The battle for Greece & Crete.pdf - Army Museum of South Australia

THE BATTLEFORGREECE AND CRETEMatt Walsh

Table of contentTopicPrefaceBackgroundThe Greek approachThe British perspective-What was originally agreed- What was providedThe Australian viewDissentions about the CampaignThe German reasoningOperation MaritaThe build-up by the AlliesThe Australians- The Anzac Traditions- VolunteersThe InvasionThe Greek involvement- Recollections of a Greek Youth- The Evacuation- CasualtiesDiary of a Greek TragedyHow the situation developedThe Players- The Australians- The New Zealanders- The British- The Greeks- The Germans- The ItaliansA brief history of the Greek Forces 1940-1944- The Greek Sacred Middle East Raiding Company- The Hellenic Navy- The Royal Hellenic Air ForceMap of Greece April 1941German Aircraft Greece 1941The RAAF in GreeceThe Battle for Crete- The importance of Crete- The Battle was uniqueThe plan to capture Crete- The attack on CreteDefence of Crete- Order for Capitulation- EvacuationThe British perspective for CreteThe NavyCasualtiesThe German perspective- Operation Merkur (Mercury)The Invasion of CretePage111122233444445678991010101010111111111112121212131414151515161818191920202020

The German Invasion Force- Strengths & Casualties- Ju 52 and paratroopersThe Players- Australia- New Zealand- BritainThe Cretans- Cretan CasualtiesThe Preveli MonasteryThe unacknowledged- The Military Police (Provost)- Military Police and the evacuation- Military Police casualties- The Military Police & their relationship with the Digger- Rearguard action- War Diary of 7 th Division Provost Company- Award of Military Cross to Captain John Grimshaw- New Zealand Military Police – Sgt Clive Hume VC- Nurses- Weary Dunlop- Recollections of a Greek NurseAustralian Corps of SignalsProfile on Major Paul Cohen (Cullen)The kidnapping of General Kreipe42 nd StreetThe aftermath- Phaleron War Cemetery – Athens- Sunda Bay War Cemetery- Crete- Australian-Hellenic Memorial – CanberraAustralian Units engaged in Greece and CreteUnits/Formations other than Australian engaged in Greece and CreteShips involved during the Battle for Greece and CreteRoyal Air ForceService details of Military Police in GreeceCasualties – Australian Military Police buried Phaleron War Cemetery Athens GreecePlaques in Memorial Walkway Australian War Memorial CanberraNominal Rolls of Provost Corps Greece/Crete- 1 st Australian Corps Provost Company- 6 th Division Provost Company- Colour Patches worn by Provost Companies Greek/Crete Campaign- 7 th Division Provost Company- Recruiting Poster by Sir William Dargie of Sgt. Tom Osborne MMThe Recollections of Sgt. Mick DoulisBibliographyThe author21222223232323232324252526272828293132323333343435363737383839404144454547484848484949505152

This booklet is an initiative of the Defence Reserves Association (NSW) Inc. and the Military PoliceAssociation of Australia Inc. as part of their Schools Military History Program.Written and compiled by Matt Walsh JP MLO ALGA (MCAE) Dip Bus & Corp Law (CPS)© 2005: second edition 2006: third edition 2007.Published by Matt Walsh 115 Leacocks Lane Casula 2170 Australia

PrefaceIf one wishes to examine particular campaigns or battles a large amount of information can be found inthe histories of the various units involved or from the sanitised official war histories of the times.Unfortunately, but understandably the unit histories concentrate on the activities of that particular unitand therefore it can be difficult to obtain an overall view of a battle or campaign.In many instances the social aspects and impacts are not discussed, nor the interrelationships of thepersonalities and other units involved and the overall statistics of a campaign.It is also sometimes difficult to ascertain the initial reasons for the campaign as often this can go backin history and relate to a political or other event.The following is an attempt to bring together in one place some of the many facets of the battle forGreece and Crete and its impact on those involved and finally to hopefully encourage further researchand therefore an understanding of all the aspects of this campaign.BackgroundIn September 1940 Hitler achieved the bloodless seizure of Romania which gave him access to theoilfields at Ploesti. It was these oilfields which were to be part of the catalyst for the future invasion ofGreece and Crete.This success by Hitler encouraged his cohort Mussolini on the 28 October 1940 to order the invasion ofGreece he saw this action as a way of showing Hitler that he was an important part of the Axis Alliance.Fortunately for Greece they were able to defeat the Italians however the loss did not go well forMussolini as Hitler was not impressed with the Greek victory that as a result of the unsuccessful attackby Mussolini the Greeks had now entered into an agreement with the British to send troops to supportGreece particularly as they had rejected an earlier offer in January 1940 by the British to providesimilar support.The Greek approachIn early 1939 both Britain and France foresaw the possibility of Germany attacking Romania followedby Greece. If occurred then it was possible that Turkey would be next. To prevent this form occurringWinston Churchill in January 1940 offered to provide Greece with a small number of troops to bestationed in Greece to assist in the defence of the country should that become necessaryGeneral Metaxas (Greek Prime Minister) and General Papagos rejected the offer for two reasons.Firstly, it could provoke the Germans into an attack on Greece, secondly if an attack did occur the forcewould be too small to prevent or repel the attack. It is understood that General Mextaxas wassympathetic to the Germans.This decision was to change in 1941 and allied troops were sent to defend Greece.The British perspectiveChurchill in one of his many ‘flashes of brilliance’ saw the stationing of troops in Greece as a way ofcommencing a second front in Europe. Like many of his ideas, it had no substance and this can beseen by comparing what was originally agreed too and what was eventually sent. As was usual withChurchill his enthusiasm faded and he passed the buck to some one else.- 1 -

What was originally plannedThe British War Cabinet and the Greek Government agreed that an ‘Expeditionary Force’ to be knownas ‘Lustre Force’ would be provided and would consist of:Three Infantry Divisions, one Armoured Division (maybe a second), a Polish Brigadea total of about 100,000 troops.The troops were to be supported by – 240 Field Guns – 32 Medium Guns –192 AA (anti-aircraft) Guns- 202 Anti- Tank Guns- 142 Tanks- 5 RAF SquadronsThese troops were to consist of:1 st Australian Corps HQ – 6 th & 7 th Australian Divisions – 2 nd New Zealand DivisionaBritish Armoured Brigade- a Polish Brigade.The force was to be under the command of General Sir (Jumbo) Maitland Wilson, who was GeneralWavell’s trusted ‘Right Hand Man.Wilson was known for his dislike of the Australians and they in turn were not impressed with him.General Blamey thought that he lacked ‘enough grey matter – unintelligent’ and Robert Menzies theAustralian Prime Minister described him as ‘tall, fat and cunning’.What was providedInitially on the 1 st November 1940 a British Battalion landed on Crete, this was followed on the 3 rdNovember by eight fighter bombers at Eleusis near Athens. By the 15 th November some 4,247 troopswere to be stationed in Greece, these numbers included three Air Squadrons. Some of these unitswere medical units – 26 th British General Hospital- 189 th Field Ambulance- 48 th Field Hygiene-168 th British Light Field Ambulance – 4 th British Light Field Ambulance.By the 11 th February 1941 “Lustre Force” consisted of1 st Australian Corps HQ- 6 th Australian Division – 2 nd New Zealand DivisionaBritish Armoured Brigade and A number of British Medical Units..The Polish Brigade remained in Egypt and the 7 th Australian Division in Africa as a result of Rommel’sinvasion of Cyrenaica. No one seems to know what happened to the five RAF Squadrons.The Australian ViewGeneral Wavell informed General Blamey of the raising of ‘Lustre Force’ on the 18 February 1941, theAustralian Government agreed to the concept on 26 February 1941. The first allied troops reachedGreece on the 7 th March.Blamey argued with Wavell that as the ‘Force’ consisted mainly of Dominion Troops (Australia andNew Zealand) the force should be commanded by a Dominion Officer. Wavell commented that only42,000 troops would be Australian and New Zealand. When ‘Lustre Force’ was actually raised andsent to Greece it consisted of:17,125 Australians and 16,700 New Zealanders, and they in fact made up theactual combat Infantry in ‘Lustre Force’yet he still persisted in appointing a British Officer to command the Force.- 2 -

Dissentions about the campaignMany of the Senior Officers involved, particularly the Australians thought the concept to be a ‘strategicblunder of the first magnitude’.This feeling can be seen from the actions of the British Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham theCommander of the Mediterranean Fleet, and General Blamey who was actually planning the evacuationof Greece even before the campaign had started. The arrival of the troops in Greece was directed by LtGen. Wilson from his HQ Jerusalem, Palestine and when thing started to go bad in Greece Blamey wasmade Field commander.Many of the Commanders involved thought that the concept was inviting disaster. They likened it toGallipoli- It appeared that Churchill had not learned his lesson at Gallipoli and he was trying to provethat his strategies were right by using them again in Greece.Prime Minister Menzies was always concerned about the operations and he was the only person toquestion Churchill- all the others (the British War Cabinet) simply agreed with him. (MenziesDiary 24 February 1941 P.66). Apparently Menzies believed that the concept only had a reasonablechance of success.One can only believe that this action by Menzies was only for show as he tended to go along with theBritish and later he was to describe himself as ‘British to the boot heels’. In his memoirs “AfternoonLight” he tries to justify his and his Government’s decision in respect to Greece, when he says “MyAustralian Colleagues still adhere to their (and my) belief that the decision to send our troops to Greecewas strategically correct”.Whilst it was apparent from the start that Blamey was opposed to the campaign, like any good soldierhe did what he was told by his superiors but took every opportunity to voice his opinions. Hebelieved that the allies should not have tried to defend Greece, but rather concentrated on defendingCrete and Rhodes.By March 5, Blamey had summed up the situation and advised Menzies that it was only the Australiansand New Zealanders who were supplying combat troops (infantry) and that the British were onlyproviding the Lines of Communication (L of C) roles. He informed Menzies that he had grave doubtsabout the whole venture. He was later to say “The Greek expedition hadn’t a dog’s chance from thestart. The Greek plan was a bad one and our plan to support them was equally bad.” This assessmentwas proved to be correct. Blamey was ordered to leave Greece against his wishes. However if heexpected his troops to obey orders then he must also do so. Blamey left Greece on the 23 rd April byflying-boat for Alexandria he also took with him his senior staff.Brig. S.I Rowell; Lt Col. Henry Wells; Lt Col. Eric Woodward; Lt Col. Cyril Elliot;Capt. N. D. Carlyon (Blamey’s ADC) and Major T.R. Blamey (Blamey’s son) this causedsome problems with other senior officers.The German reasoningThere are a number of reasons why Hitler decided to invade Greece and Crete. One was the defeat ofthe Italians by the Greeks this in conjunction with the advice of General von Greiffenberg that theBritish had used Salonika (Thessalonika) in 1915 to develop a strategic thrust against the Germans in1918. It was this fear that the British would send troops and set up a base in Greece, rather than hiswanting to occupy Greece caused Hitler to commence the invasion of Greece.If Britain was to establish bases in Greece it would make the German oilfields at Polesti in Romaniaopen to attack.- 3 -

