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| East Mudros Military Cemetary. Lemnos. Photo Jim Claven. 2013 |
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has issued its latest newsletter.
A key feature of the leaflet is a special new publication commemorating the Gallipoli campaign and the commemorative sites associated with it. You can view the publication by clicking here.
While the leaflet is information and welcome, sadly it ignores the role of Lemnos, its three military cemeteries and the over 2,000 soldiers and nurses who served at Gallipoli .
This is yet another terrible oversight. and this by the official Commonwealth organisation whicg looks after and promotes remembrance of our Anzac heritage. It is a body funded by the whole Commonwealth, including Australia and New Zealand.
The Hon John Pandazopoulos MP has already emailed the Commonwealth War Graves Commission protesting this oversight. He has written:
"I write to you as a Member of
Parliament, Parliament of Victoria Australia. I was disappointed to read
of the 2015 Gallipoli campaign guide which is mentioned in the latest
newsletter does not refer to the Island of Lemnos which has 2
Commonwealth War Cemeteries and was the supply, training, rest and
medical base of the Gallipoli Campaign.
It is historically inaccurate to refer to the Gallipoli campaign without reference to Lemnos.
In
Australia much of the emphasis is not only the battlefield sites but
other important places in the campaign which 100 years after we should
not forget- those who treated the thousands of sick and wounded, those
that are buried away from the battlefield sites and those others who
supported the campaign.
I urge you to update the guide with reference to Lemnos at least under the 'Other Places' t
itle.
The CWGC has and
continues to do great work in honouring our dead and interpreting sites
that were important to our war dead and those that served.
I look forward to your feedback."
If you would like to register your concern also the following link has a draft letter and addresses for you to send your email to:Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Suggested Letter
To view the whole newsletter, click here.
Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee
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