Nickolas Varvaris (Barton, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The () (): This morning I had the honour of representing the Prime Minister at the Lemnos centennial dawn service at Martin Place cenotaph in Sydney. Remembrance of Lemnos is particularly significant, given that this year it is 100 years since the Gallipoli landing by our ANZACs. The Gallipoli campaign remains one of the most important military campaigns in Australia's history and was essential in Australia's relationship with Greece. This morning's dawn service commemorates the arrival of the all-volunteer Australian Imperial Force on the Greek island of Lemnos on 4 March 1915 as they helped the ANZACs prepare for the Gallipoli campaign. The service honours the vital contribution of all the nurses of No. 3 Australian General Hospital and the No. 2 Australian Stationary Hospital.

Lemnos, in the deep blue Aegean Sea, hosted hospitals and recovery camps and housed depots for the Gallipoli campaign. Over 50,000 troops passed through Lemnos where civilians gave the allies their donkeys as water carriers, ferried supplies in small boats and operated a canteen on the landing beach.

The alliance and coordinated efforts of Lemnos and Australia is forever entwined by the events of World War I, and today 148 Australians are buried at Lemnos in one of two Commonwealth war graves. I commend the ultimate sacrifice made by the Australian troops as well as the self-sacrifice and compassion shown by our nurses.

I also commend the enduring hospitality shown by the people of Lemnos.