To prevent this from happening Hitler ordered the preparation of the plans for “Operation Marita”which was a plan to invade and occupy Northern Greece commencing on the 26 March 1941.“Operation Marita”This invasion was to be undertaken by the German 12 th Army which consisted of 14 Divisionscommanded by Field Marshal von List these troops were currently engaged in nearby Yugoslavia.The build up by the alliesOn the 1 st March 1941 Bulgaria agreed to allow the Germans to occupy their country. It was duringMarch that the allies began to move troops into Greece. Between the 4 th and 18 th March, 58,000 troopsarrived in Greece and thereafter continued to arrive on a regular basis. Over 68,000 troops were to betransferred to Greece without loss.The Italian Navy consisting of a Battleship, eight cruisers and thirteen destroyers under the commandof Admiral Angelo Iachino attempted to disrupt the landing of the allied troops and on the 27 th and 28 thMarch the Italian fleet was engaged by the British and Australian Navies in the Battle of Cape Malapanwith the Italians being soundly defeated.The AustraliansThe first contingent of troops of “Lustre Force” to arrive in Greece numbered 756 included 89 men ofthe 3 rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station (ACCS). These troops had left Alexandria (Egypt) onHMAS Perth and arrived at the port of Piraeus on the 8 th March 1941. Australian troops continued toarrive regularly and were initially camped in the village of Dafni (the camps were named Daphne 1 andDaphne 2) which is between Piraeus and Athens before they moved north.Australia’s first casualty of the campaign occurred on the 1 st April 1941 when Sgt. Alec Moodie of the2/6 th Infantry Battalion, whilst carrying out Anti Aircraft (AA) duty aboard the MV Delos was killedduring a German Air attack.The Anzac TraditionOn the 12 th April General Blamey reformed the Anzac Corps with the troops of the 1 st Australian Corpsand the New Zealand Division becoming known as the Anzac Corps thus reigniting the spirit of 1915.VolunteersWhen they arrived in Greece the Australians were greeted by the local population in a very unusualmanner, who had lined the roadside or leant out of their windows of their homes to wave to the Aussiesand they also gave them the ‘thumbs up’ which had been adopted by them after seeing the RAF use itto indicate “V for Victory”. The Greeks readily adopted this gesture and apparently it is now acceptedas part of a normal greeting in Athens. Of course the Australians had a rather different meaning for thisgesture. However, the ‘Diggers’ quickly realised that the Greeks saw the gesture as a sign ofwelcome and support. It would appear that this was another example of the easy going nature andlarrikinism of Australians, as we were able to change what was considered to be an insult into acompliment.The Greeks were quite surprised to find that both the Australian and New Zealand troops were all‘volunteers’, because they had a difficulty in understanding the concept of ‘volunteerism’ in respect tothe military they believed that the Australians and the New Zealanders had volunteered to fight forGreece – they considered them as ‘their soldiers’ and treated them as such.- 4 -

This bond which developed between the Greeks and the Australians during the time of war in 1941 stillremains as strong to-day. Just as Australians are honoured and welcomed to-day in Villers-Bretonneux for defending the village during World War I a similar feeling prevails in Greece andparticularly in Crete to day. Every year in May a Senior Hellenic Armed Forces Officer of three orfour star rank (Deputy CDF or CDF) visits Australia to take part in the Commemoration Services.The InvasionThe German 12 th Army of fourteen divisions under the command of Field Marshal von List at 5.30 amon the 6 th April crossed the border from Bulgaria and Yugoslavia at Thrace breaching the Metaxas Lineand occupying Salonika (Thessalonika). At this time the British and New Zealand troops were inplace and being supported by about 2/3 rds of the Australians, with balance still en-route to the front line.The Allies were also being supported by three Greek Divisions along the Bulgarian Border(unfortunately these troops were considered inexperienced) together with three other divisions assistingthe British at Salonika.The first contact with the Germans by the Australians was made on the 8 th April at Thessaly as the SS.Adolf Hitler Division (considered more elite and fearsome than the Waffen SS) advanced through thethe Monastir Gap. As the Germans advanced through the Vardar Valley from Yugoslavia theycaptured Salonika and on the 9 th April the Greek Eastern Macedonian Army was surrounded andsurrendered. On the afternoon of the 10 th April Australian and British Artillery engaged the Germansat Vevi.Due to the rapid advance of the Germans it was decided to withdraw the allied troops to a defence linethrough Mount Olympus and the Pindus Mountains. To achieve this withdrawal the Australian 19 thBrigade and the British Armoured Brigade fought a rearguard action to allow the rest of the troops towithdraw to the Olympus- Aliakmon Line. On 13 th April, Easter Sunday, the Germans launched amajor attack against the Anzacs on the Olympus- Aliakmon Line, it became apparent that the allieswould not be able to hold back the Germans and by the 14 th April it was decided that it would benecessary to withdraw to the ‘Thermopylae Line” which extended from Lamia to Athens.On the 16 th April General Papagos the Commander in Chief (C.I.C) of the Greek Forces stated that theBritish should leave Greece. It was decide the evacuation would be from various ports and six cruisers,twenty four destroyers and a number of landing craft would be used. In fact many other craft were alsoused including a number of merchant ships.On the 16 th April during the withdrawal to ‘The Thermopyale Line’ Brigadier Vasey is reported to havesaid after the battle for the town of Lamia as they moved towards the Brallos Pass.“Brallos Pass will be held to the last f-----g man and the last f-----g round, and if you can’tshoot them in the bloody stomach shoot them in the f-----g arse”.- 5 -

Vasey was known for expressing himself very plainly and colourfully. The message was translated byone of his Staff Officers to read as “Brallos Pass will be held come what may”Brallos PassThe troops continued to withdraw and by the 24 th April they had reached Thermopylae, where Vaseyissued another of his statements:“Here we bloody are and here we bloody well stay”.Maybe it was the inspiration of Leonidis and his band of Spartans in 480BC in their stand against KingXersies Persian Army which prompted Vasey to make his statement. Unfortunately, history repeateditself and for all the bravery of these modern Spartans they also lost the battle.The Thermopylae Monumentand PassWith only 46 aircraft operational it was necessary to abandon the two airfields near Larrisa, thusresulting in two Australian Battalions being cut off and eventually having to surrender.The Greek involvementWhilst the Greeks fought gallantly the inevitable occurred – defeat.of actions occurred.Prior to the capitulation a numberOn the 18 th April General Tsolakoglou supported by the Bishop of Yanni wrote to the German HighCommand offering to surrender the Greek Army if he was to be made Governor of Athens, this was allwithout the knowledge of the Greek Government or the Greek Commander in Chief Field MarshalPapogos. Tsolakoglou surrendered his Epirus Army to the Germans and became a puppet ruler for theGermans during the occupation. On the same day the Greek Prime Minister Alexander Koriziscommitted suicide. As a result the Greeks were disarmed and sent home all this occurred without theknowledge of the Allies. After the War General Tsolakoglou was charged as a traitor andsentenced to be hanged. He died before the sentence could be carried out.The 23 rd April saw the King of the Hellenes King George II and Prime Minister Emmanuel Tsauderosleave Athens and set themselves up in Hania to continue the battle from Crete. Whilst they were inCrete German paratroopers actually landed in the grounds surrounding the house occupied by the Kingand his Ministers, after this close call they were evacuated by destroyer from Crete on the 22 nd May.On the 24 th April the Greek Army capitulated, but General Pagagos ordered his men to keep the roadsopen to enable the Anzac Force to reach the various evacuation points at Megra, Nafplion andKalamata. - 6 -

Recollections of a Greek Youth a Partisan a HeroineWithout the assistance and tenacity of young Greeks, like Suzan Tsirekas (now an Australian) lifewould have been difficult for the Greek and allied Partisan in their fight against the Nazi’s.“ I was born in Northern Greece in the village of Ano Komi about 10 kms from Kozani. I lived with mywidowed mother and three younger brothers.The author in the village ofAno Komi and propertiesstill with links to theTsirekas familyTowards the end of 1940 the German Government requested they be allowed free passage throughGreece. This was declined and on the 28 th October, 1940 a day still commemorated in Greece, on eachhill and mountain top large signs were erected stating the Greek word “Ohi” meaning No. ………I remember on the 14 th November 1940 Kozani Airport was bombed, our first contact with the war andthe next day, as I was fetching water from the village well, a wave of bombers flew over to again attackKozani.By this time the Greek men were fleeing ahead of the invading army and many passed through ourvillage, some lost with little in the way of clothing. We still had my father’s clothes so these wereprovided to those men.In April 1941 we were told the Germans were coming to occupy our area and we were instructed wemust purchase and fly a German flag to show our support. We did not wish to comply with this orderand besides we were too poor to do so. In some surrounding villages there were followers of the NaziParty who collaborated with the enemy but in our village I think there were only two collaborators whowere taken care of by the Partisans that were now forming and hiding in the mountains in dangerousand adverse conditions.These were very hard times as the Germans confiscated the farmers stock and crops and we had toforage for wild vegetables in the fields.In September 1942, while looking for Partisans, German soldiers came to our house and aftersearching it, set our house on fire, One Greek man who was accompanying them pleaded as it was aWidow with small children and the fire was put out but many houses in the village were destroyed.In Kozani was a very large house belonging to a rich family which was taken over by the Germans asheadquarters with the family forced to live in the servant’s quarters. Two of the daughters understoodthe German language and were able to convey information to the leaders of the partisans to be passedon to the men in the mountains.As a very young girl, being able to get passed the Germans without arousing too much suspicion, afriend and I were used to take messages. We did this by walking back and forth from the village toKozani with notes tied into our pigtails. Whenever we heard a vehicle we would hide in the wheatfields until they passed.In these years many terrible things happened and in one case 18 partisans were coming from the hillsalong a creek in a valley. About 20 yards up the hill in a railway cutting, hidden from below sat amachine gun nest. No one survived. Also in Kozani, on a hill overlooking the town is a Church wherethere is a memorial to some Australian and New Zealand soldiers. At the time of liberation these menwere parachuting in but hidden in the Church was a lone Machine Gunner and they were killed beforereaching the ground.- 7 -

EvacuationThe actions of the Greeks allowed for 50,662 of the 62,600 allied troops sent to defend Greece to beevacuated, with 26,000 being sent to Crete and the remainder to Egypt. The evacuation was successfuldue to the actions and the excellent work by the members of the Provost Corps (Military Police) inkeeping the vehicles moving at night and on very dangerous roads just ahead of the German advancetroops. This same efficient work also enabled the troops to assemble and be loaded on board theevacuation ships in an orderly and safe manner.Unfortunately, the effort and work of the Provost Corps in both Greece and Crete is very poorlyreported or acknowledged. Ask any member of the 6 th Division for a comment on the work of theMilitary Police during this campaign- the common statement will be; ‘only for the MPs I would beeither dead or a POW’.The evacuation took place over a number of nights and from a number of beaches commencing on thenight of the 24 th April and completed by the 29 th April. The evacuations encountered some difficultiessuch as German Paratroopers capturing the Corinth Canal.Corinth CanalUnfortunately, some troops were left behind these were predominately Base Troops and the Cypriotand Palestinian civilian labourers and a large amount of equipment.The evacuations took place at a number of beaches over a very large area. The embarkation pointswere at Rafina designated as “C Beach”, Porto Rafti “D Beach”, Megra “P Beach”, Theodora “JBeach” this was not used and was replaced by Kalamata, Navplion “S & T Beach’s”.The evacuation beaches- 8 -

AthensApril20 th Nurses_____________ Beaches___Megra‘P Beach’Navplion‘T Beach’Tolos_________Kalamata‘S Beach’24 th -25 th 5 Brigade 2/7 th Field Corps - Nurses Nil NilAmb& R.A.F25 th -26 th 19 Brigade & Nil 2/3 rd C.C.S. Nil Nilpart 1 ArmdBde26 th -27 th 6 Bde &remainder of1 Armd Bde.2/1 st Field Amb4 Bde Base Troops3 Royal Tanks4 HussarsBaseTroops16 Bde & 17 Bde4000 BaseTroops2/2 nd Field AmbCasualtiesDuring the eighteen days of the Greek Campaign large numbers of casualties occurred.Country Killed Wounded POWs Missing32049420652915991614AustraliaNew ZealandBritish -ArmyRAFPalestinian/CypriotsGerman (12 th Army)146}110} 25636116087}45} 1322533756480}28} 65083806------345Diary of a Greek TragedyOctober 1940Event7 th Germans invade Romania28 th Italians invade Greece from AlbaniaMarch 19417 th Allied Expeditionary Forces Arrive in GreeceApril 19416 th Germany invades Greece22 nd Greece surrenders to Germany27 th /28 th 43,000 allied troops evacuated from GreeceMay 194120 th ‘Operation Mercury’ – German invasion of CreteGermans repulsed at Heraklion and Retimo21 st Maleme taken by Germans27 th /28 th Evacuation of Crete by Allies commenced31 st Last Allied Forces leave Crete- 9 -

