Grecian Adventure – Book Launch

The Pammessinian Brotherhood Papaflessas invites you to attend the launch at Melbourne’s iconic Shrine of Remembrance of historian and author Jim Claven’s latest book, Grecian Adventure: Greece 1941 – Anzac Trail Stories and Photographs.

All interested in the Hellenic link to Australia’s Anzac tradition will not want to miss this important event. The book will be formally launched by the Hon Steve Bracks, former Premier of Victoria.

There is no charge for attending this event.

Jim Claven’s Grecian Adventure

Grecian Adventure takes the reader on a journey across Greece in April and May 1941, following the Anzac trail throughout the Greek campaign, from the northern Greek battlefields of Vevi and Servia, through Brallos and Corinth, to Kalamata and the Mani, and on to Crete.

The reader is guided by the individual stories and photographs of some of the Australian soldiers who served in that desperate and fateful campaign. The soldiers featured include Victorians Private Syd Grant and Sergeant Alfred Huggins. A feature of the book is the reproduction of nearly 100 original photographs of Greece during the campaign, from the collections of Syd and Alfred, two collections which the author assisted in their donation to Melbourne’s State Library of Victoria. These amazing images are enhanced with nearly 100 other photographs taken the author as he walked Greece’s Anzac trail over many years.

The book is a feast for the eyes, telling the campaign story in personal terms, in words and pictures.

The book is published by the Pammessinian Brotherhood Papaflessas with the support of the Victorian Government & the Victorian Veterans Council, the Central Pontian Association of Melbourne and Victoria “Pontiaki Estia”, the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee, the Agios Dimitrios “Olympou” Philanthropic & Cultural League, the Syd Grant family, the Alfred Huggins family, Michael Byrne and Deb Stewart. It is printed by Kosdown.

As historian Dr Peter Ewer (author of Forgotten Anzacs) writes:

“[This] book can be commended without question to all those interested in the Anzac experience in Greece, and its importance to the enduring relationship between Australia and Greece…. In all, Grecian Adventure is a fine addition to the Greek campaign literature.”

For information on the book, go to the following weblink: http://lemnosgallipolicc.blogspot.com/2022/05/new-book-jim-clavens-grecian-adventure.html

This is the author’s second book on Greece’s Anzac trail, following on from his Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed: A Pictorial History of the Anzacs in the Aegean published in 2019.

A trained historian, Jim is a graduate of Melbourne’s Monash University and has researched the Hellenic link to Anzac for many years as well as working with many community organizations on a range of major projects to enhance awareness of this important aspect of Australian and Greek history. The latter include the Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial in Albert Park, the Australian Pier Memorial on Lemnos, the WW2 Memorials at Pylos and Methone in Greece and Ballarat’s George Treloar Memorial.

The Launch

The launch will take place in the Auditorium of the Shrine of Remembrance, commencing at 6pm. Presentations will conclude in the Auditorium by 7pm and will be followed by refreshments in the reception, concluding at 8pm.

Book Your Ticket – Confirm Your Attendance

Tickets are strictly limited. Those interested should book their tickets ASAP to avoid disappointment.

To confirm your attendance please complete the ticketing application at the bottom of this page.

Grecian Adventure Book Purchases

Copies of Jim Claven’s Grecian Adventure will be available for sale at the launch for $30. Copies of the author’s Lemnos & Gallipoli Revealed will also be available for purchase for $50. Sales at the launch are cash only, no EFTPOS is available.

You can also purchase a copy of Grecian Adventure prior to the launch by ordering below.

Your book or books will be available to be collected at the launch.