The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Hardalias went yesterday, Monday 7 November 2022, to the island of Lemnos, where he had meetings regarding the construction of a Memorial in honour of the men of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the island during the Gallipolis Campaign 1915-1916.
Mr. Hardalias met with the Director of Overseas Memorials & Projects of the Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs Ms. Caroline Bartlett, the Deputy Director of Overseas Memorials & Projects of the Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs Ms. Melissa Campbell, the Director of Convergence Design κ. Jenni Klempfner, the Director of Convergence Design Mr. Russell Magee, the Public Diplomacy Officer at Australian Embassy in Athens Ms. Lousi Kalfagian -representing the Australian Ambassador to Greece-, the Governor of Lemnos island Mr. Aggelos Vlattas Lambrinos, and the Mayor of Lemnos island Mr. Dimitrios Marinakis, along with whom an inspection to the areas where the Memorial will be built was made, and the details for its designing were finalised.
The presence of officials from the Australian Government follows the Deputy Defence Minister’s visit to Australia, from 21 to 29 October 2022, where he met, among others, on 24 October 2022, with the Minister responsible for Veterans Issues Mr. Matt Keogh, and the two men discussed the ongoing construction of the aforementioned memorial place in Lemnos island. On October 25 2022, the Australian Government approved the budget for the year 2022-2023, where this project of 4.9 million AUD, referring to this memorial, was included.
The meeting was also attended by the Commanding General of the Supreme Military Command of the Interior and Islands Lieutenant General Dimitrios Houpis, and the Commander of the 88 Military Command “LEMNOS”, Brigadier General Konstantinos Takopoulos.