How the situation developedOctober 1940Event28 th Declaration of War between Greece and ItalyNovember 1940 Decision taken for the defence of Greece and Crete by the BritishApril 194115 th Germans decide to invade and occupy Crete15 th The movement of Allied and Greek troops from Greece to Crete planned23 rd Greek Government moves to Crete25 th First New Zealand Troops land on Crete29 th General Freyberg assume command of the troops on CreteMay 194114 th Germans commence air attacks on Crete18 th /19 th German paratroopers prepare for attack on Crete20 th Attack on Crete begins at 6.30am –heavy bombardment of Chania, Retymnonprior to landing by paratroopers21 st Germans concentrate attack on Maleme. British fleet attacks German convoyheading for Crete. Heavy losses on both sides.23 rd Greek Government leaves Crete on HMS Decoy- Churchill sends message toHQ. “The Battle of Crete must be won.”25 th Germans resort to reprisals- mass executions and destruction27 th Commander in Chief Middle East orders evacuation of troops28 th Evacuations of Allied Troops begin28 th German troops reinforced by Italian Troops from Dodecanese land at Sitia31 st The last allied forces leave Crete from SfakiaThe PlayersThe AustraliansGeneral Sir Thomas Blamey (later to be promoted Field Marshal)Major General Iven MackayBrigadier A. S. (Tubby) Allen -16 th Brigade (later to be promoted to Major General)Brigadier Stanley G. Saviage -17 th Brigade (later promoted to Lieutenant General and Knightedthe founder of Legacy in Australia)Brigadier George Vasey -19 th Brigade (later promoted to Lieutenant General)Brigadier S.F. RowellBrigadier LeeLt. Col. Henry WellsLt. Col. Cyril ElliotLt. Col. Eric Woodward (later Knighted and appointed Governor of New South Wales)Major Edward (Weary) Dunlop (later Sir Edward (Weary) DunlopThe New ZealandersMajor General Bernard Freyberg VC (later Lord Freyberg of Wellington)Brigadier Barrowclough 6 th BrigadeThe BritishGeneral Sir Archibald Wavell (later Lord Wavell)Lieutenant General Sir Henry (Jumbo) WilsonBrigadier CharringtonAdmiral Sir Andrew Cunningham- 10 -

The GreeksGeneral Alexander Papagos Commander in Chief of Hellenic ForcesGeneral Tsolakoglou Macedonian (Empirus) ArmyThe GermansField Marshal von List 12 th ArmyGeneral von Greiffenberg Chief of Staff 12 th ArmyThe ItaliansAdmiral Angelo IachinoGerman Troops in Greece at the time of the evacuationPelopennese - 5 th Armoured and Adolf Hitler Infantry DivisionAthens- Lamia- 2 nd Armoured and 5 th & 6 th Mountain DivisionsThessaly- 9 th ArmouredGrevena-Yannina- 73 rd Infantry DivisionKaterini- 72 nd Infantry DivisionSalonika – 50 th Infantry DivisionEastern Macedonia and the Aegean- 164 th Infantry DivisionIn support in Bulgaria and Yugoslavia if needed- three Divisions of the 12 th Army (46 th , 76 th and 198 th )A brief history of the Greek Forces during the period 1940 to 1944World War II commenced in Greece on the 28 th October 1940 when the Italians launched an attack onGreece. By the 29 th October the Greek Government commenced a ‘General Mobilization’ within thecountry.In February of 1941 the 1 st Battalion of Greek volunteers who were living in Egypt was formed.Unfortunately, with the commencement of the German Campaign (Operation Mercury) the fall ofGreece occurred in 1941. However, the Greeks were not about to accept defeat and those who wereable to escape from Greece and Crete in May 1941 through Turkey and Palestine and were able toreach Egypt formed the 1 st Greek Brigade.Between 1942 and 1944 a general mobilization of Greek living in Egypt and they were to form the 2 ndGreek Brigade.In 1942 the 1 st and 2 nd Greek Brigades were sent to North Africa to relieve the Scottish Brigade andthey took part in the Battle of El-Alamein, under the Command of General Montgomery, they remainedin North Africa until December 1942. During this time they lost 517 killed and wounded. In January1943 they returned to Alexandria.By April 1943 the 1 st & 2 nd Greek Brigades were reformed into the 3 rd Greek Mountain Brigade andreceived further training in Palestine and Lebanon. In August 1943, they came under the command ofa soldier well known to the Greeks, General Bernard Freyberg VC who been in command of the alliedtroops in Crete in 1941 and was now the Commander of the New Zealand division. The Brigade tookpart in the Battles of Calolika, Ricione, Roubicona and Rimini. On the 23 rd October 1944, the 3 rdGreek Mountain Brigade was ordered to Torento and they returned to Greece on the 7 th November1944.The Greek Sacred Middle East Raiding CompanyOn the 6 th September 1942 we saw the formation of ‘The Greek Sacred Middle East Raiding Company’(S.M.E.R) the unit consisted initially of 210 men. The unit took part in guerrilla attacks in NorthAfrica, Libya ad Tunis between the 15 th February and 17 th April 1943.- 11 -

By late 1943 its strength exceeded 420 men and it took part in the attacks on the Dodecanese Islands.By 1944 its strength had grown to 1016 men and the S.M.E.R Company joined a British Brigade underthe command of Major Turnbull and they took part in the liberation of the Aegean and DodecaneseIslands.The Hellenic NavyThe Royal Hellenic Navy saw action in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.Air ForceThe Royal Hellenic Air force was formed in Egypt and trained in South Africa and they took part in inactions in support of the Allies in Italy.Greece April 1941Map of Southern Greece showing the airports with the typesand numbers of the military planes based there in total 1180.1100 of which took part in the Battle of Crete.- 12 -

The RAAF in GreeceVery little information will be found in regard to the Royal Australian Air Forces involvement in theGreek/Crete Campaign for the simple reason that any Australian Air Force Personnel were attached toRAF Squadrons. This apparently was the situation in Europe and the Middle East Campaigns.The following is a brief outline of the involvement of three of the seven Australian Pilots who sawservice in the Greek Crete Campaign whilst serving with RAF Squadrons.In the beginningWhen Italy invaded Greece on the 28 th October 1940 the Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas soughthelp from the British. Unfortunately, the British response was not what was expected due to theircommitment in North Africa. They were only able to provide a small number of obsolete Fighter andBombers Squadrons. Notwithstanding this lack of support the RAF and the Greek Army defeatedthe invading Italians.Unfortunately, the Australian Pilots involved were fighting with the equivalent of one hand tied behindtheir back, as they were using antiquated Gladiator bi-planes against the more modern Fiat CR-42s ofthe Italians and later the ME-s and Junkers of the Germans.A Gladiator flownBy Hickey in GreeceIn the early stages of the campaign Australian Sqn Ldr. W.J. Hickey the Commanding Officer (CO) ofNo.80 Squadron (Fighters) in one action with six Gladiators took on twenty Fiats and managed to shootdown seven enemy planes with no losses to his Squadron. Hickey was shot down during anengagement on the 21 st December 1940 when ten of his aircraft engaged six enemy bombers protectedby fifty four Fiat fighters.Another Australian Pilot of note during this campaign was Flt. Lt. Richard Cullen who was also part ofHickey’s No.80 Squadron. No112 Squadron also included an Australian Flt. Lt. Charles Fry. InFebruary of 1941, No. 80 Squadron was provided with Hurricane Fighters. Unfortunately Cullen waslost in action on the 27 th February 1941.Fry continued to serve on in Crete and was shot down and captured, he finished the war as a POW inOflag 21B in Posen, Poland.Charles Fry and an otherBritish Airman in Oflag 21BPOW Camp.- 13 -

The Battle for CreteImportance of CreteCrete is a small mountainous island approximately 260 km (161 miles) long and 64 km (40miles) widewith mountains up to 2500 metres (8000ft) however, its strategic position was recognised by both theAllies and the Germans.For the Allies it was seen as a base for the Mediterranean Fleet to support its campaign in Africa and itwould also deny the Germans a forward base from which it could also support its troops in Africa. Itwould also provide the Allies with a base to bomb the German oilfields at Ploesti in Romania. TheGermans saw it as a necessary step to protect these oilfields.The importance of Crete was recognised very early when General Blamey expressed the opinion thatthe Allies should concentrate their efforts on defending Crete and Rhodes and not Greece.British troops were sent to defend Crete immediately following the Italian attack on Greece in October1940. Because of its deep anchorage at Sunda Bay it was ideal for a naval base. By 1941 asubstantial Naval Base was established.14 -

Crete was considered to be of strategic importance to the Allies in the Eastern Mediterranean as a basefor as it supported its base at Alexandria.The Battle for Crete was uniqueThe Plan to capture CreteThe plan to capture Crete was the idea of ‘Luftflotte 4,’ under the command of General Alexander Lohr,who had convinced Goring of the plan, but they met opposition from the Armed Forces HighCommand. Eventually Hitler was convinced – and gave the order for “Operation Merkur (Mercury)[The invasion of Crete] under the direction of the Luftwaffe.Firstly; it was the first battle to be won exclusively by air- Paratroopers and heavy bombingSecondly; the Allied Commander had access to German Wireless Communication relating to theattack. The allies were aware of the exact date of the attack and the exact timebombing of the island would commence.Thirdly; no where else in World War 2 did the enemy meet so much civilian resistance.The attack on Crete1 st attack – Morning 20 th MayThe first Gliders landed near Maleme Airfield at 7.15 am eventually succeeding in capturing theairfield.- 15 -

2 nd attack- Morning 20 th MayWas to be against Heraklion and Retimo areas these area were defended by the 19 th Australian Brigadeunder the Command of Lt. Col I.R. Campbell the two Australian and four Greek Battalions were moresuccessful in their defence of this area than those defending Maleme. The Australians and Greeksprevented the Germans from taking the airfield and they were required to dig in. during the Battle forHeraklion – the Fallschirm- Jager Regiment 1 were wiped out to a man.May 21 st – 22 ndThe Battle for HeraklionTo support the air attack and landings it was planned to land seaborne reinforcements of the 5. Gebirgs-Division on board 63 ships- 25 boats (caiques-fishing boats) were intended to land 2,250 MountainTroops to support Maleme and 38 were to bring 4,000 troops to Heraklion, this second group were thenorder to land a Maleme. The British Fleet managed to sink the first flotilla and forced the second toreturn to Greece. No further seaborne reinforcements were attempted until Crete was stablised.Defence of CretePrior to the evacuation of the troops from Greece the defence of Crete was the responsibility of:14 th British Brigade (under strength)Royal Marine Naval Base Defence Organisation (MNBDO) of about battalion size.60 anti-aircraft gunsRAF – 6 Hurricane Fighters and 17 other miscellaneous aircraft.In the event of an attack on Crete it was to be defended by the troops who had been evacuated fromGreece, they would be known as ‘Creforce’. This force would consist of about 21,000 troops fromAustralia, New Zealand and Britain consisting of:7 th Infantry Battalion of the 2 nd New Zealand Division4 ½ Infantry Battalions of the 6 th Australian Division1 Machine Gun BattalionPart of the 1 st British Armoured Brigade with very few tanks4 Composite British Battalions acting as an Infantry Brigade1100 poorly armed and untrained Irregulars and Reservists800 Cretan PoliceThe troops responsible for the defence of Crete were to be under the command of Major General B.C.Freyberg of the New Zealand Army.- 16 -

Troops were to be dispersed to the following areas:Maleme (Brigadier Puttick) 5 th New Zealand Brigade (21 st , 22 nd , & 28 th (Maori) Battalions andN.Z.F. Composite Infantry Unit – Total strength 3,15610 th New Zealand Brigade (20 th Battalion, Composite Battalion,detachment of New Zealand Cavalry, 6 th & 8 th Greek RegimentsTotal strength 6,503Support: Artillery-10 x 75mm guns and 6 x 3.7inch howitzers10 light tanksReserve Force4 th New Zealand Brigade (18 th , 19 th Battalions), 1 st Battalion WelshRegiment – Total strength 2,417Kastel Sector 1 st Greek Regiment –strength 1,030Sunda Bay (Major General Wilson)Cremor ForceRetimo (Brigadier Vasey)Heraklion (Brigadier Chappel)TimbakionM.N.B.D.O. – 1 st Rangers New Zealand -102 nd Anti-Tank (inrole of Infantry) 106 th Royal Horse Artillery (in role of Infantry)2/2 nd Field Regiment (in the role of Infantry) 16 th AustralianComposite Battalion- 17 th Australian Composite Battalion-Group “A” R.A.A. [strength 600], Group “B” R.A.E. [strength600], 2 nd Greek Regiment.Equipment: 16 x 3.7 inch, 10 x 3 inch and 16 Bofors guns and8 various calibre costal defence guns19 th Australian Brigade (2/1 st , 2/7 th , 2/8 th , 2/11 th Battalions)3 Greek Regiments (each of Battalion strength) 1 Battery of2/2 nd Field Regiment with 14 guns of various makes and size.2 Infantry Tanks14 th British Brigade (2 nd Leicestershire & 2 Yorks & LancsRegiments, 2 nd Black Watch, 7 th Medium Regt (Artillery beingused as Infantry) 2/4 Australian Infantry Battalion, and13 Greek Regiments (each of Battalion strength) supported by10 light and 4 heavy anti-aircraft guns, 4 Infantry Tanks and6 Light Tanks1 st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in support of HeraklionUnfortunately, these troops were to have very little equipment to help in their defence of the island.The equipment available to them was:Artillery: 49 French and some captured Italian Field Guns and 68 Anti Air Craft Guns(Bofors and Pom Poms)Armour: 9 Tanks – 6 being light tanksAircraft: 30 planes comprising of Blenheim Bombers; Hurricane Fighters; 12-GlosterGladiators (Bi-planes) and assistance from Flumes &Swordfish (Bi-planes) from the Fleet Air ArmSmall Arms: The Greeks and Cretans were equipped with a mixture of British; Canadian;American and Italian rifles of various calibres this mix of rifles and calibrescreated problems for the Greek and Cretan troops.- 17 -

