Battle of Crete Holiday 2012

[Tango]

An excellent thread Ben keep it coming!! Could be a plan for a holiday!! hot for the Missus & guns for me!! Cheers Terry.

[Ben Evans]

Fantastic Ben, thanks for sharing your pics. I would love to visit Crete at some stage, especially Heraklion where I had an uncle wounded and captured during the German invasion.

I have a relation in Souda, he is in fact a Kiwi Pte Hopkinson, going to find him this week

[Ben Evans]

Hi Ben,
Are those torpedoes in the picture of Tavronitis Bridge?

Thanks

Burt

Burt

My friend Sean is not sure, he has only lived here seven years but I will try and find out before I leave

[Ben Evans]

Well guys, we have been on a Turtle patrol this morning with our friends, it is amazing what you find on the beach, not sure if this is German or not but the ring on the top looks like one of the MG mounting rings I have seen, maybe someone can confirm this or not. Just been told by Sean, this is German as the Italians were not in this area but on the East of the Island.

[Ben Evans]

This is a memorial to local Greeks who were shot by the Germans on the 03 July 1941, the men are listed on the memorial, some were even family members. Just as a bit of irony my friend Sean was told by local people that at one such shooting a father & son were arguing who should be shot. The son reckons the father has more experience to give to the family, the son was younger and could support the family better. The German commander at the time asked why they were arguing, when told he let both go and shot the rest.

[Paul D]

Great photos Ben and nice to see some sunshine as well

[Ben Evans]

This is the RAF memorial for 30 & 33 Sqn. Both Sqns still exist today where the Battle of Crete is still celebrated and the Officers serve the men in thanks for their sacrifice. The Aircrew were evacuated to safety before the battle. Note there are two names singled out. LAC Henry Betts was a on duty medic along with LAC Norman Darch when the invasion actually started. It was started with a bombing and straffing run by the Luftewaffe. During this chaos both Betts and Darch made several runs to retrieve wounded individuals from the airfield. One the last run to go and save a local Cretan Betts was killed by shrapnel. Both Darch and Betts received the Military Medal for this action, however Betts did not receive his for some reason unknown.

The other name is AC Hess, he served with the German army in WW1, however being a German Jew he left Germany and went to England. He enlisted in the RAF and served as ground crew on 30 Sqn. He survived the battle of Hill 107 but was killed in the village where I am currently staying along with other allied troops who were withdrawing East to Hania.

[lebus12]

Ben : 1984 a local motorcycle. Without Wi Fi but telephone

One Italian bunker. At the east.

Rethymnon and the market in 1941

THE monument during the war. A friend of mine leave at 10 kms, and he told me the monument was partly broben by civilians because they thank find gold inside.

[don_kihotis7]

Hi Ben, nice thread. Thanks for showing

[Ben Evans]

Right guys was a busy day, firstly Souda Bay Cemetery, very serene place to visit, and kept in immaculate condition which was very nice to see. Note the graves that are closer to each other, these are from a bomber crew that have all been buried together, nice touch