ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Maddy Harradence with (L-R) nurses and veterans Colonel Jan McCarthy, Arlene Bennett and Jenny Hunter; and Sandra Gray, a descendant of a Lemnos nurse
On Saturday 8 August, ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Maddy Harradence attended the annual Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial Service and laid a wreath on behalf of ANMF.
Why Lemnos?
The small but idyllic island of Lemnos in Greece was a strategic base for the Gallipoli campaign in World War 1. Because of its geographic location, it provided safe harbour for the allied forces and was the location of Australia’s major hospitals during the war. Nearly 130 Australian nurses served in Lemnos, caring for the wounded. Thirty-seven of those nurses were from Victoria.
‘What was evident at the memorial services in Port Phillip was the deep connection that still exists between Victoria and Greece, and specifically this little island with a big heart,’ Maddy said.
‘Speakers at the service told of the enduring connection that islanders have with Australia, with the Anzac traditions and with the nurses who worked under challenging conditions, providing compassionate care to young soldiers.’
The Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial in Albert Park was unveiled in 2015 – on the centenary of the arrival of Australian nurses on Lemnos – and reflects the first major memorial and tribute to Australian nurses on Lemnos, the soldiers they cared for and the significance of Lemnos during the Gallipoli campaign.
The sculpture comprises two bronze statues on the carved stone plinth: one a nurse, standing and looking into the distance; the other a digger, sitting and looking reflective. Created by renowned Anzac commemorative artist Peter Corlett OAM, the sculpture is designed to reflect the classical Greek style and was created using the same ‘lost-wax casting’ technique that ancient Greek sculptors used.
The Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial Service was held every year from the memorial’s unveiling until it was interrupted by the pandemic. This year’s service was the first since then; it will return annually.
Visit the Monument Australia Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial page or the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee blog to find out more.