The situation was not helped when it was estimated that it would need 650 tons of supplies each day tosupport the troops and only about 80 tons per day was being delivered. The fact that what supplieswere being delivered could not be unloaded during the day because of air attacks did not assist thesituation. To speed up the unloading in the short time available about 400 Australian and NewZealanders volunteered to form working gangs to unload the supplies under the difficult conditionwhich prevailed.By the 24 th May General Freyberg realised that Crete could not be saved and on the 26 th May headvised General Wavell that a decision should be made to immediately to evacuate if there was to beany chance of saving the bulk of the troops.On the 26 th May two British Commando Units were landed at night at Sunda Bay to support theexisting troops, unfortunately it was too late.On the 27 th May General Wavell decided to abandon Crete and to evacuate the troops over the nextfour days.Order for Capitulation of CreteSecond/7 th Infantry Battalion and Second /8 th Battalion31 st May, 1941Lieutenant Colonel Colvin,In view of the following facts, my orders direct me to give precedence in evacuation of fighting troops..This has reduced the active garrison below what is required for resistance for the possibility ofevacauation. I therefore direct you to collect such senior officers that are available in the early hours oftomorrow and transmit these orders to the senior of them. These orders are to make contact with theenemy and to capitulate.Evacuation“A copy of surrender Document at Spharkia Crete May 1941”It was decided that the evacuation would take place from two points. One would be Heraklion, withthe 2/4 Infantry Battalion the first to leave from this point on the 29 th May. The other being at Sfakia(Stakia) on the southern coast this required the troops to cross the White Mountains. It would appearthat this was another command blunder due to the height of the mountains and the narrow tracks thetroops would have to negotiate.During the period 28 th to 31 st May about 18,000 troops were evacuated. One of the last Australians tobe evacuated was (later Major General) Paul Cullen AC. OBE. DSO* ED and just as well as his birthname was Cohen and being Jewish he changed his named in June/July 1941in case he was caught bythe Germans. The change was promulgated in all unit routine Orders. Paul was part of the 16 thBrigade Composite Battalion which was made up of troops from 2/2 & 2/3 Battalions.Unfortunately, Retimo was over run following additional German troops being landed by sea. On the31 st May the 2/1 st Battalion surrendered.About 6,000 troops did not get off Crete including many of the 2/7 th Infantry Battalion who had beenacting as a rearguard with the Royal Marines. A number of those who were left behind fought withthe partisans in the hills, about 600 managed to escape to Egypt and unfortunately the rest werecaptured by the Germans and spent the rest of the war as POWs in Germany and other occupiedcountries.- 18 -

The evacuation Beachat Sfakia (Stakia)The British perspective for CreteChurchill advised General Wavell on the 28 th April that an attack on Crete would be made and that itwas to be held. It would appear that Churchill’s decision had been based on British Intelligence advicethat any attack on Crete would be by 5/6000 paratroopers. When in fact it was made by:• 750 Glider troops• 10,000 Paratroopers• 5,000 Troops delivered by transport aircraft.• 7,000 Troops by boatin total 22,000 German troops landed on Crete supported by 430 bombers and dive bombers and 230fighters.This underestimation and lack of truthfulness in respect to the campaign can be seen by Churchill’sstatement to the British House of Commons on day two of the attack, when he informed it that thegreater part of the Germans had been wiped out in the landing.This was another example of the incompetence of the British High Command, particularly when theBritish were in possession of the ULTRA system ‘the British had been provided with a the GermanCipher Machine ‘the Egnima” provided by the Polish which allow the British to decode information on“Operation Mercury.” On the 6 th May 1941 the British were in possession of the informationrelating to the invasion of Crete, this include the date and the exact time that the air attack on Crete wasto take place.Instructions were given to General Freyberg, to defend Maleme Airfield notwithstanding that theBritish High Command were aware that the Germans would use Paratroopers and failed to informFreyberg, who based his defence on the Germans landing by sea.It can easily be seen why the British incompetence of the Somme in World War I is compared to theirhandling of the Greek and Crete campaign in 1941.The NavyThe British Mediterranean Fleet was involved on two occasions during the Battle for Crete. Duringthe period 21 st – 23 rd May the Germans attempted to land reinforcements by sea, the British Fleetintercepted them about 30 miles from Crete and sunk all the ships with no survivors.It was again involved in the evacuation of the troops between, the 27 th and 31 st May whilst engaged inthe evacuation it lost 2,000 men, three cruisers, six destroyers and an Aircraft Carrier was badlydamaged.- 19 -

CasualtiesCountry Killed Missing Wounded POWsAustraliaNew ZealandBritish (Army)Royal MarinesRAFTotal274671612114711,7425071,4552443091,7373,1091,6925,3151,03522811,836GreeksGerman5921,990 1,9952,594500 German aircraft were destroyed.The German perspectiveIt would appear that Hitler was not keen to invade Crete however two of his Generals thought that itwas important for Germany to control Crete.General Halder in 1940 in his concept for controlling the Eastern Mediterranean considered that it wasnecessary for Germany to gain control of Crete. General Kurt Student of the XI Corps had similarviews and after discussing the concept with Reichmarshal Goering he was encouraged by Goering toplace his case before Hitler. Student was successful in convincing Hitler and the fate of Crete wassealed.Operation Merkur (Mercury)The plan to invade Crete was given the code name ‘Operation Merkur (Mercury) ‘. It was decidedthere would be a simultaneous attack by air on the towns of Maleme, Canea, Sunda Bay, Retimo, andHeraklion. This initial plan was later changed to an attack on Maleme and Canea in the morning andRetimo and Heraklion in the afternoon with the airborne attack to be supported by two seabornelandings at Maleme and Heraklion. This seaborne support did not occur as the invasion fleet wascompletely destroyed by the Royal Navy.Lord Haw-Haw (William Joyce) the British traitor used by the Germans for propaganda called Cretethe “Island of Doomed Men”.The Invasion of CreteAir attacks began on the 14 th May to soften up the defence for the airborne landings to take place on the20 th May – by the 19 th May all the airfields on Crete had been destroyed and all British aircraft hadeither been destroyed or departed.The German planned to take Crete by the use of airborne landings on the 20 th May at Maleme usingAssault Regiments and then one Parachute Rifle Regiment of the 7 th Air Division at Canea – Sunda;Retimo and Heraklion. Maleme airfield was captured on the 20 th May and the Germans thencommenced landing troop carrying aircraft on the 21 st May.German plansfor the invasionof Crete- 20 -

At 6.45 am on the 20 th May 1941 the Germans began the bombardment of the defences on Crete, at8.00 am the invasion commenced with the arrival of 3,000 paratroopers, 750 by Glider and eventually5000 by transport aircraft and 7000 by boat in all a total of 22,000 troops.German Paratrooperslanding on CreteThe invasion of Crete was to be the first airborne invasion in history and its impact on the Germanswas to be horrific. The casualties were so high that Hitler declared ‘that the day of the parachutist isover’, which is understandable when an examination of the casualties is made. This resulted in aplanned airborne invasion of Cyprus being cancelled.Retimo:Heraklion:700 killed and 500 taken prisoner (for a short time)1000 killed out of 2000 dropped.In total the invasion of Crete resulted in 6000 killed and 200 Aircraft destroyed and150 damaged.The German Invasion ForceThe German invasion force was to consist of 22,000 troops under the command of General Lohr andwas to consist of the following:IV Air FleetVIII Air Corps120 Dornier 17s40 Heinkel 111s80 Junkers 88s150 Junkers 87b Stukas90 Messerchmitt 110s90 Messerchmitt 109sFormation Commander RemarksGeneral LohrGeneral Freiherr Von RichthofenXI Air Corps3 Transports Groups -500 Junkers 52sGlider Wing- 70 DFS 230 GlidersSquadron –Fiesceler Storch ReconnaissanceStorm Regiment HQ1 st ; 2nd ; 3 rd ; 4 th Battalions7 th Parachute Division HQParachute Engineer Battalion1 st Parachute Regiment1 st ; 2 nd ; 3 rd BattalionsGeneral Kurt StudentBrigadier MeindlMajor General SussmanMajor LiebachColonel Brauer- 21 -Based at TatoiBased at EleusisBased at EleusisBased at Mycenae,Based at ArgosBased at MolaoiKilled duringinvasion replacedby Colonel Hadrich

Formation Commander Remarks2 nd Parachute RegimentColonel Sturm1 st BattalionRethymno2 nd Battalion3 rd BattalionHeraklionRethymno3 rd Parachute RegimentColonel Heidrich1 st ; 2 nd ; 3 rd Battalions5 th Mountain Division95 th Mountain RegimentMountain ArtilleryPioneersReconnaissanceMajor General RingelLt. Colonel WittmannMajor SchaetteMajor Count Castell zu CastellColonel KrakauDivisional Troops85 th Mountain Regiment1 st ; 2 nd ; 3 rd Battalions100 th Mountain RegimentColonel Utz1 st ; 2 nd 3 rd Battalions141 st Mountain Regiment Colonel Jais From 6 th MountainDivisionStrengthLanded by Parachute & Glider Number Landed by troop-carrierMaleme1,86013,980Ayria Valley & CaneaRethymnoHeraklion2,4601,3802,360Total Troops landed 22,040CasualtiesKilled and Missing Wounded POWParatroopers 3,074Mountain Troops 580Air Crew 3122,594 17 OfficersXI Air Corps• Air Assault Regiment (3 Parachute Battalions & a Glider Battalion)• 7 th Air Division (3 Parachute Rifle Regiments each of 3 Battalions)• 3 Rifle Regiments from the 5 th & 6 th Mountain Divisions• A Panzer Battalion• A Motor Cycle BattalionVIII Air Corps• 228 Bombers• 205 Dive Bombers• 114 Twin Engine Fighters• 119 Single Engine Fighters• 50 Reconnaissance Aircraft• 700 Junker Transport Aircraft {able to carry 5,000 troops• 70 Towed Gliders on each flight}A Ju 52 withParatroopers inposition- 22 -

The PlayersAustraliaBrigadier George VaseyLieutenant Colonel Ian Campbell -2/1 Infantry BattalionLieutenant Colonel Ray Sandover -2/11 Infantry BattalionLieutenant Colonel Wellman Australian Corps of SignalsMajor Paul Cohen (Cullen) -2/2 Infantry BattalionNew ZealandMajor General Bernard Freyberg VCBrigadier AndrewsBrigadier InglisBrigadier Howard KippenbergerBrigadier J HargestBrigadier (Acting Major General) PuttickLieutenant Colonel GentryBritainMajor General E.C. Weston Royal MarinesLieutenant Colonel WillsCapatain Morse RNBrigadier B.H. ChappelThe CretansThe Cretan Resistance Motto (or Battle Cry) during the period of the invasion and occupation was“Death or Freedom”.Cretan PartisansThe 800 Cretan Police Force, together with the Greek and Cretan Irregular Troops with the support ofthe Allies joined together to defend their homeland. During the invasion and occupation over 50,000Cretan’s died and in the village of Misseria only two were to survive.Cretan CasualtiesLocation: Killed in Battle or Executed: Orphans: Houses destroyed:Men Women Children Fatherless Motherless Both Parents Total PartialChania 2,200 480 418 3,338 1,098 380 2,669 4,562Rethymnon 1,897 405 403 3,320 848 528 2,338 1,300Heraklion 2,045 185 129 3,840 1,772 484 6,968 4,942Laithi 431 50 20 2,017 739 549 938 714Total 6,593 1,120 970 12,515 4,457 1,941 12,913 11,518- 23 -

