Remembering the first Lemnos Gallipoli monument

This Monday 25 April 2022 marks 20 years since the unveiling of the first monument erected on Lemnos to recognise the Greek involvement in the Gallipoli campaign.

As we commemorate Anzac Day this year we not only pay tribute to the Australian nurses acknowledged by the monument, but also the modern day Greek islanders who helped in making this tribute reality.

The unveiling was performed by then Australian Ambassador to Greece Stuart Hume, then Prefect of Lesvos Dimitris Bonatsos and Evgenia Mitrakas as Chairman of the Greek Legal and Medical Conferences on Mudros Bay Lemnos.

In attendance at the ceremony were representatives of all allied countries. Their flags seen flying in the background of the service, with the Australian and Greek flag purposefully positioned side by side.

Looking closely one can see the image of a nurse on the bottom right hand side of the monument which was made in acknowledgement of the stoic work of Australian nurses.

There were two Australian hospitals on the island at the time and the staff at the hospitals included 120 Australian nurses.

But what also requires acknowledgment today, 20 years on, is the generosity of the island of Lesvos in paying for the stonework for the monument.

At a time when the island of Lemnos was administratively part of the Lesvos prefecture, the then Prefect of Lesvos Dimitris Bonatsos was persuaded by Ms Mitrakas, a proud Greek Australian born on Lesvos, to cover the cost of the stonework surrounding the monument.

The artist behind the sculpture was Melbourne-based philhellene Dr Ross Bastion whose monuments can be seen around Australia and also in Sfakia of the Greek island of Crete.