On the occasion of ANZAC Day, events were held on Thursday in Lemnos and in Athens.
In Athens the event organized by the Ambassador of Australia Alison Duncan was attended by many officials of the Greek state as well as Australians and New Zealanders.
At the Faliro War Cemetery, where the event took place, 584 Australians and 731 New Zealanders who were killed in Greece during the Second World War are commemorated.
It is noted that the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Yiannis Kefalogiannis, also attended, on Thursday, April 25, 2024, as the Representative of the Greek Government, the Commemoration Ceremony for “ANZAC Day”, at the Faliro War Cemetery.
The ceremony was also attended by the Vice-Chief GETHA Vice-Admiral Christos Siasiakos PN, as the Representative of the Armed Forces, as well as Representatives of the Local Government and Embassies.
In this context, the Deputy Minister of National Defense made the following statement:
“With reverence and respect I represented the Greek Government at the commemoration for “ANZAC Day” at the Faliro War Cemetery. We observe Australia and New Zealand’s National Day of Remembrance, which honors all Australians and New Zealanders who have served and died in both countries’ wars, battles and peacekeeping operations.
The bravery of the ANZACs is a beacon of inspiration to the Western world and a constant message of vigilance in defense of the values of Democracy, Human Rights, Peace and Freedom.”
IN THE LAKE
It was April 25, 1915, at dawn when the “famous” Gallipoli Campaign of World War I started from Lemnos, the Gulf of Mudros.
The Landing took place on the opposite lands, North of the Hellespont (Gallipoli) with the aim of the Advance towards Constantinople.
THE Allied forces that had settled around the Gulf of Mudros failed to come ashore and from there proceed. All subsequent attempts were, like the first, unsuccessful because the Turks offered strong resistance from the land heights and after a few months the plan of the “Gallipoli Campaign” was abandoned with 1000s of dead, mainly Australians who were in the front line of the landing under the Instructions of the English Officers and indeed of the then unknown Churchill…
Despite the failure, Australia honoring the Dead, many of whom lie in the Allied Cemeteries of Mudros and Portiano, established 25/4 as a National Anniversary, known as ANZAC DAY.
The following events took place in Lemnos:
Commonwealth Cemetery of Moudros
Speech of Ms. Theodoras Lymberi, Principal of Moudros High School, Vice President of the “Friends of ANZACs from Limnos” Association.
Laying of flowers at the Australian Plaque in the Port of Moudros by members of the Cultural Association of Moudros in traditional costumes.
Portiano Commonwealth Cemetery
Laying of Flowers by Officials and observance of a minute’s silence.
Speech by a representative of the “Friends of ANZAC from Lemnos” Association.
14:15 Departure.
Motorcade
Motorcade departure of officials from Portianou Commonwealth Cemetery and
passing through points of interest related to the Gallipoli Campaign with guided tour and explanation via radio by Mr. Dimitrios Boulotis, Deputy Mayor of Digital Transformation, Tourism, Public and International Relations of the Municipality of Lemnos and representative of the Gallipoli Association and Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee.
