrogiannis.
The over 130 members and supporters in attendance were overjoyed to learn of Melbourne’s latest location naming in honour of our Greek communities major presence in our city. It was only a few days before the dance that Darebin City Council unanimously endorsed the Pammessinian Brotherhood Papaflessas’ proposal to name the laneway adjacent to their hall – Kalamata Place. Papaflessas had taken this initiative to recognise the long association of many families from the Messinia region and beyond with this part of Melbourne’s north.
Papaflessas President Steve Gotsis said that this was a very significant event for the community. He said that the naming of Kalamata Place will bring joy to all of Melbourne’s Greek community but especially to all those post-war migrants who left Greece to make a new life in Melbourne. Kalamata Place really puts the Kalamata into Melbourne – along with our world-famous olives and oil! Papaflessas plan to enhance Kalamata Place with a new mural on the adjacent wall of their community building, with motifs celebrating their region and its history.
Papaflessas thanked the Mayor and Councilors of Darebin for their unanimous support. But particular recognition was given to Councilor Emily Dimitriadis and Ms Jenny Mikakos who had helped to realise the proposal with their representation to Council. A special presentation was made to both Emily and Jenny by Papaflessas. Papaflessas also acknowledge the assistance of Mr John Pandazopoulos in supporting their proposal.
Both Emily and Jenny addressed the gathering, thanking Papaflessas for their initiative. Jenny pointed to her families personal roots in Messinia and the Mani and expressed her pride in having been able to assist the community in recognising the region through the naming of Kalamata Place.
The naming of Kalamata Place joins Sparta Place in Brunswick and Lemnos Square in Albert Park as Melbourne locations named in recognition of the Greek presence and contribution to Melbourne and Australia. The naming of Melbourne Square in Thessaloniki a few years ago in honour of the Sister-City relationship between the two cities also represents a similar recognition of the connection between Greece and Australia.
The dinner dance also witnessed the advance release of historian Jim Claven’s new book – Grecian Adventure: Anzac Trail Stories and Photographs – Greece 1941. The book was published by Papaflessas, with the support of the Victorian Government’s Veterans Council Grant program and many other Greek-Australian community organisations and individuals, including veteran’s families.
The book takes the reader on a journey across Greece in April and May 1941, following the Anzac trail throughout the Greek campaign, from the northern Greek battlefields of Vevi and Servia, through Brallos and Corinth, to Kalamata and the Mani, and on to Crete. The reader is guided by the individual stories of some of the Australian soldiers who served in that desperate and fateful campaign. The soldiers featured include Private Syd Grant and Sergeant Alfred Huggins, both from Victoria’s Western District, and many more. The book is illustrated by nearly 100 original photographs from the campaign, from the collections of Syd and Alfred, two collections which Jim assisted both families in their donation to Melbourne’s State Library of Victoria. These amazing images are enhanced with many more taken by Jim Claven as he walked Greece’s Anzac trail over many years.
The book was released with addresses by Neos Kosmos editor Mr Sotiris Hatzimanolis and Mr Lee Tarlamis MP representing the Victorian Government.
Mr Hatzimanolis spoke of his long association with the author, through his contribution of many historical and cultural articles to Neos Kosmos. He said that through Jim’s appreciation of Hellenic history and culture and its association with Australia, the author is a true Philhellene. He pointed to the book’s focus on the individual stories of the campaign, capturing the experience of those thrown together by war – Australians and Greeks – connecting communities in Greece with those in Australia. A vital part of this was the bravery of ordinary Greeks, offering welcome and support to these Australians and other Allies, as they arrived with hope and as they retreated after facing the fire of battle. As the book recounts, this help was never forgotten by those who experienced it – both in Greece and in Australia.
Mr Tarlamis said that the Victorian Government through its grant program was proud to be associated with Jim Claven’s new book. The book was assisted as part of the program to commemorate Australia’s part in the Second World War. Its re-telling of the Greek campaign – in the words and experiences of these young Australian soldiers, sailors and nurses, illustrated by hundreds of archival and contemporary photographs – is a feast for all interested in this important part of the Greek connection to Australia’s Anzac story. Mr Tarlamis thanked Papaflessas for supporting the book and Jim Claven for creating such a wonderful and poignant addition to the literature of the campaign.
Mr Claven firstl acknowledged the presence of Mr Ford and Mr Churches, who were welcomed to the event by acclamation. He said that it is important to remember that the story of the Greek campaign is one of individuals, of people drawn into an almighty conflict that will transform their lives and the loved ones they left at home. He thanked both Mr Ford and Mr Churches for the service of their fathers.
The author hoped that the book would form a new guide to the Greek campaign, both for Australian descendents of the campaign veterans but also the Greek diaspora in Australia with connections to the areas covered. He also noted that the book complemented the work he has already undertaken with the support of Papaflessas and other community organisations to have erected commemorative plaques at some of the key locations in the Anzac story in Greece, such as the forthcoming installation of four new memorials across the Peloponnese – at Kalamata, Corinth and in the Mani – joining earlier memorials already erected at Pylos and Methone. “These memorials are important markers of the connections between Greece and Australia as well as being creating a permanent legacy for future generations”, Mr Claven said.
Mr Claven pointed out that there was a welcome connection between the Anzac stories contained in his book and the naming of Kalamata Place. When Private Syd Grant returned to Melbourne and Victoria after the war he never forgot the support of the people of Kalamata and surrounds during his escape and evasion from German captivity. Not only did he return to Kalamata and the Mani after the war but he also named his farm in Western Victoria simply “Kalamata” and often drove to Melbourne’s inner north – most probably High Street in Northcote – to replenish his beloved supply of olives.
“In an important way the naming of Kalamata Place also recognises the role that Kalamata and the region played in the story of the Australian diggers who came there in the dark days of war in 1941 and found help and support”, Mr Claven said.
Mr Claven concluded by thanking Papalfessas and the Victorian Government for their support for the project, as well as that of the Central Pontian Association of Melbourne and Victoria “Pontiaki Estia”, the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee and the Agios Dimitrios “Olympou” Philanthropic & Cultural League). He particularly acknowledged the support of the families of veterans of the campaign, including the Private Grant and Sergeant Huggins families.
The Consul General of Greece, Mr Kakavelakis, said that it was an honour to be invited to attend such an important occasion. He spoke of Kalamata’s vital part in the liberation of Greece in 1821 and thanked Mr Claven for his work in bringing light its equally significant part in the story of the Greek campaign and the Anzacs who served there. He added that the naming of Kalamata Place and the release of Jim Claven’s Grecian Adventure give appropriate recognition to your regions part in our common history, stretching hundreds of years and forwards to today.
Papaflessas expressed their gratitude to all for their attendance and for their sponsors in making the night such a good one.
Limited copies of Mr Claven’s book are now available for purchase from the author – jimclaven@yahoo.com.au