The bond that developed between the Cretans and the Allies can be seen on a building at Retimo wherea farmer has placed a plaque which says:” in memory of the soldiers from far away whose blood is now part of the sacred soil of Crete”.A sentiment similar to one expressed by Attaturk, at Gallipoli which also relates to the Anzacs troops.Cretan Youth at the Commemorationfor Battle of Crete CenotaphSydneyThe Preveli MonasteryThe Monastery in the village of Preveli played an important part in the battle for Crete. TheMonastery was seen as the rallying point for the allied troops who had been left behind after theevacuation.The Monastery at PreveliThe troops were made welcome by the Monks who would then arrange for small groups of abouttwenty to be hidden and looked after by the various villages in the area, whilst their evacuation bysubmarine was arranged.- 24 -

On one occasion on the submarine HMS Thrasher about 70 troops were evacuated from the beach ofLimni just below the Monastery.Map showing the location of the Preveli MonasteryThe efforts of the Monks was not forgotten, one of those they assisted Geoffrey Evans of the 2/11Battalion arranged for the building of ‘The Chapel of St. John the Theologian’ at Margaret River inWestern Australia and named his Caravan Park “Prevelly Park” a fitting tribute to the Monks andvillagers around Prevelli.The unacknowledgedWhen the details of a campaign are recorded they usually refer to the actions and exploits of the majorunits, those that are usually seen as the fighting (or glamour) units and very little is recorded aboutthose small units or corps many of whom are in the front line with the fighting troops and are also animportant part of the campaign. In fact without these units the others would have a very difficult time.In Greece and Crete there were a number of these units, two in particular are deserving of recognition,they were the members of the Australian Army Provost Corps (Military Police) and the Nurses whowere members of the Australian Army Nursing Service.The Military PoliceReference is rarely found of the involvement of the Military Police in any campaigns. It is believed(wrongly) that their activities only occurred in the rear echelon and involved such activities as –checking leave passes, maintaining discipline and escorting VIPs. This is far from the truth.There were some three hundred Military Police (Provost) who served in the Greek and Crete Campaign.The 6 th Division Provost Company were the first Military Police to be designated as ‘Combat MilitaryPolice’.- 25 -

The first Military Police to land in Greece arrived as the 1 st Australian Corps Provost Company withthe 2/3 Infantry Battalion on the 18 th and 19 th March 1941, they were to be followed by the 6 th DivisionProvost Company and the 7 th Division Provost Company and on Crete they were joined by theOrdnance Provost Section.In this campaign the Military Police certainly lived up to their Motto:“First in Last Out”They were highly involved in the campaign from the start, taking part in the following engagements:• 14 th April at Ellison and Portas Pass• 19 th April at Larissa and Thebes• 18 th - 23 rd April at town of Lamia• 24 th April at Brallos Pass• 26 th April at Megra (one of the evacuation ports)Brallos PassPart of the old Road at Brallos PassThe Corps involvement was recognised very early in the campaign with Sgt. Tom Osborne receiving aMilitary Medal (MM) for his actions at Portas Pass, with a second Military Medal being awarded toS/Sgt. Edward Trench (later promoted to Lieutenant) who unfortunately was killed on the 12 th January1943 and is buried in Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery. During the actions of the 18 th to 23 rdApril at Lamia, Capt. John Grimshaw was awarded the Military Cross (MC). During the campaignother members of the Corps were also to receive five, Mentioned in Dispatches (MIDs) one of thesebeing awarded to Lt. John Hazel, (later Captain) not a bad record for a Corps who many believe weresupposed to only be working in the rear echelon ‘Checking Passes and kicking arses “.The EvacuationThe evacuation of so many troops required a co-ordinated plan and strict control. This fell in part onthe Military Police, they were required to keep the roads open and flowing event though they werecontinually under attack to ensure that as many troops and as much equipment as possible reached theevacuation points which were spread over many areas of Greece.Whilst the troops withdrew it is reported that the members of 6 th Division Provost whilst reinforcingthe order that all vehicles were required to travel with dimmed lights, they carried out a veryremarkable performance considering the heavy traffic on the road and the evacuation was successfulentirely due to the good traffic control of the MPs.By the 19 th April the 7 th Division Provost were still ‘coolly’ directing the stragglers vehicles at Larrisaknowing that the German Advance Guard could arrive at any time.During the evacuation to Kalamata 600 vehicles containing 6000 troops were moved of 90 miles ofnarrow winding mountain roads to the evacuation point Brigadier Allen said:- 26 -

The march throughout was an exceedingly good one and the M.T. drivers are to be commendedfor their sterling work. In the darkness driving from dusk to daylight, using only dim lights, it wasno easy task…….6 Aust Div Provost gave valuable assistance.The admiration and respect for the Australian MPs is recorded in the comments of a ‘digger’ from 2/5who had been left behind at Delphi to undertake some demolitions prior to leaving for the evacuationpoint.The movement from then on was blind; we proceeded on, asking the MPs for the embarkation beach; they sentus on towards Corinth where we were sent on again. We me officers from other units, they could give us noinformation. They did not know where they were going. We continued on the road and occasionally met MPswho sent us on in the right direction.This respect by the diggers for the Provost can be seen from the comments of Pte. Wal Gudgeon of the2/8 Battalion when he said:“ I reckon the 6Div Provost were heroes right through because it wasn’t spur of the moment to them Greece was acontinuous job. And these 6 Divvy Provost, they were magnificent they really were.”CasualtiesFor a small Corps its casualties were very high.Location Killed Wounded POWsGreece 1 st Australian Corps Provost Company 2 2 -6 th Division Provost Company 2 37 th Division Provost Company 3 8Crete 6 th Division Provost Company 1 137 th Division Provost Company 2 35Ordnance Provost Section 9The Corps endeared itself to the Greeks and during the campaign they referred to the AustralianMilitary Police as “English Cowboys” because of the way they rode their motorcycles on the mountainroads.Two Australian MPsin Greece 1941Whilst the role of the Military Policeman in Greece and Crete was mainly that of traffic control animportant part of any campaign, it became highly important during the evacuation of Greece as its wasnecessary for the roads to be kept open and the vehicles and men moving to avoid being captured bythe Germans. This often meant that the Military Police were the ‘last to leave’ and therefore theywere all that stood between the evacuating troops and the Germans. They therefore became highlyinvolved in the rearguard action.It is a matter of record that it was the work of the Military Police in carrying out their role of “trafficcontrol” so efficiently and other duties not necessarily expected of Military Police that the evacuationwas so successful. It is reported from numerous sources that the Military Police in this campaign werehighly regarded by the troops (diggers) for their actions in making sure that they were not captured(refer to comments by Frank McManus of 1 st Australian Corps Signals below), and the fact that theyengaged in many activities that were normally outside their designated role and therefore played animportant part in the rearguard action in Greece, particularly in the battle for Lamia.- 27 -

The current Barracks of the Military Police at Holsworthy, New South Wales is named Lamia Barracksin recognition of their involvement at the Battle for Lamia in 1941.Recollections of Frank McManus 1 st Australian Corps Signals (age 92)“ Kalambaka (Meteora) – The Germans came across from Servia. We moved to Larissa onthe 20 th April to be told by the Military Police to keep going or the Germans would get us.The Australian Signals were digging in on one side of the road and the New Zealanders onthe other.Heading the advice given by the MPs we moved down to the Corinth Canal where the Germanseventually blew the bridge across the Canal. The German Paratroopers landed prior to ourevacuation to Crete on the British Anti Aircraft Ship HMS Hermes. Only for the advice fromthe Military Police we might have ended up prisoners of war.The Australian Provost (Military Police) and their relationship with the DiggerThe Aussie ‘Digger’ of the 6 th & 7 th Divisions developed a high regard and respect for the MPs of the6 th & 7 th Divisions and it is surprising to many soldiers that they regarded them as part of the ‘family’they saw a clear distinction between “Provost and Military Police”. A Div Provost was seen as part ofthe Division as they took part in all Division activities and exercises. However the troops were awarethat they were “Cops” and treated them with respect which was reciprocated by the MPs.The term MP to the Digger, meant the Command Provost and to a lesser extend the Lines ofCommunication (LOC) who were responsible for looking after the “leave towns” and who were the“Bastards” who made a soldiers life miserable.This feeling of respect for the MPs by the Aussie digger can be summed up in the words of HenryGullet MC [(the son of Sir H.S Gullet – Military Historian) Major H. Gullet MC was also one of theAustralians to be involved in the Normandy Landing] when he said of the work of Provost in Greece“as a decent bunch of chaps doing a damn difficult job under most trying circumstances…. A numberof fellows owe their lives to our Div Pro Companies …..they stayed back at each of the defiles to ensureall got through, and at the beaches they were the last to embark”.The MPs in Greece shared the same difficulties as the fighting troops and during the withdrawal theycontinued to carry out their designated role and may others not expected of MPs. A member of the2/5 th Battalion said about the work of the MPs- “we wouldn’t have known where to go if it was not forthe Provost fellas standing there with ‘hurricane lamps’ and telling us where to go”. In support ofthe comments made by Frank McManus of Aust Corps Signals when he encountered the MPs atLarissa, it is also reported that the MPs of 7 th Div Pro ‘were still coolly directing the stragglers vehicleseven though the Germans could arrive at any time’.These actions by the MPs endeared them to the other troops as they were exposing themselves to thesame dangers as themselves and in fact were prepared to place themselves between the enemy and thewithdrawing diggers to ensure they avoided capture.Rearguard actionOn the 18 th April the men of the 2/1 st Field Ambulance were bringing back wounded from Larissa andhad this to say about the MPs. - ‘we got through the roads with the wounded, due to the fine work beingdone at great personal risk by the Provost, without their tireless efficiency many men and vehiclescould not have reached safety’.- 28 -

Extract from the War Diary of 7 th Australian Division Provost Company Greece 1941.Setting the scene“ The withdrawal of 16 Australian Infantry brigade during April 1941 involved some 600 vehicles and6000 men moving south over winding mountain roads for three consecutive nights.The 250 mile axis was under constant enemy air attack and 7 Div Pro Coy earned great praise forunstinting efforts which contributed to the success of the mission.The effectiveness of the control measures was in contrast with the chaos that existed in otherformations. It is also recorded by the Historian’s that on the 19 April 1941 that elements of 7 Div ProCoy (1 Offr and 18 Ors) were still coolly directing the few vehicles straggling behind the main columns.This took place near the town of Lamia where 7 Div Pro Coy were part of the rear guard of the shortlived ANZAC Corps at the time when the enemy advanced guard was on the Northern outskirts of thetown”War DiaryLamia 11 April 1941: Fine. Routine patrolsLamia 12 April 1941: Fine and Warm. Convoy patrol duties. First of units to retire.Lamia 13 April 1941: Fine. Routine patrols. Lamia subjected to bombing.Lamia 14 April 1941: Fine. Windy. Routine patrols.Lamia 15 April 1941: Fine. CO and party proceeded to Volos to find alternate route from Larissa viaPharsalos for retirement. While at Volos, subjected to aerial bombing and assisted in removal ofwounded. Volos evacuated.Lamia 16 April 1941: Fine. General retirement information received, Pharsalos-Volos road impassable,use alternate route, via Lamia then on to Volos.Lamia 17 April 1941: Fine. All Coy en convoy, from Pharsalos to Thebes. Volume of trafficincreasing in density. Ocs of convoys advised to increase speed. Roads bombed and machine gunnedcontinuously. Members performed their duties under trying circumstances. Severe blockage of trafficon North Pass near Lamia due to enemy severely bombing and machine gunning the roads.Ammunition truck set on fire and with the assistance of CPL Pearce ammunition removed. Lamiareceived a severe bombing attack at 1415hrs also straight road from Lamia to Bralos Pass receivedsevere bombing and machine gunning and as a result causing congestion of convoys on the road.Exceptionally fine work was performed by Sgt. Harris.Lamia 18 April 1941: At 0100hrs L/Cpl Barnes reported the presence of enemy troops, 15 miles alongVolos road. Instructed Cpl Pearce and party to investigate; and returned at 0415hrs. No presence ofenemy. Cpl reported that he had travelled 37 miles.Fine but windy. 0530hrs enemy planes overhead. Patrols visited, convoys passing through township viaBralos Pass moving South, also coast road. At 0545hrs enemy launched severe bombing attack. InLamia, this continued until 1030hrs. Roads through town impassable. Members of Coy clearing roads,and could not obtain no assistance from Greek Military authorities. Traffic diverted to alternativeroutes. Town burning fiercely. 0715hrs Col. Rogers 1 Aust Corps, visited bivouac, seekinginformation as to whether the 21 st BN, NZ Forces, had retired along Volos Road to Volos.- 29 -

