Last weekend saw an informal gathering assemble to celebrate the commemorative work of historian and writer Jim Claven, who was awarded an Order of Australia Medal on Australia Day for his service to veterans and to community history.
Readers of Neos Kosmos will be familiar with Jim’s work, much of which has been reported in this newspaper.
With a focus on researching the Hellenic link to Australia’s Anzac story across both world wars, Jim’s historical writings and works also encompass various aspects of Hellenic culture and its connection to Australia and the wider world. Jim’s key works to date include four books, three memorials, five commemorative plaques as well as numerous pictorial exhibitions and presentations – in both Australia and Greece.
Those in attendance reflected the breadth of Jim’s work and connections. Many Greek community representatives were present, including the Hellenic Republic’s Melbourne Consul Emmanuel Kakavelakis, Greek Community of Melbourne President Bill Papastergiadis OAM and former Victorian Government Minister the Hon John Pandazopoulos and his partner Vicky, along with representatives of some of the various community associations who have worked with Jim over the years including the Pammessinian, Pontian, Krythian and Imvrian organizations. Others in attendance were some of Jim’s academic colleagues including Dr Dennis Glover, Dr Arnaldo Barone, Dr Peter Ewer and Dr John Martino.
Jim addressed the gathering thanking all those for attending. He said it was obviously a great honour to have his work be recognized in this way but he added that the award was also recognition for all the veterans and their families as well as other witnesses who shared their personal stories and other records with him.
It was this generosity that enabled him to apply his academic historical training to these often overlooked aspects of Australian and Hellenic history. In this he thanked Deb Stewart and her family who had shared the story and photographic collection of her grandmother Nurse Evelyn Hutt who served on Lemnos during the Gallipoli campaign. How Evelyn’s story came to Jim’s attention is similar to that of many others, like that of Private Syd Grant and Sergeant Alfred Huggins who both served in Greece in WW2. Jim thanked these families and the many others who have shared their stories.
He also thanked all the Greek community organizations and individuals who have welcomed him into their hearts, eager to hear and add to these Anzac stories of Greece, the land of their birth or heritage. In this he thanked Melbourne’s Greek Community as well as the Pammessinian, Thessaloniki, Pontian, Pankorinthian, Agios Dimitrios, Lemnian and Imvrian communities among many others. It is only through their active support that significant commemorative work like Ballarat’s George Treloar Memorial, Jim’s Grecian Adventure book and his Imbros & Gallipoli pictorial exhibition could have been achieved.
He also thanked those from Melbourne’s veteran’s community – including the Returned Nurses RSL’s Col (Ret) Jan McCarthy ARRC, the Nurses Memorial Centre’s Arlene Bennett and the Oakleigh RSL’s Doug Pendergast – and those in Greece – including Dimitris Boulotis, Liza Koutsaplis and the Hellenic Navy’s Anastasios Michelis – who have also supported his work over many years.
He mentioned how his journey had begun, thanking his old friend the Hon John Pandazopoulos for alerting him to Lemnos’ story and its role in the Gallipoli campaign. For the past ten years and more Jim has worked with Lee Tarlamis and the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee (LGCC) to raise awareness of Lemnos’ Anzac story on various significant projects, including the erection of Albert Park’s Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial in 2015, Lemnos’ Australian Pier Memorial in 2018, the Shrine’s Lemnos Tree and Memorial and the release of Jim’s major study entitled Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed in 2019. The award is therefore also recognition for all those who have joined with Jim in the realization of these major Australian Hellenic achievements, both in Australia and Greece.
He thanked all those who have assisted with his various publications – from the various families who donated materials and shared their stories, to the individuals who helped with the editing of the text (especially Craig Tolson, Barb Kuhl and his brother Michael), David Downie and all at Kosdown Printing and the various community organizations who supported his Hellenic Anzac boom proposals, from the LGCC to the Imvrian Society of Melbourne and more. Jim also thanked Neos Kosmos – especially Chris Gogos and Sotiris Hatzimanolis – for their support in encouraging and publishing his writing. Jim believes that this has played a major role in bringing to light many new archives on the Hellenic Anzac trail.
Jim thanked his family for their support over many years, especially his parents Margaret and Jim who bravely brought their young family to the other side of the world from Scotland, introducing him to Australia and the Anzac story. Like many other migrant families they encouraged his educational pursuits from school to university. It was at Prahran High School that Jim first studied Ancient Greece under Mr Morrisey, an interest that would continue into Classical Studies at Monash University. All of this enriched by his many Hellenic-background school friends from his time living in Prahran. He also thanked his partner Vicki Kyritsis who has been by his side on this journey, from Australia to Greece, to Lemnos and beyond.
In conclusion Jim committed to continuing his commemorative work with new research, publications and presentations planned as well as the 1941 Anzac Greek campaign video documentary planned to be released this year. He also hoped to continue his work in support of realizing the new Australian Government Lemnos Remembrance Trail.
Some of Jim's various Hellenic Anzac publications.
Some of Jim's various Hellenic Anzac publications.
Some of Jim's various Hellenic Anzac publications.
Both Hellenic Consul Mr Kakavelakis and Greek Community President Mr Papastergiadis joined others in expressing their gratitude to Jim stating that his award was well deserved. Ms Litsa Athanasiadis expressed the views of many from Melbourne’s Hellenic community, acknowledging Jim’s contribution, stating that he had been an “inspiration to work with” on the George Treloar Memorial project. Mr Pandazopoulos said that he was very pleased that his long-time friend had been so recognised, stating that they had begun their “wonderful journey” to retrace the Anzac heritage in Greece over 15 years ago. Ms Stewart stated her “heartfelt congratulations” to a deserving and hard-working recipient adding that it had been “the greatest honour to be part of Jim’s historical journey”.
LGCC President Lee Tarlamis OAM MP placed on record his thanks to Jim for his work as an outstanding philhellene in the every sense, his work having “shed a light on the horrors of war that gave birth to stories of solidarity and support, of friendship and bonds that endure beyond the heat of battle”, adding that his work documenting this important part of history will ensure they are long remembered and protected for future generations.
Neos Kosmos has been proud to support Jim and his work over the years. He represents the best example of philhellenism and the important connections between Hellenic culture and Australia and the wider world. We congratulate Jim on his award and look forward to his future commemorative endeavours.
