Last week historian and author Jim Claven provided an update on some key Hellenic Anzac commemorative developments in a briefing to the Australian Embassy in Greece, addressing the work of various Australian community organisations such as the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee, the Pammessinian Brotherhood Papaflessas, the Pankorinthian Association, the Agios Dimitrios Philanthropic & Cultural Association, Pontiaki Estia and the George Treloar Memorial Committee.
The presentation was made to the Deputy Head of Mission, Mr David Kilham, effectively the Deputy Ambassador of Australia to Greece. Mr Claven was accompanied by his partner, Ms Vicki Kyritsis, a member of the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee as well as Assistant Secretary of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria.
In the discussion Mr Claven first outlined the important work of the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee in furthering awareness of the Anzac Trail across Greece, in particular the role of Lemnos in the Gallipoli campaign and the Australian involvement in the Greek campaign of 1941.
Highlights of this effort stretch back to the foundation of the Committee in 2011, their assistance in organising the Anzac Centenary commemorations on Lemnos in 2015, their creation of the major Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial in Albert Park (unveiled in 2015 and the location of their annual commemorative service), the creation of the Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed photographic exhibition (recently gifted to Melbourne’s Lemnian community for permanent display), the development of school web-linkages between students on Lemnos and in Melbourne, the organizing (with the support of the Victorian Government and Lemnian authorities) of the Australian Pier memorial at Mudros on Lemnos in 2018 and the publication in 2019 of the first major historical publication re-telling the story of Lemnos role in the Gallipoli campaign, Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed.
Mr Claven also discussed the Australian Government’s Lemnos Remembrance Trail project, which aims to enhance the commemorative experience on Lemnos with the creation new interpretative infrastructure to aid visitors. He explained his professional work with this project to date and expressed the Committee’s support for the future of the project.
He went on to express the support of the George Treloar Memorial Committee for the recent visit by Australia’s Ambassador to Thrylorio in northern Greece in recognition of the important refugee work of Ballarat’s Major George Devine Treloar. On behalf of the Treloar Committee, Mr Claven extended an invitation to both Ambassador Arthur Spyrou and Mr Kilham to join with the George Treloar Committee in visiting the Memorial during their next visit to Melbourne.
Mr Claven then drew attention to his work with various Melbourne-based community organisations in expanding the existing Anzac trail in Greece with the erection of new commemorative memorials in key locations connected to the Anzac story in Greece.
6 new memorials have been created – researched by Mr Claven and funded by the Lemnos Gallipoli Committee, the Pammessinian Brotherhood Papaflessas or the Pankorithinian Association. These commemorate the following: the WW1 Dimitri Passas Memorial on Lemnos (dedicated to this WW1 Anzac-born on Lemnos), the WW1 Royal Australian Navy Memorial on Lemnos, the WW2 Battle of Corinth Memorial, the WW2 Corinth POW camp memorial, the WW2 Battle of Kalamata Waterfront Memorial and the WW2 Mani Evacuation memorial at Trahila.
Mr Claven pointed out that these bronze memorial plaques were made in Melbourne and are now in Greece. He said that their supporters in Australia look forward to their installation by the local authorities and attending future annual commemorative services at these memorial sites. He then referred to the images of the various WW2 plaques reproduced within the pages of his book, Grecian Adventure.
These will join with the WW1 Australian Pier memorial on Lemnos and the WW2 Pylos and Methone memorials erected a few years ago. These previous plaques were also based on Mr Claven’s historical research and organised with the support of community organisations (Melbourne’s Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee, Navrino Brotherhood and Pammessinian Brotherhood Papaflessas), veteran’s families (such as the late veteran, former Sapper Bill Rudd, in the case of the Pylos and Methone memorials) and the Victorian Government (in the case of the Australian Pier). Installed by the relevant local Hellenic authorities, the unveiling of these was attended by representatives of the Australian Embassy.
The creation and installation of these 6 new memorials is supported by the historical information contained in Mr Claven’s two books, Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed and Grecian Adventure. He explained to Mr Kilham that the genesis of both books lies in the rich photographic archive held in public and private collections across Australia – with many photographs taken by the Anzacs themselves – which document the depth of the Hellenic link to Australia’s Anzac tradition.
“Both books and the commemorative memorial plaques they support would not have been possible without the generous support of veteran’s families – such as the descendants of Nurse Evelyn Hutt, Private Syd Grant, Sergeant Alfred Huggins and Private Kevin Byrne. Families such as these have gladly shared their personal collections with the wider community as well as through their not-insignificant financial support for these projects”, Mr Claven said.
He went on to point out that the Hellenic connection to Anzac links families and locations across Australia and Greece, continuing on to new generations who are eager to learn more of the experience of their loved ones during these terrible times of war. Fortunately, the Anzac link to Greece contains many examples of the expression of humanity, assistance and hospitality that one would expect from our two communities.
Together and along with existing WW1 and WW2 Anzac and other relevant Allied memorials across Greece, these memorials will form what Mr Claven describes as an Anzac Trail across Greece.
“I expressed the dream that I look forward to the day of an annual commemorative pilgrimage from Australia to Greece, starting on Lemnos in April, continuing across northern Greece (from the sites of the Salonika campaign to those of WW2 at Vevi, Servia and Temp Vallley) and on to Brallos Pass, attending the Anzac Service at Phaleron on 25th April, followed by consecutive services at Corinth (26 April), Argos and Nafplio (27 April), Tolo (28 April), Kalamata (29 April) and Trahila (30 April), ending on the mainland at Pylos and Methone in early May. The trail would then continue on to the Crete and beyond”, Mr Claven said.
He also took the opportunity to thank the Embassy for the opportunity to assist in the production of their major new pictorial book on the Greek campaign – Mates & Allies – published last year. It was heartening to see that the entrance to the Embassy has a number of the archival images from the Hellenic link to Anzac, enlarged and on display – with Australian soldiers on the Acropolis (1941) as well as nurses on Lemnos (1915) and Crete (1941) highlighted. Mr Claven expressed the view that this is a great way to give appropriate recognition to this, one of the strong connections between Greece and Australia.
Mr Claven then took the opportunity to present the Australian Embassy with complimentary copies of both Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed and Grecian Adventure on behalf of the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee and the Pammessinian Brotherhood Papaflessas.
He then went on to point out that he and the various communities working with him in Australia are keen to continue this effort to widen awareness of the Hellenic link to Anzac and its commemoration in both countries.
“We all hope to encourage increased visitation between our countries but especially to the Anzac trail across Greece both to commemorate the service of those who have gone before us and to boost Greece’s commemorative tourism,” Mr Claven said.
Mr Kilham expressed his awareness of Mr Claven‘s commemorative work and that of the various community organisations mentioned to enhance the Australia-Greece commemorative awareness and experience. He encouraged them all to continue their efforts, working with the support of the relevant authorities in Greece and Australia.
Jim Claven is a trained historian, published author and secretary of the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee. Those interested in purchasing copies of his publications can contact him via email – jimclaven@yahoo.com.au