Informed the Colonel regarding Cpl Pearce’s patrol in the early hours of that morning and there hadbeen no contact with NZ or any other troops on that road. Informed from NZ BHQ Volos, Col Rodgersconcurred and requested that such intelligence be sent to Brig. Lee. Sgt Finch, Cpl Pearce left at 0730hrs for Volos BHQ with instructions to proceed to Brig. Lee, Domokos. Sgt Finch, Cpl Pearce returned,their task completed.Lamia 18 April 1941: The volume of traffic from North to south very light. Members of Companypatrolling roads from Domokos to South side of Bralos Pass. At all times being subjected to machinegunning. Received intelligence from Brig. Lee that he expected to retire from his position betweenmidnight and 0300hrs on 18/19 th . At 1745hrs head of, Lee Force, column passed through Lamiatownship on way South. 1810hrs straight road from Lamia town to Bralos Pass subjected to intensebombing and machine gunning attack. Several vehicles damaged and slight delay. OC of conveyinstructed that under the circumstances continue whilst being attacked by enemy.All vehicles of Lee Force were cleared of the township of Lamia and the straight road without furtherloss. At 1900hrs vehicles of Lee force, successfully negotiating roads at the Bralos Pass. At 1905hrscontacted Brig. Lee, who reported all his men were clear. At 1915hrs, L/Cpls Swinfield, Hurst, Clarke,Laughton, and McPherson reported, that all troops and vehicles were clear from the pass, North ofLamia, through Lamia, and along the straight road. At 1920hrs members of this Coy, present when airbridge along the road from Bralos Pass to Lamia was destroyed.Liaouklade Railway Station and AuSup seen to be on fire, several culverts and a bridge on coast roadrear Lamia destroyed. At 1930hrs two very light lights were observed, South of the Lamia township,signifying the arrival of the German troops along the Volos Road. At 2015hrs Capt. Grimshaw, SgtHarris, Finch, Walton,, Cpl Delaney, Swinfield, Pearce Hurst, Barrington, Smith left position at foot ofBralos Pass on way south to locate Corps or force HQ. At 2025hrs and anti-tank gun opened fire, froma position half way up the Bralos Mountain in the direction of Lamia.From Bralos Pass proceeded to Thebes, stayed overnight.Thebes 19 April 1941: Fine. Windy. Contacted Force HQ 12 miles from Thebes along Chalkis Road.Moved entire Coy to camp site adjoining Force HQ. Chalkis Road bombed and machine gunned. Coywear, rested remained of the day.Thebes 20 April 1941: Fine. Convoy and Point Duty Patrols on duty all day and night. Roadscontinuously bombed and machine gunned throughout day.Thebes 21 April 1941: Fine and windy. Convoy and Point duty Patrols day and night. Chalkisbombed daily.Thebes 22 April 1941: Remainder of Coy and camp moved to pine forest, one kilometre from town at2330hrs.Thebes 23 April 1941: Fine and Windy. Patrols and Point Duty Men posted. Delayed action and HEbombs dropped on Thebes Railway Station. Took over complete traffic control from CMP at 2030hrsRSM and remainder of Coy, not detailed on duty, sent to evacuation point, “D” beach. Capt Grimshaw,Sgt Harris, Cpl Finch, Delaney, George,, Sgt Maddern, Cpl, Pearce, Batenby, L/Cps Potts and McEvoy,Mallyon and Barnes. These are the men who remained on duty in and around Thebes, until all troopsand convoys had been safely conducted through the town. Delayed action bombs exploding throughoutthe night. The party left Thebes at 0230hrs for evacuation point, “D” beach.April 24 1941: Made camp in Olive Grove, 12 miles from evacuation point. Porto Rafts “D” Beach.Remained hidden all day. Too late for evacuation that night.- 30 -

April 25 1941: Fine. Remained hidden all day. Informed no evacuation that night.April 26 1941: Fine and windy. Remained hidden till 1600hrs, then removed remainder to a spotabout three miles from beach. 1730hrs took over custody of two prisoners suspected of fifth columnactivities. Three men detailed for duty on beach. At 2115hrs remaining personnel and prisonersmoved down to the beach.April 27 1941: Still on beach, prisoners handed over at 0100hrs FSP. Embarked 0230hrs on HMT“Salween” and moved from “D” Beach at 0300hrs.Award of Military CrossIt was during the withdrawal at Lamia where Provost Officer Captain J.S Grimshaw won the MilitaryCross for his part in this action. It was conferred by Major General Herring Commanding 7 AustralianDivision.The Citation of Award for NX12506 Captain John Spillard Grimshaw reads as follows:“During the period 16-17 April at Lamia and 24-26 April at ‘C’ and ‘D’ beaches to the east of AthensCaptain Grimshaw, by sheer force of character, calm efficiency and personal example was a source ofinspiration for his own men. At Lamia he imposed discipline and orderly continuous movement ofvehicles within the area under his control, whilst directing traffic during periods of heavy air attacks.At ‘C’ and ‘D’ beaches his direction of traffic was of a high standard and materially affected thenumber of vehicles which were evacuated from these beaches”.Map showing area described in War Diary of 7 th Division Provost Company- 31 -

New Zealand Provost (Military Police)Let us not forget our Kiwi Military Police brothers who worked closely with the Australian MilitaryPolice.Sergeant Clive Hume VCSgt. Hulme a member of the New Zealand Provost corps attached to the 23 rd NZ Battalion FieldPunishment Centre in Crete was to be awarded one of the three (3) Victoria Crosses awarded during theBattle for Crete.During the attack Sgt Hulme was placed in charge of the allied prisoners who had been issued withrifles to defend the island. During the next eight (8) days Sgt. Hulme became alegend- he freed anumber of New Zealanders who had been capture by the Germans – took part in the charge at Galatasand he is credited with killing 33 Germans during this time.NursesAustralian Army Nurses served in all the campaigns in which Australians were involved during WorldWar II, Greece and Crete were no exceptions.Nurses were generally attached to Australian Casualty Clearing Stations (ACCS) which are usuallypositioned close to the front lines one such CCS was established at Larissa this enables injuries to betreated quickly and an assessment make for transfer back to an Australian General Hospital (AGH),where nurses and doctors are able to provide more intense or specialised medical services. TheAustralian General Hospital in Greece was 15 miles outside Athens at Kephissa.As the situation was deteriorating in Greece action was taken on the 19 th April to evacuate all thenurses of the 2/6 th AGH in conformity with Australian Governments direction that Australian Nurseswere not to be left in Greece. They were placed on 24hours notice to leave. Unfortunately the shipthey were to board did not arrive when another ship arrive it was unable to take all of the nurses.Australian Nursesawaiting evacuationfrom Greece 1941(AWM 087663)Col. (Matron)Kathleen BestOBE RRC- 32 -

On the 20 th the Hospital ship Oba arrived and again all the nurses could not be taken aboard due to aGerman air raid, only twenty four nurses and Matron J.S. Abbot were able to leave. It required anumber of attempts to evacuate all the nurses. On the 23 rd forty three nurses and nine masseuses wereevacuated the next group to be evacuated included 42 British and 40 Australian Nurses withColonel (Matron) Kathleen Best OBE RRC of 2/5 AGH was to be awarded the Royal Red Cross Medalfor her work.The Royal Red Cross MedalThe last group to be evacuated required a trip to the evacuation point at Nafplion which was not easyand on reaching Argos they were subject to an air attack and had to take refuge in a cemetery for nearlythe whole day. Typical Australians, they boiled the billy on a tombstone and had themselves a cup oftea. The Australian Nurses were accompanied by their sisters from New Zealand and 400 walkingwounded.On reaching Nafplion they boarded HMAS Voyager which took them to Crete, where they continued tolook after the casualties before being evacuated to Alexandria in Egypt before the fall of Crete.Unfortunately for the nurses those doctors and other members of the Medical Corps they had workedwith at the 2/5 AGH were captured by the Germans on the 27 th April 1941 and spent the rest of the waras POWs During their captivity they made a Australian Red Ensign Flag and it was signed by 55 ofthose who became POWs, the flag is now on display at the Australian War Memorial.The Australian Red EnsignWeary DunlopIt is little know that Major Edward (Weary) Dunlop was highly involved in the organisation of theMedical Services for the troops in Greece and Crete even though he did not go ‘in the bag’ with theGermans he was not so lucky in Singapore.Weary Dunlop arrived in Greece at 4.30pm on the 27 th April 1941 with the 2/3 CCS (Casualty ClearingStation) and also served with the 2/5 AGH & the 2/6 AGH (Australian General Hospital). He wasevacuated to Crete and served with the British 189 Field Ambulance and was evacuated from Cretebefore it fell to the Germans.It is reported that he carried a .45 Pistol and on occasions threatened to use.Recollections of a Greek Nurse (Zoe Tscukala Kakatoika)In 1940 I was asked to serve in an English Hospital in Athens because I could speak some English. Iwas asked to look after English and German soldiers.Unfortunately the English sisters some 231 left soon after I arrived so as not to be captured by theGermans. They sailed on the Ionia on the 29 April 1941as part of Convey G.A. 15 for Crete.The building which was being used as the hospital had been a luxury Hotel in the town of Kifissiabefore the war. Even though I was only 25year old at the time the soldiers would call me “MamaMana” - Nurses have mothers’ instincts.- 33 -

Eventually German Nurses arrived at the hospital – what a shock; they were fat, very huge and rude,something Greek Nurses could not understand as we were trained to be graceful and light movers andcharming.Australian Corps of SignalsThe Australian Corps of Signals sailed for Greece on the 1 st April 1941 on the Pennland, which wasunfortunately sunk during the evacuation. On their arrival they were moved to Perdikka (Florina Gap)and like most of the troops involved in the campaign they were continually on the move. As theGermans advanced they moved to Kozani then to Larissa (refer to comments by Frank McManus) thento Brallos Pass before being evacuated to Crete.The members of the Signals Corps were evacuated from Crete (Sunda Bay) on 18 th May 1941, theircasualties numbered 75 most became POWs.Troops being evacuatedfrom Canea (Sunda Bay)CreteMajor Paul Cohen (Cullen) 2/2 Australian Infantry BattalionPaul Cullen is an example of a ‘true blue Aussie’ and exemplifies the culture and character so wellknown of Australians.Major Paul Cohen (Cullen)Whilst engaging the Germans during the early days of the invasion and during the evacuation he andsome of his troops were cut off from the rest of the allies near Pinos Gorge. Showing initiative anddetermination he marched his small group of 12 Officers and 140 Other Ranks which included 21 NewZealanders to the coast near Karista to locate a boat to escape from Greece.Paul Cullen divided his group into small parties and he divided 200,000 drachma from the RegimentalFunds to each of the groups to assist with their escape. On the 25 th of April PAC and his group wereferried by the Greeks to Skialos and then by lugger to Chios.Whilst at Chios Paul Cullen obtained a loan of 150,000 drachma from a Greek Ship owner, N.G.Lemos to assist with their escape. Whilst they were only ten miles from Turkey it was decided itmight be dangerous to head in that direction as they were not sure if they might be handed over to theGermans. On the 29 th April they sailed for Crete arriving in Heraklion on the 5 th May.- 34 -

