Kogarah ANZAC Memorial facts for kids
The Kogarah ANZAC Memorial is a special monument in Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia. It's located in the town square on Belgrave Street, right between St George Hospital and the Greek Orthodox Church. This memorial was built to remember the brave Australian nurses and the important help given by Greece to Australian soldiers during World War One.
The memorial was officially revealed on March 4, 2017. It features a bronze statue of an injured soldier with the shape of a nurse behind him, made from metal. A bronze plaque on the memorial tells the story of Lemnos island's role in the Gallipoli landings. It also shows a map of the hospitals, lists the number of soldiers lost by different countries, and honors the 2,692 Australian nurses who volunteered to serve overseas. The statue was created by Takis Kozokos, who was the first Artist in Residence for the Georges River Council. He received help from a special grant for the ANZAC Centenary.
Why This Memorial Is Important
This memorial helps us remember the amazing work of Australian nurses and the support from Greece during World War One. It was unveiled 102 years after Australian nurses first arrived on the Greek island of Lemnos in 1915.
Lemnos: A Hospital Island
The town of Moudros on Lemnos island was taken over by the Allied Forces on February 23, 1915. This was done to prepare for the attack on Gallipoli. Lemnos then became a very important hospital base for the Allied Forces, where many wounded soldiers were cared for.
Today, Lemnos is home to three military cemeteries:
- The Portianos Military Cemetery
- The East Moudros Military Cemetery
- The West Moudros Cemetery
These cemeteries are a lasting reminder of the soldiers who died there.
The End of Fighting
On October 30, 1918, an important agreement called the Armistice of Moudros was signed on Lemnos. This agreement officially ended the fighting between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies in World War One.
