February 1915

Allies request Lemnos

Scrapbook of photographs of the 3rd Australian General Hospital, at Lemnos Island, 1915-1916 — AGRI-PASTORAL FARMING WAS TRADITIONALLY PRACTISED ON LEMNOS. HERE, STOCK HERDING TAKES PLACE IN THE SHADOW OF THE ISLAND’S DISTINCTIVE WINDMILLS, USED FOR GRINDING CORN. nX6DekVY - STATE LIBRARY NSW

Lemnos was a tranquil Greek island before the Allies established a military base there. It was home to around 30,000 Greek (Hellenic) and 5,000 Turkish Lemnians. Greece had only recently taken control of the island from the Ottoman Empire.

In February 1915, Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos of the neutral Greece agreed to the Allies’ request to use Lemnos as an advanced base for its Dardanelles campaign. This was not universally supported. King Constantine I had family connections to Germany, including his German-born wife. Greece’s neutrality was also complicated by its pre-war treaty with Serbia.

For the Allies, Lemnos was perfectly positioned, less than 100 kilometres from the Gallipoli peninsula. The large, deep bay on its southern side would allow for the transfer of troops and supplies and for many ships to lie at anchor.