A statue in Ballarat honours George Devine Treloar, who is renowned as a "humanitarian, hero and saviour" of many Greek refugees after the First World War.

I discovered it randomly this morning, one week after a ceremony marking seven years since the unveiling of the memorial and sculpture depicting him alongside a young refugee girl named Lemonia.

The inscription notes that he worked tirelessly to provide shelter, food and medical assistance to refugees fleeing the collapsing Ottoman Empire.

Major Treloar's story is remarkable, and it deserves to be remembered and told.

According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, he was a "gentleman of fortune", born on 23 April 1884 at Ballarat.

Educated at Ballarat's St Patrick's College, he was a bank clerk at Ballarat for five years, then a jackeroo in western Victoria before he farmed in Western Australia.

While travelling by ship to Adelaide, he was recruited by actor-manager Julius Knight and toured Australia with his troup, playing in romantic dramas. Oscar Asche took Treloar to South Africa and England where he was acting when war broke out in 1914.

Having previously served at Ballarat as a lieutenant in the 3rd Victorian Rifles, Treloar immediately volunteered. Although rejected because of defective eyesight, he wangled his way into the 20th Middlesex (Artists) Rifle Volunteers in 1915 as a private and secured a transfer to the Coldstream Guards.

He served in France, was commissioned and ultimately promoted to major, second-in-command of the 3rd Battalion. Buried twice by shellbursts on the Somme and almost bullet-riddled at Ypres, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross. In 1918 he commanded the Brigade of Guards Officers' School of Instruction and, following the Armistice, served with his battalion in the Rhineland Occupation Force.

In 1919, Treloar joined the British Mission to the White Russian armies as assistant military secretary to Major-General Holman. At Constantinople after the withdrawal of the mission, Treloar served with the Tsarist army as a colonel under Baron Wrangel. When the White Russians were defeated Treloar commanded a British camp for Russian refugees at Tousla on the Sea of Marmora. His attempt to set up as a timber concessions trader in Constantinople was frustrated by the Turks. He then became a representative of the League of Nations High Commissariat for Refugees in northern Greece.

The Greek Herald records that in this role, Treloar was engaged in the resettlement of Greek refugees from Asia Minor. The Greeks, who had lived in the Pontus region south of the Black Sea for thousands of years, were either massacred or fled Asia Minor due to the Turkish nationalist movement’s expulsion of Christians at the time.

Treloar worked at Komotini in Thrace and later in Salonika to organise food, shelter, medical care and resettlement for these refugees, often in the face of bureaucratic opposition or indifference. It's estimated that his actions saved 108,000 lives.

In Greece, a village along the Komotini-Alexandroupolis road was named Thrylorio in Treloar’s honour. The village’s population is entirely made up of Pontic Greek refugees.

Neos Kosmos says "George Devine Treloar’s humanitarian contribution remains an enduring symbol of compassion, solidarity and practical support for people forced to flee their homelands".

Regarding the anniversary of his memorial: "His actions serve as a reminder that solidarity knows no borders and that humanity can offer hope even during history’s darkest moments. The event also highlighted the importance of preserving Pontic cultural heritage, language, music and traditions.

"These continue to be passed down through generations, keeping alive the memory, identity and connections of the Greek diaspora with its historical roots.

"Honouring George Devine Treloar is not simply about recognising the contribution of an extraordinary humanitarian. Above all, it serves as an ongoing reminder of the collective responsibility to preserve historical memory and uphold the values of solidarity, justice and respect for others."

Treloar later became involved in conservative politics, stood unsuccessfully for the United Australia Party and was briefly a member of the New Guard before he fell out with Fascist operatives.

The New Guard was a monarchist and anti-leftist movement active from 1931 to 1935.

In 1935, he moved to Western Australia where he prospected and managed several mining enterprises.

As "The Archer", he became known for his trenchant radio commentaries on foreign affairs and for his program, "Perth Speaks".

Described as a handsome man of commanding presence, forthright speech and strongly-held conservative views, "the Major" stood unsuccessfully for the Legislative Council seat of West Province in 1950 and worked for the Liberal and Country League until 1956.

Treloar died on 29 November 1980 at Dalkeith and was buried in the Anglican section of Karrakatta cemetery, Perth. His wife and two sons survived him.

How inspiring that I learnt about this incredible man by walking randomly along Sturt Street in Ballarat.

I won't make political comment on his right-wing leanings or alternative views on Turkey's treatment of Greeks and Armenians after the First World War, except to say that saving lives should have no boundaries.