The route taken by Paul Cullen during his escape from Greece to CreteWhilst in Crete Paul Cullen was again involved in the rearguard action and was the last Australian to beevacuated to be evacuated from Crete having to swim to the last ship HMAS Nizam which wasevacuating the troops from Sfakia Beach.He had a number of near misses during his time in Greece on one occasion his uniform was holed byGerman Machine Gun fire during the Battle of Temple Gorge in Greece.After these near misses and being aware of how he might be treated because of being Jewish if heshould be captured by the Germans he changed his named to Cullen the name by which he is stillknown by to-day.The kidnapping of General KreipeOne of the little known actions which took place in Crete was the kidnapping of General Kreipe by theBritish (SOE) {Special Operations Executive} and a group of Cretan Partisans.The details of the kidnapping were restricted until 1950 when a movie “Ill Met by Moonlight” thestory of the kidnapping was released by the BBC.The original target was to be General Muller the brutal commander on Crete- his luck changed brieflyand he was transferred and replaced by General Heinrich Kreipe. Unfortunately for Muller his luckran out and he was captured and executed by the Greeks in Athens on 20 th May 1945.-35-

The Kidnap PlanThe kidnap was planned for April 26 and carried out successfully. The General and his abductorstravelled across Crete for seventeen (17) days where he was finally taken from Crete by launch fromRodakino about nine miles from Sphakia the beach used for the final evacuation of the allies fromCrete. In the group travelled 75 miles across the mountains of Crete in seven days to the beach fromwhich the General was to be removed from Crete.42 nd StreetIn 1940 as part of the defence of Crete a small group of Royal Engineers (42 nd Field Company) arrivedat Sunda Bay and set up camp in a dirt lane not far from Sunda Bay. They christened the area wherethey were camped ‘42 nd Street’ after the Ruby Keeler and Ginger Rogers Film 42 nd Street which hadbeen made in 1933.Map showing42 nd Street locationBritish Military Maps recorded the Sappers sense of humour and showed 42 nd Street on all future mapsissued to arriving troops in the future which included some 10,00 Greeks, 6,500 Diggers and 7,700Kiwis and 17,000 British who were to form ‘Creforce’ to defend Crete from invasion.- 36 -

42 nd Street gained importance in the first week of May 1941 when the Australians and New Zealanderscommenced their withdrawal towards Canea. By the 27 th May the weakened battalions occupied aline south from Sunda Bay to the foothills of the Malaxa escarpment [42 nd Street]. They were to bethe rear guard for the evacuating troops to the beaches at Sfakia.A view along42 nd StreetMay 1941The Australian Troops waited in the ‘Olive Grove’ of 42 nd Street and attacked the advancing Germansand caught them by surprise inflicting heavy casualties on the 141 st German Regiment [killed 200 bythe Australians the Maoris killed a further 80 and 4 Australians lost their lives].42 nd Street can still be found to-day if one knows where to look – To day it is known as ChickalarionStreet it is no longer dirt but paved and now includes a cold storage warehouse and a Peugeotdealership and the dirt embankment and olive grove are still there after 60 odd years.The aftermathOne of the by- products of any military campaign is the death of a number of those involved. Inactions which have involved Australians who have given their lives, their remains where ever possibleare honoured and remembered by being brought together and buried in War Cemeteries. TheseCemeteries which are in many countries are looked after by the Australian War Graves part of theCommonwealth War Graves CommissionPhaleron War Cemetery AthensThe Phaleron War Cemetery is on a sloping hill looking towards the Gulf of Saronika and the sea andthe Port of Piraeus, an area many of the Australians laying there at rest would remember.There are 2,028 Commonwealth serviceman of World War II buried or commemorated in the cemetery.Unfortunately like many War Cemeteries it also includes 596 burials who are unidentified andCommemorative Plaques for those whose individual graves cannot be precisely located.It also contains “The Phaleron Cremation Memorial” to the 74 men of the Indian Army who werecommitted to fire according to their religious rites.The Athens Memorial commemorated approximately 3,000 members of the Commonwealth Forceswho lost their lives during the campaigns of 1941, and 1944/45 and in the Dodecanese Islands in1943/45 and in Yugoslavia in 1943/45 and who have no known graves.- 37 -

Location of PhaleronWar Cemetery- AthensSunda Bay War Cemetery –CreteSunda Bay War Cemetery is located on the northern coast of Crete and is situated on a slope withviews of the sea and is located in an olive grove.The cemetery is now the resting place of 1,502 Commonwealth Servicemen who died defending Crete.The site was chosen after the war and enabled the transfer of remains from their original burial groundsat Iraklon, Rethymnon, Galata and Chania.Sunda Bay War Cemetery CreteAlso in Crete about 85 km from Sunda Bay on the coastal road in Stavromenos is a Memorial to theAustralian, British and Greek Serviceman and the Crete Partisans who help defend Crete.Australia –CanberaIn Australia the deeds of the Australians and Greeks in defending Greece and Crete is commemoratedby the Australian- Hellenic Memorial adjacent to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.Australian- HellenicMemorial- Canberra- 38 -

Australian Units who served in Greece and CreteGreeceHQ 1 Aust. CorpsHQ RAA 1 Aust. Corps1 Aust. Corps Field Cash Office1 Aust Corps Signals1 Aust Corps Salvage Unit1 Aust Corps Postal Unit1 Aust Corps Troop Supply Column1 Aust Corps Ammunition Park1 Aust Corps Petrol Park1 Aust Corps Anti Tank Regiment6 th DivisionHQ 6 th Division6 th Division Cavalry RegimentArtilleryHQ 6 th Division RAA2/1; 2/2; 2/3 Field Regiments2/3; 2/4; Light A.A Regiments; 2/7 LAA (Battery)2/1 Anti Tank Regiment16 Anti Tank CompanyEngineersHQ RAEHQ Corps Tps Engr.2/1; 2/2; 2/8 Field Companies2/2 Field Park CompanySignals6 th Division SignalsInfantryHQ 16 th Infantry Brigade2/1; 2/2; 2/3 Infantry BattalionsHQ 17 th Infantry Brigade2/5; 2/6; 2/7 Infantry BattalionsHQ 19 th Infantry Brigade2/4; 2/8; 2/11 Infantry Battalions2/2 Machine Gun Battalion18 th Infantry Training BattalionService CorpsHQ ASC6 th Division Supply Column6 th Division Ammunition Company6 th Division Petrol CompanyMedical5 th ; 6 th ; 8 th Aust General Hospitals (AGH)2/1 st Motor Ambulance Convoy (MAC)2/1 st ; 2/3 rd Casualty Clearing Stations (CCS)2/1 st & 2/3 rd Field Hygiene Sections2/1 st ; 2/2 nd ; 2/7 th Field AmbulanceProvost1 Aust Corps Provost Company6 th Division Provost Company7 th Division Provost CompanySupport Units2/2 Aust Field Workshops80 Light aid Detachment (LAD)6 th Division Salvage Company6 th Division Field Cash Office- 39 -6 th Division Postal Unit2/2 Ordnance Store Company6 th Division Employment Platoon6 th Division Reception Camp7 th Division Reception CampHQ Guard BattalionAIF Adm. HQAust. Army Canteen ServiceCreteHQ 16 th ; 17 th ; 19 th BrigadeArtillery2/2; 2/3 Field Regiments7 th LAA BatteryEngineers2/1Field Company; 2/8 Field Company (strength of 150)2/2 Field Park CompanySignals1 Aust Corps Signals6 th Division SignalsInfantry2/1; 2/2; 2/3; 2/4; 2/5; 2/6; 2/7; 2/8; 2/11 Battalions2/1 Machine Gun BattalionMedical5 th Aust General Hospital2/1; 2/2 2/7 Field AmbulanceProvost6 th Division Provost Company7 th Division Provost CompanyOrdnance Provost SectionOrdnance2/1 Ordnance Store Company2/2 Ordnance Store Company40 Base Ordnance Depot (BOD)Support Units2/2 Aust Field Workshops40; 80 Light Aid Detachments (LAD)HQ AIF Postal Unit6 th Division Postal UnitHQ 6 th DivisionHQ 1 Aust Corps6 th Division Field Cash OfficeHQ Base Area Unit Finance Section16 th Brigade 2/2 & 2/3 Composite Battalions17 th Brigade 2/5 & 2/6 Composite Battalions

Units/Formations other than Australian involved in the Greek and Crete CampaignCountry Greece CreteNew Zealand 4 th Brigade5 th Brigade6 th Brigade27 th Machine Gun Battalion1 st New Zealand Hospital4 th , 5 th & 6 th Field Ambulance4 th Field Hygiene Sec.4 th Brigade – 18 th & 19 th Infantry Battalions5 th Brigade – 21 st & 22 nd 28 th (Maori) InfantryBattalionsNZF Composite Infantry Battalion10 th Brigade- 20 th &23 rd BattalionsDivisional Cavalry Regiment.4 th Field Regiment1 st Battalion Rangers.Engineers DetachmentProvost – 23 rd NZ Battalion Field PunishmentBritain1 st Armoured Brigade2 nd Armoured Brigade3 rd Royal Tank Regiment2 nd Royal Horse Artillery64 th Medium RegimentKings Royal Rifles26 th British General Hospital189 Field Ambulance- 4 th & 168 thLight Field Ambulance24 th Casualty Clearing Station.48 th Field Hygiene7 th Advanced Depot Medical StoresAmbulance Car CompanyRAF UnitsCentre14 th Brigade – 4 Battalions; Kings Royal Rifles2 nd Battalion Black Watch Regiment2 nd Battalion Yorks & Lancaster Regiment2 nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment1 st Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders1 st Battalion Welsh Regiment2 Commando UnitsRoyal Marine Detachment ( 2 Sections)1 st Armoured Brigade3 rd Hussars (13 light Tanks)7 th Royal Tank Regiment (8 Matilda Tanks)Northumberland Hussars106 th Royal Horse Artillery (used as Infantry)7 th Medium Regiment RA (used as Infantry)102 nd Anti-Tank (used as Infantry)234 th Medium Battery; 156 th Light Anti AircraftBattery; 5 th Coastal Defence Regiment42 nd Field Company Royal Engineers187 th Field AmbulanceGreek12 th Division, 19 th ; 20 th Division21 st RegimentWest Macedonian ArmyCentral Macedonian Army(22 Divisions)Epirus ArmyDodecanese Regiment5 th Cretan DivisionPalestinians & Cypriots (4,670)Cretan Gendarmerie [Police Force] (800)1 st Greek Regiment (Kastelli Kissamou)2 nd ; 3 rd ; 4 th Greek Regiments5 th ; 6 th ; 7 th ; 8 th Greek Regiments‘Royal Perivolians’ Composite BattalionCretan IrregularsGerman2 nd Armoured Division1 st Assault Regiment -5 Battalions9 th Armoured Division7 th Air Division -1 st ,2 nd & 3 rd Parachute112 th Reconnaissance UnitRegiments (each 3 Battalions)Kleists’ Panzer Group4 th & 5 th Mountain Divisions40 th Corps SS Adolf Hitler Division 11/100 th Mountain Regiment31 st Armoured Regiment – 1 Battalion5 th Gebirg Division – a Panzer Battalion & aMotorcycle Battalion- 40 -

List of some of the ships involved during the Battle of Greece and CreteBattleshipsHMS Barham (damaged)HMS Warspite (Flagship)HMS Valiant (damaged)Heavy CruisersHMS Ajax (sunk)HMS Calcutta; HMS Carlisle; HMS CoventryHMS Gloucester (sunk)HMS HermesHMS OrionHMS PhoebeHMS York (sunk)Light CruisersHMAS PerthAircraft CarriersHMS FormidableHMS Illustrious (damaged)MinesweepersHMS Flamingo (sunk)HMS Hyacinth (sunk) [Corvette]HMS MurotoHMS Salvia (sunk)Hospital ShipsOba ; DorsetshireArmed Merchant VesselsMV DelosTransports (HMT)HMS Glenearn (damaged)HMS GlengyleHMS GlenreyHMT Pentland (sunk)HMT Ulster Prince (sunk)Landing CraftLCT- Landing Craft TankLCA- Landing Craft Assault/TroopsLCM- Landing Craft Mechanised/VehiclesGreeceDestroyersHMAS StuartHMAS Vampire; Vendetta; VoyagerHMAS WaterhenHMS Decoy; Defender; Diamond (sunk)HMS Griffin; GrimbsyHMS Hasty; Havock; Hereward; Hero; HotspurHMS IsisHMS Kandahar; Kimberley; KingstonHMS NubianHMS Wryneck (sunk)HMS York (sunk)TransportsMV. CameroniaSS ArdybankSS British Lord (damaged)SS British Science [oiler] (sunk)SS CherryleafSS City of LondonSS Clan Frazer (destroyed)SS Costa Rica (sunk)SS Cyprian Prince (sunk)SS DelaneSS Devis (sunk)SS DilwarraSS ItriaSS Ionia ( evacuated nurses)SS KirklandSS Khendive IsmailSS Northern Prince (sunk)SS Port HalifaxSS RocosSS RunoSS Salmat (sunk)SS SalweenSS Scottish Prince (damaged)SS TetiSS ThermoniSS Thurland CastleSS ZealandNaval Oil TankerRFA BrambleleafUnknown designationHMS Bonaventure (sunk)HMS Auckland- 41 -

