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By: - 11th May 2011 at 17:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Crete
I was there a couple of years ago and hired a car for a day trip up into the mountains, right above the main cruise port.
Some pics for you of a rather sad ex museum which was not open, but seems to have some wartime vehicles parked up. Poss. German (not my bag)
Have a good treasure hunt.
By: - 11th May 2011 at 17:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Well the M.A.N truck is definitely German, though I am not sure if it is WW2. The other truck doesn't look very kraut, but that's a feeling rather than knowledge.
The AA gun is Bofors, not German WW2 kit, more likely British.
I have suddenly realised I have no idea how the Germans eventually left Crete. I certainly can't recall an allied invasion, so I'm guessing they just went home when the final whistle blew?
Moggy
By: - 11th May 2011 at 18:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
You ought to get a good book about the German invasion before you go; I once spent a week in Guernsey and assumed, quite wrongly, that I’d be able to buy a copy of the ‘After the Battle’ book on the islands. I got the book soon after I got home but it would have made my visit much more enjoyable had I done my reading before...
...not sure I could say the same for the wife’s holiday though! :diablo:
By: - 11th May 2011 at 18:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
There's an F-5 on a pole outside the main entrance to Heraklion airport.
I didn't get the chance to photograph it - and I'm not sure its allowed - it's at the entrance to the military part of the airport. :eek:
I also saw a Ka-29/32 as we taxied in - but again, no photo op.
Ken
By: - 11th May 2011 at 19:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Moggy.
Get the May/June issue of the Armourer which is out now. It contains three articles on Crete as this year is the 70th Anniversary of the landings. It seems some of the places you might want to visit include:
Suda Bay Commonwealth Cemetery.
German Military Cemetery at Maleme.
German gun emplacement and tunnels at Platanias. (Apparently this MAY be opening as a Museum around May 21st? Contact appears to be Kyriakos Lovrantakis and his English wife, Nicola.)
Maritime Museum of Crete, Chania. Looks like this place has some displays relating to the battle and some artefacts.
Historical Folk Art Museum at Rethymnon.
Captain Charles Upham, a New Zealander, won the first of his two V.C.'s on Crete. Wikipedia link follows:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Upham
Hope this is useful.
Regards,
kev35
By: - 11th May 2011 at 20:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I was there for a week several years ago 15ish ? and went on an organised coach trip to various parts of the island, one stop was at a British war cemetry attached to a Naval installation ..... they do not like cameras at all !! before we were allowed to disembark the coach we were all "looked at" in depth by an armed sailor ! to ensure we had no cameras !!
You must remember that, technicaly, Greece is still "at war" ????
But a supurb place for looking at many era's of life all on a small island !
Keith.
By: - 11th May 2011 at 20:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Crete
I spent a week in Crete near Maleme. I didn't know at the time but Maleme was where the German paratroopers had landed in WW2.
We drove up into the hills near there and visited a village perched above a valley miles from anywhere and thought we might find a place to eat. It was a collection of houses grouped around a small square on a hillside and all the shutters were down - it was like walking in a ghost town. It seemed strange, the middle of the day and no-one about. So much for the famed Cretan hospitality, we thought.
One of the shutters was slightly ajar and we saw a small face peeping out. We enquired if anywhere was open where we might get something to eat. There was a cry "Ah English!" and all the shutters and doors flew open, tables and cloths came out, food aplenty and lots of smiling village folk.
Then I was every inch an eighties man - longish hair, largeish moustache and with my blonde hair and blue eyes they had thought I was a German and hadn't wanted to serve us! Needless to say, after it was ascertained we were "friendlies" no effort was spared to provide us with all we wanted for a slap-up meal - all at no charge.
Visited a local market place and one of the traders was selling WW2 German steel helmets for about a fiver apiece. I'm sorry to say I didn't get one. They were painted white, presumably for use in hot climes.
The Germans lost a lot of stuff on Crete and I bet some of it still lies amongst the hills above Maleme.
Anon.
By: - 11th May 2011 at 20:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sporades anything?
Sorry different area but sort of same question. I'm off to the small island of Alonnissos at the end of June. I know some of the history of the Island in WW2 as I have been visiting the island for many years. Recently the no dive policy has been lifted (it is a nature reserve with a lot of antiquities in and around the seabed). The Germans garrisioned the island does anyone know of any other interesting facts or events surrounding the area.
