Lemnos: Heroes Behind Gallipoli

Lemnos was crucial to the Gallipoli Campaign but has been largely forgotten by history.
This story of Lemnos provides rare insight into life away from the horror of the trenches. The film will highlight pioneering medical procedures and nursing practices used to deal with some of never-before-seen wounds inflicted by this “modern” war. The film also celebrates women’s role in conflict zones: Just 136 Australian nurses cared for thousands of wounded, sick and dying in chaotic conditions. We follow the story of one Australian nurse who recorded her time in Lemnos with an unrivalled collection of photos, letters and postcards. And the film celebrates Australian-Greek relations – enduring friendships with the locals were evidenced in the fact that more than a few Australian and New Zealand babies were named “Lemnos” in the years following the war. The documentary will tell this little known yet compelling history and draw out themes that are in our national interest today.

The documentary will bring to light a forgotten foundational history and draw out themes in Australia’s national interest such as Lemnos’s role in the Gallipoli Campaign, Women in Conflict Zones, Pioneering Medicine and Australian-Greek Relations.

Heralding the little known yet vital role of Lemnos during the Gallipoli campaign should widen and deepen understanding of that formative moment in Australia’s early nationhood. While much has been written, said and filmed about Gallipoli, few of us know about Greek support, sacrifice and friendship that has endured through the decades with Australian-Greeks contributing significantly to Australia’s post war success, socially, politically and economically. Also, few Australians know about our pioneering medicine and nursing practice in extreme conditions. Innovation and selfless effort that were truly remarkable at the time and need wider recognition because they were early evidence of a new nation’s spirit and humanity forged in the furnace of war.

Broadcasting on SBS Television will enable a national reach which ensures LEMNOS will be seen. The producers are working with some key individuals and organisations that have been helping to promote WW1 history in Australia and Greece, for example, the “Lemnos1915 WWI Commemorative Committee” who have unique access to key talent and information about Lemnos.

The Gallipoli Campaign is a cornerstone in the history of modern Australia. And yet, so few know about the “shoulders” that the campaign stood upon – Lemnos. By heralding that critical role, we hope to inform, educate and update not just a new generation of Australians but all Australians who value our contemporary foundational history.