Naval Battle Maps- 42 -

CruiserHelle (sunk)SubmarinePapantkolisTransportsSS Bantia; SS Salmat (sunk) all on board lost.MV Hellas (sunk)GreekDestroyersHydra (sunk)OilersNicholas Embririos (sunk); SolheimKoulanders Xenos ; Homefield (sunk)Peridies (sunk)Danish OilersMarie Maersk (sunk)E. Lonora MaerskOther NationsItalianBattleshipVitoria Vineto (Flagship) (damaged)CruisersFlume (sunk); Pola (sunk); Zara (sunk)Angelo CabriniDestroyersAlfieri (sunk); Carducci (sunk); Tullis Tedeschi;Garibaldi Alruzzi; Trento; Triestes; BolzanoTorpedo BoatLupoBattleshipsHMS Valiant (damaged)HMS Warspite (damaged)Heavy CruisersHMS Ajax (damaged)HMS Calcutta (sunk) HMS Carlisle (damaged)HMS CoventryHMS DidoHMS Fiji (sunk)HMS Gloucester (sunk)HMS Naiad (damaged)HMS Orion (sunk)HMS PhoebeHMS York (sunk)Light CruisersHMAS PerthAircraft CarrierHMS Formidable(damaged)SubmarinesHMS Thrasher; HMS TorbaySunderland Flying Boat.CreteDestroyersHMAS Napier; Nestor (sunk); Nizam (damaged)HMAS StuartHMAS Vampire; Vendetta; VoyagerHMAS WaterhenHMS Decoy; DefenderHMS Greyhound (sunk)HMS Hasty; Havock; Hero; Hereward (sunk);HotspurHMS Ilex; Imperial (sunk)HMS Jackal; Jaguar; Janus; Javlin; Jervis;Juno (sunk)HMS Kandahar; Kashmir (sunk); Kelly (sunk);Kelvin; Kimberley; Kingston; KiplingHMS NubianMinelayerHMS AbdielHMT GlengyleTransportsSS CossiebankSS CorinthiaSS Rawnsley (sunk)- 43 -

Naval CasualtiesType of Ship Sunk Damaged Killed WoundedAircraft Carrier 1Battleship 3Cruisers 3 6Destroyers 6 9Crew 2000 500Military Casualties CreteKilled Wounded POW Evacuated1742 1737 11,833 7,000 British3,000 Australians4,500 New Zealanders* The Greek casualties are unknown.30 Squadron – Blenheims203 Squadron – Blenheims33 Squadron – Hurricanes80 Squadron – Hurricanes & Gladiators112 Squadron – Hurricanes & GladiatorsSunderland Flying BoatsRoyal Air ForceFleet Air Arm805 Squadron – Flumes & SwordfishBlenheim Bombers used during the Battle for CreteHurricane Fighter used during the Crete Campaign- 44 -

Service details of some of the Military Police who served in the Greek and Crete CampaignRankSurnameForenamesRegimentService No.Age.Date of DeathCommemorationAdditionalInformationCasualties- Australian Army Provost Corps buried Phaleron War Cemetery GreeceLance CorporalRankJERROMSurnameRoy MatthewForenamesAustralian Army Provost Corps Unit TextVX15471Regiment24Service No.27 th May 1941AgeATHENS MEMORIAL Date of DeathGreece Face 12CommemorationSon of Roy Clarence and Ida AdditionalLouise JerromInformation- 45 -Lance CorporalBARNESAlbert George AshworthA.I.F. 1 Corps Pro. CoyAustralian Army Provost CorpsVX366622929 th March 1941Phaleron War CemeteryGreece. 3.A.20Son of George & Margaret BarnesHusband of Moira Evelyn Barnes

RankSurnameForenamesUnit TextRegimentService NoAgeDate of DeathCommemorationAdditionalInformationLance CorporalMONKHance RobertA.I.F. 1 Corps Prov. CompanyAustralian Army Provost CorpsVX437842723 rd April 1941Phaleron War CemeteryGreece. 3.B.11Son of Hance & Alice Monk ofTalbot Victoria.Phaleron War Cemetery Athens- 46 -

The grave of L/Cpl BarnesPlaques in the Memorial Walkway Australian War Memorial Canberra- 47 –

Nominal Rolls Provost Corps1 Australian Provost CompanyPersonnelRemarksCaptain Henry LewisOfficer CommandingVX7482 Captain John Hazel MID2IC – former 7939- CSM 18 th ASC WWIVX36662 L/Cpl Albert George Barnes KIA 29/3/1941SX5599 Sgt (Capt) Thomas BlackmoreSgt GossVX31217 Cpl John GrahamVX6009 Cpl (Lt) James GreyTrans to14 Ind Bde GP Provost PlatoonVX40256 Lt Lester GaffneyVX15471 L/Cpl Roy Matthew Jerrom KIA 27/5/1941L/Cpl McGregorL/Cpl MoonVX43184 L/Cpl Hance Monk KIA 23/4/1941VX25038 Cpl (Lt) Bernard PattonTrans to LHQVX26543 Cpl Thomas PetersonL/Cpl RouselVX24444 Cpl (Lt) James PreeceVX30911 Cpl Ira Vender SmithVX26035 Capt Aubrey SmithTrans to 9 DivWO I.F. HarrisDave PrionFred MundayRobert (Bob) JonesCharles (Charlie) WhiteL/Sgt Jon Hurford6 th Division Provost CompanyPersonnelRemarksSX4121 Capt (Maj) William KingOfficer CommandingVX9778 Maj Thomas Duncan Cunningham Enlisted Militia V81362)- Vic Police OfficerCapt (Major) Godfrey HawkerDAPM 6 DivisionCapt Robert ForsythWX1501 S/Sgt (WO1) Thomas Osborne MMSgt HicksSgt KerrSgt PhillipsDvr NottSgt John TaylorColour Patches worn by Provost Companies Greece/Crete Campaign1 st Australian Corps Provost 6 th Division Provost Company 7 th Division Provost CompanyCompany- 48 -

7 th Division Provost CompanyPersonnelNX12506 Capt. (Lt Col) John Grimshaw MCSX5597 Lt Stewart M JonesL/Cpl BatenbyL/Cpl BarnesCpl BarringtonL/Cpl ClarkeCpl DelaneySgt FinchSgt GeorgeSgt HarrisL/Cpl HurstNX18016 L/Cpl Kenneth LaughtonCpl Robert McPhersonCpl McEvoyCpl H.J MurraySgt MaddernNX27366 L/Cpl Harvey William MallyonCpl PearceL/Cpl PottsL/Cpl SwinfieldNX14771 Sgt (Lt) Edwin Trench MMSgt WaltonNX21614 Cpl Norman Mc FarlandOther involved in the CampaignMajor E. J. Lane DAPMVX29226 Major Alexander ForsterRemarksOfficer CommandingTaken POWKIA 12/1/1943 New GuineaRecruiting poster painted by Sir William Dargie of Senior Sergeant Tom Osborne MMdirecting traffic at Lamia during the withdrawal from Greece the picture depictedthe Military Police in their combat role.- 49 -

Recollections of an Australian/Greek Veteran –Sgt Michael (Mick) Doulis 2/1 st Field CompanyEngineersIn the words of Mick Doulis as a boy growing up in Australia I thought that the learning of Greek ‘wasa waste of time’. He was to find that his ability to speak Greek would be most helpful during hisservice in Greece and Crete during the occupation of these countries during World War II.Mick was to remain behind in Crete after the withdrawal of the 6 th Division in 1941 and was to earn thedistinction of being one of the few Australian soldiers to remain on active duty during the occupation.During his thirteen months on Crete he was working for the British Intelligence Service one of his roleswas liaising with the Cretan Resistance.Whilst the locals were able to tell he was not a local due to his accent the Germans were unable to tellthe difference when he was dressed as a Greek and was able to produce Greek identity papers. He wasable to achieve his function of obtaining information for British Intelligence by volunteering to workfor the Germans when other Greeks would not the Germans thought that he was pro-German. One ofhis roles was to locate the German ammunition and fuel dumps pass the information on to the British.The Resistance would then blow them up using their own explosives.During his time in Crete he was captured twice and escaped both times. When he was finallyevacuated to the Middle East he realise how valuable he was as the Germans had placed a bounty ofone million Marks on his head.Mick Doulis- 50 -

BibliographyAustralian Corps of Signals – Story of the Australian Corps of Signals – AWM 1953.Baker Kevin- Paul Cullen – Citizen and Soldier Rosenberg Publishing 2005Beevor Anthony – Crete the Battle & the Resistance – Penguin Books Australia 1991Department of Veterans Affairs A Great Risk in a Good Cause- Australians in Greece & CreteApril & May 1941 – DVA 2001Edwards Geoffrey. The Road to Prevelly – E.G. Edwards- 1989Hellenic- Australian Memorial Park Rethymno-Crete DVA 2001Firkins Peter. The Australians in Nine Wars- Waikato to Long Tan – Rigby Ltd 1971Johnstone Norman. ‘Dearest Geraldine’- Letters from a soldier. – Norman Johnstone -2003Kokanas N.A. M.D. - The Cretan Resistance 1941-1945 - The Official British Report 1945N.A Kokanas CreteLaffin John. Anzacs at War –Castle Books 1982Liddel-Hart B.H. History of the Second World War - Pan Books 1973Long Gavin, Australians in the War of 1939-1945, Greece Crete & Syria- Australian War Memorial1953Macdougall G. K. Australians at War – Pictorial History – Five Mile Press P/L 2002Odgers G. Army Australia – an Illustrated History - Childs & Associates 19882/4 Aust Infantry Battalion Association White over Green – A History of the 2/4 Battalion.Angus & Robertson 1963Wahlert G.The other Enemy? – Australian Soldiers and the Military Police. Oxford UniversityPress Melbourne 1999.Walsh Matthew – Personal Oral Interviews conducted with Veterans.After the Battle No 47 Battle of Britain Prints International Ltd. London 1985Wartime – The Australian Experience of War- Issue 15- The official magazine of the Australian WarMemorial 2001.-51 -

The authorMatt Walsh JP. MLO ALGA (MCAE), Dip Bus & Corp Law (CPS)was called up for National Service in 1957 and received a deferment, by late 1958 he had become tiredof waiting and enlisted in the local Citizen Military Forces (CMF) Unit, 19 Company (Tipper) RoyalAustralian Army Service Corps (RAASC) at Ashfield. He was to later find out that this was the sameunit that his grandfather had served in during World War I.In 1959 he was finally called up for National Service serving with the 13 th National Service TrainingBattalion at Ingleburn on completion of his full time service he was posted back to 19 Coy RAASC,until the cessation of National Service in 1960.In 1961 he re-enlisted in the CMF with 5 Field Squadron Royal Australian Engineers (RAE) in 1963transferred to 1 Division Provost Company (Military Police) and then to 2 Division Provost Company,he took his discharge in November 1969 with the rank of Sergeant.He has served on the Executive Committee of the Defence Reserves Association (NSW), the MilitaryPolice Association of Australia and the NSW Military Police Association, the Joint Committee for theCommemoration of the Battle for Crete and the Greek Campaign, the Reserve Forces Day Council, theAshfield RSL Sub Branch and the NSW National Serviceman’s Association and is a Director of TheArmy Museum of New South Wales Foundation.He has been awarded the ’Australian Defence Medal‘ and the ‘Anniversary of National Service Medal’in January 2006 he was awarded the ‘Australia Day Achievement Medallion by the National AustraliaDay Council in 2007 he was appointed a “Member of the Order of Liverpool” by the Council of theCity of Liverpool. . In 2002 he wrote the “History of Ingleburn Military Camp” which now formspart of a Schools Military History Program which he developed and is being used in the New SouthWales Schools and in England (City of London) the Canadian Education system and two Schools inGreece and Schools on the Somme in France..- 52 -