The descendants of some of the Australian veterans of the Greek campaign of 1941 recently came to Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance for the formal launch of Jim Claven’s new historical book entitled Grecian Adventure.
They were part of a crowd of over 120 who braved a cold Melbourne evening to celebrate this latest addition to the Greek campaign library. This is Jim Claven’s second major publication on the Hellenic link to Anzac, following on his successful history of the role of Lemnos in the Gallipoli campaign, Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed.
The book was launched by former Premier of Victoria, the Hon Steve Bracks AC, with a number of other speakers making their contributions to the launch. These included the Consul General of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Emmanuel Kakavelakis, the President of Melbourne’s Greek Community, Bill Papastergiadis, Lee Tarlamis MP representing the Victorian Government, the Shrine CEO Dean Lee and the State Library of Victoria’s Dr Kevin Molloy. The function was organised by the publishers of the book – Melbourne’s Pammessinian Brotherhood Papaflessas – whose President Steve Gotsis also spoke at the event.
The whole event was ably overseen by Ms Cathy Alexopoulos, President of the Greek Australian Cultural League, who presided as Master of Ceremonies for the night.
Mr Kakavelakis joined with Mr Papastergiadis in stressing the importance of books like Grecian Adventure in re-telling the story of the depth of feeling between the Australian and Greek peoples, begun in war and continued in the years after. Mr Tarlamis spoke of the book being a feast for the eyes, a great aid to veteran’s families in their connecting to the experience of their loved ones who served in the campaign. Dr Molloy thanked the families who have donated their collections to the Library, collections that form the centre of Grecian Adventure. Mr Gotsis expressed the thanks of Papaflessas to the veteran’s families for sharing their stories and photographs and to Jim for producing such a magnificent publication.
The highlight of the evening was the speeches by the Veterans families. A member of each family was invited to address the assembly.
Catherine Bell related how her father Private Syd Grant never forgot the help he received from the Greek people as he evaded capture by the enemy in the days following the fall of Kalamata to the Germans. His connection to Greece would outlive the war, the family farm being named “Kalamata”, in her father’s love of Kalamata olives and in his return to Greece after the war.
David and Philip Huggins talked about their father Alfred and his desire to photograph his war. The assembly was touched by Philip ending his talk with a few words of Greek. Michael Byrne recounted how his father Kevin joined up and his campaign and capture, delivering a very emotional and moving address. Neil Churches recounted his father Ralph’s attempted escape from the Mani by boat, experiencing the heartfelt support of local people along the way.
Peter Vial recounted how his father Robert had traversed Greece, carrying orders and relying reports backwards and forwards to the front, travelling on a motorcycle, subject to constant air attack. Left behind after the fall of Kalamata, Robert would escape Greece in the same parties that saw Syd Grant depart the Mani back to Allied lines. And like Syd and Alfred, Robert took photographs during the campaign.
The formal launch by the Hon Steve Bracks AC was preceded by the author’s presentation, explaining the genesis of the book and its content.
Mr Claven spoke of his fateful meeting Catherine Bell many years ago, followed by that with David and Philip Huggins a few years later. Both families revealed the amazing collection of photographs and other memorabilia and documentation of their veteran fathers. Having already begun his archival and field research into the Greek campaign Jim saw immediately the significance of these private archives.
It didn’t take long for both families to decide to donate their collections to Melbourne’s State Library, assisted by Mr Claven. And it wasn’t much longer when Jim decided that a book was needed to showcase these collections, bringing together Jim’s archival research and many of his own colour photographs of most of the locations connected to the campaign. The result is Grecian Adventure.
He drew attention to some of the most iconic campaign images in the book. He pointed to Private Kevin Byrne’s photograph taken in Syntagma Square during his brief period of leave, enjoying the sights of Athens as so many diggers did. This subject is in stark contrast to that of Sergeant Alfred Huggins’ photograph of a field burial near Mount Olympus, the grave party standing by the new grave as one another says a few words. Finally, there are Private Syd Grant’s photographs of Kalamata and the village of Trahila in the Mani, capturing the palpable support of the locals for these Allied soldiers. But these are only the highlights, the book reproducing nearly 100 archival photographs never before published.
Mr Claven spoke of some of the key themes that emerge from the book. The men and women that took part in the campaign were ordinary people, placed in extraordinary times. He spoke of how we honour the fact that they rose to the occasion, facing the challenges of conflict but also by revealing the bonds of humanity in the midst of war.
“It is one of the enduring facts of the Greek campaign that it brought together the Australian and Greek people, in a common struggle against an invader, a combination expressed in the friendship and support shown by local civilians to these young men and women from far away, at the risk of terrible retribution by the enemy,” he said.
He went on to state that it was this connection that would remain alive in the memories of those it touched. That is why diggers like Syd Grant and others, returned to Greece after the war to re-connect with those who had helped them during the war. It was why they recounted their experiences in Greece to their families and why they treasured their photographs of the campaign. It’s why Syd Grant named his family farm “Kalamata” and travelled the long journey to Melbourne’s northern suburbs to find his beloved Kalamata olives.
“This is why the Greek campaign remains a living story for so many Australian and Greek families. Yes, there are stories of terrible events, of destruction and massacres. But there is also this story of connection, of how the Australian service personnel were welcomed and helped by the Greek people, as they advance to meet the enemy, when they marched in retreat and when they were on the run evading the enemy. This is why the Greek campaign is so important to remember and commemorate”, Mr. Claven said.
Most importantly he stressed the book symbolized the possibility that more stories and photographs of the Greek campaign that may lie undiscovered in other private collections.
“Over 20,000 Australians served in the Greek campaign. A large number of these would have written letters, postcards and diaries at the time, others private memoirs after the war, some would have taken photographs like Syd and Alfred. I am in no doubt that many more private archives are waiting to be discovered,” Mr. Claven said.
So it was particularly relevant that the launch included the surprise announcement by Peter Vial of the decision of the Vial family to donate Robert Vial’s extensive photographic collection to the State Library of Victoria. The announcement was met by acclamation.
In formally launching the book, the Hon Steve Bracks AC explained his personal connection to the Huggins family and his visits to some of the locations in the Greek campaign with David Huggins. He congratulated Jim on this excellent publication and encouraged all interested in the history of Greek campaign to encourage those with private archives to approach their local State Libraries to ensure their preservation and access to the public.
Finally Mr. Claven thanked Papaflessas for their sponsoring his original proposal and was joined by President Mr. Steven Gotsis in thanking all those who contributed to make the book a reality – the Victorian Government and the Victorian Veterans Council for funding its writing and layout; the four Greek community organisations (Papaflessas, the Central Pontian Association of Melbourne and Victoria “Pontiaki Estia”, the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee and the Agios Dimitrios “Olympou” Philanthropic & Cultural League), who along with the Grant, Huggins and Byrne families and Deb Stewart funded the printing of the book; as well as Neos Kosmos and Kosdown Printing for their work on the publication.
Thanks to Panos Apostolou of SBS Greek for permission to reproduce his photographs from the launch. Copies of Grecian Adventure can be purchased from the author – jimclaven@yahoo.com.au
