Journal 26 May 2022
It is appropriate on this day that a HANZAC Painting was delivered. In 1942, the Battle of Greece and Crete was it its climax and the ANZACs were fighting for their lives on the Island of Crete. The painting that I refer to had been painted by a mate in Cairns and had travelled all the way from Far North Queensland to our home in leafy Watsonia, a Northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria.
It took me a while to unpack it as the painting had been very carefully wrapped so that it would not be damaged. The tall, stocky and bearded courier who delivered it in the rain was happy to do so and be part of the journey once I explained what the package contained. What is so special about this painting is that it was painted by a extremely talented and creative veteran. Gene Pratt is his name. Not only was he a magnificent soldier, but also a talented musician and painter.
Gene and I both served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment in Townsville, Far North Queensland some fifty years ago. I must confess that Gene was a far better soldier than I, as I was always the one, getting into punch-ups and in constant trouble. But then again, I was just a lad who was looking for adventure, just like all my other mates.
Anyway, this article is not about me but about Gene and his contribution to the nation and certainly to the HANZAC Memorial, located in Pellana, Laconia, Greece. (the home of Helen of Troy and her husband Menelaus, Master of the War Cry). HANZAC stands for Hellenic ANZAC and is a tribute to all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice during WW2 in Greece. Gene I must add like many other veterans is a HANZAC Guardian and I am chuffed and delighted to have received the painting.
It was in the year 2021 that I asked Gene to paint it using a photograph that I had sent him. The colours and the image of the background and scenery have been captured well. It now hangs in the “Great Hall” at home and it is one of the centre pieces in the room. Located above the world map where the Adamis family has travelled in the past 125 years.
Gene advised me that during the painting, he had completed the “HELLENIC ANZAC MEMORIAL” inscription in black and left it overnight. The next morning Gene woke up to find that the letters HELLENIC and MEMORIAL were still in black but the word ANZAC had changed to the colour of red. Spooky, unbelievable but true. It is as if Genes hand was guided by supernatural means. Gene stated that this phenomenon has never occurred before in his life.
I intend to photograph it and go to Office works where the staff embed the image onto canvas and take a copy to hang in the Cottage in Pellana, Laconia, Greece, which incidentally is my place of birth. Having said that, I will make time to put together a pamphlet or a short book of sorts, describing the HANZAC Memorial and have Gene Pratt’s Painting on the front cover.
I have written this article and dedicate it Gene Pratt, whose blood is worth bottling. It is important to note that this memorial is as a result of many contributors whose make up is of the veteran and non-veteran communities and this is what makes it so special.
I encourage everyone to visit the memorial at least once in their life time and at the same time enjoy the hospitality of the village of Pellana, Kastoria and the mountain villages. The beach and Sparta the capital of Laconia, is but some 15 minutes to the South by car. The following are the current Guardians of the memorial.
HANZAC GUARDIANS 1. THANASIS DAVAKIS – PATRON GREECE 2. JIM HAMMETT – PATRON AUSTRALIA 3. RESERVED TBA – PATRON NEW ZEALAND 4. PETER ADAMIS – CHAIRMAN 5. MAURICE BARWICK – TREASURER 6. GEZA BENKE – SECRETARY 7. STEFANOS SGOURDAS – MARATHON COORD 8. KOSTAS MIHALOPOULOS – ASSETS MANAGER |
9. CONRAD ADAMIS 10. DAVID ADAMIS 11. MATTHEW ADAMIS 12. MARK ADAMIS 13. PAUL ADAMIS 14. WILLIAM ADAMIS 15. GARRY ADAMS 16. NICK BAKIS 17.MARCUS BASTIAAN 18. EDWARD BLACK 19. MICHAEL BLAXLAND 20. EDWARD BRYSON 21. BILL CHARLTON 22. BARRIE DANIEL 23. GIUSEPPE DE SIMONE 24. NICK DEROS 25. GEORGE DIMOS 26. VASILIKI DIMOS 27. CHRISTINE ETHEL 28. HELEN FINNIGAN 29. DENNIS GEORGE 30. CHRIS GLEKAS 31. KALIOPI GLEKAS 32. KON GLEKAS 33. COLIN GOODWIN 34. PETER HATHERLEY 35. RON HILL 36. KEVIN HURLEY 37. VIOLET HURLEY 38. LARRY ILIFFE 39. PETER JASONIDES 40. PETER KALLIAKOUDIS |
41. TERRY KANELLOS 42.PANAGIOTIS KARAGIANNIS 43. ILIAS KATSOS 44. TONY KELLY 45. AZHAR KHAN 46. LUKE KIROPOULOS 47. GABBY KIWARKIS 48. SAM KOSTOULIAS 49. MICHAEL KROGER 50. DOUGLAS LUIK 51. DIMITRI MALIAROS 52. GEORGÈ MANSFORD 53. SANDRA MERCER-MOORE 54. PETER MERCOULIA 55. PAUL MITCHELL 56. DONALD NORMAN 57. KALIOPI PAPAPOSTOLOU 58. BILL PAPASTERGIADIS 59.GEORGE PARASKEVOPOULOS 60.PANAGIOTIS PARASKEVOPOULOS 61. WARREN PAYNE 62. GENE PRATT 63. PAUL PRICKETT 64. THANASIS RASSIAS 65. PETER ROBERTS 66. JIM ROZAKLIS 67. KOSTAS SGOURDAS 68. PANAGIOTIS SIGALOS 69. MICHAEL SUKKAR 70. MAVIS TREGONNING
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71. STUART THRUPP 72. LEON TSONGAS 73. STAVROS VALASSIS 74. MARIA VAMVAKINOU 75. DIMITRI VAROUTSIOS 76.GEORGE VASSILOPOULOS 77. KOSTAS VLAHAKIS 78. ELENI VLAHOGIANNI 79. WAYNE WHITROD 80. CRAIG YOULL 81. JOE ZAPP 82. BARRY ZIEBELL 83. SUSAN ZIEBELL 84.THEMISTOCLES PATSILIVAS 85. RESERVED NZ 86. RESERVED NZ 87. RESERVED NZ 89. RESERVED NZ 90. RESERVED NZ 91. RESERVED NZ 92. RESERVED NZ 93. RESERVED NZ 94. RESERVED NZ 95. RESERVED NZ 96. RESERVED NZ 97. RESERVED NZ 98. RESERVED NZ 99. RESERVED NZ 100. RESERVED NZ
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As always, stay strong, never give up, remain vigilant and never have fear as a companion for the sun will still rise up in the morning.
Peter Adamis is a (not for profit) Journalist/Commentator. He is a retired Australian military serviceman and an Industry organisational & Occupational (OHS) & Training Consultant. An avid blogger, contributing to domestic and international community news media outlets as well as to local and Ethnic News. He holds a Bachelor of Adult Learning & Development (Monash), Grad Dip Occupational Health & Safety, (Monash), Dip. Training & Assessment, Dip Public Administration, and Dip Frontline Management. Contact via Email: [email protected]