By: - 12th May 2011 at 09:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Moggy.German gun emplacement and tunnels at Platanias. (Apparently this MAY be opening as a Museum around May 21st? Contact appears to be Kyriakos Lovrantakis and his English wife, Nicola.)
kev35
I got quite excited about this, but a quick check reveals it's about 200k from Mrs Migginsopulus's Boarding House where we are staying.
Moggy
By: - 12th May 2011 at 09:48 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Give up Moggy and just enjoy the pool/beach! Nothing there that would interest me. I always do some foreward planning before booking a holiday, to ensure there is some aviation museum or airport/air base nearby, as frying on the beach every day is not my cup of tea!
By: - 12th May 2011 at 09:54 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
'Frying' doesn't do it for me either, but lounging in the shade with a good book and unlimited supplies of free booze, between snorkelling expeditions does.
:D:D:D
Moggy
By: - 12th May 2011 at 11:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Anon is right about the anti-German sentiment; we noticed it strongly, even just a couple of years ago. The local guides took great delight in pointing out the spot where the SOE and local partisans kidnapped the German Military Commandant.
Some of the Minoan stuff really is worth seeing... but sad to say the most memorable aviation-related experience may well be fighting your way through Heraklion airport
By: - 12th May 2011 at 14:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Soggy calling Moggy...
Beyond the Fallschirmjaeger, this is not aviation-related, but I am sure most all here would be aware of the Kondomari Massacre, and I hesitate to mention it as it is a very sad subject with which to send you on your way on a happy vacation.
You might wish to remember it as part of the Island's history during your visit.
I hope you don't mind my mentioning it.
For those wishing to learn more, but please be aware that there are distressing images and the subject matter is just one reason why feelings still run high on the Island.
Moggy, delete all this if you think it unhelpful.
By: - 12th May 2011 at 15:57 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
A dreadful set of images indeed. It was really hard work scrolling down through them, certain of what was to come.
However I see no reason to delete your post. Indeed every reason to thank you for posting the information and the link
Moggy
By: - 12th May 2011 at 16:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I agree with Moggy.
Far from pleasant reading but war never is and your post is a graphic reminder of that. I had a vague memory of a massacre on Crete but couldn't recall the detail. Every army has its heroes and its villains, there was one of each in that story and for very different reasons.
Regards,
kev35
By: - 13th May 2011 at 06:57 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Answering my own earlier question
Finally, with the advance of the Red Army and the desertion of Romania and Bulgaria, the Germans were forced to evacuate mainland Greece in October 1944, although isolated garrisons remained in Crete, the Dodecanese and various other Aegean islands until the end of the war in May 1945.
Can't have been a bad posting, partisans apart.
Moggy
By: - 13th May 2011 at 07:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
If I've read this correctly, and being in German that is by no means guaranteed, it seems that there are 4,465 Germans interred in the Soldatenfriedhof at Maleme, all deaths occurring between 1941 and 1945. Included in this total are Fallschirmtruppe, Gebirgstruppe, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine. Of that total, some 3,352 lost their lives in the Battle for Crete between 20th May and 1st June 1941.
According to my reckoning, 1,113 were killed or died as part of the occupation. While having no way of knowing how many died in accidents, of illness or were killed by Partisans, perhaps it wasn't quite the pleasant posting one may have imagined.
Regards,
kev35
By: - 13th May 2011 at 07:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I think I'd prefer to take my chances with the Cretans rather than freezing my knackers off outside Stalingrad though.
1,100 deaths in around 1,400 days, take from that the wounded from the invasion, accidents, illness. Given the choice where would you fancy Kev, even the fatherland flak battalions must have had a greater loss rate?
Moggy
By: - 13th May 2011 at 07:24 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Dead is dead.
Regards,
kev35
By: - 13th May 2011 at 07:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hello Moggy,
This might be of interest http://www.my-crete-site.co.uk/maleme_20_may.htm
lots found Googling ,have a great trip .
Posts: 16,832
By: Moggy C - 11th May 2011 at 16:17
It's what the title say really.
I'm off to Crete for a week soon and am looking for any tips about the worthwhile places to visit.
Obviously WW2-related for preference, though doubtless I'll end up 'doing' something Minoan too.
Moggy