Re: The lack of communications. I believe that the Allied forces used captured German radios due to the lack of radio sets as well. Spider
Cretan police? Even though I knew about them, it still sounds like a very interesting topic. Do you (or anyone else) have any more info about their involvement in the struggle? Don't know about the police but civilians got involved. To this day one can still meet Cretans who remember those days. The Cretans were pretty well unarmed and so they picked up what they could to fight with. After the war their view was: "never again will we face an invader unarmed" and so many of them kept a little something under the bed for future use - much to the annoyance of the government in Athens. There is an old boy in the centre of the island (if he is still alive) who started picking stuff up during the battle, when he was about 12. Needless to say he now has a massive collection of stuff. Anyone who gets a chance should visit him. He has about three words of English but loves the British and so one is made very welcome. They saw none of their own troops (as has been said before) and so have a great affection for the Commonwealth troops who did their best to defend the island. I recommend a visit to the German Cemetery overlooking the airfield too. Don't try to visit the airfield though. Last time I looked, it was still in military hands and they are very twitchy about things like that in Greece.
A few pictures from Wiki taken at Maleme Crete Malemes. - damaged airplane Junkers Ju 52 (identification 1Z+BA) on airfield. In the foreground Krad with sidecar and paratroopers Headlines: Crete, collecting station of the general air things master Description: Southeast front. A collecting station of the general air things master on Crete. With the employment damaged Jus is again prepared.
That looks like the wrecks have been gathered in one of the RAF airfields - ssee the old fighter pits??? Possibly the Boneyard at Maleme; Flypast had an article a couple of months back based around a set of shots of Maleme boneyard. The Cretans were pretty well unarmed and so they picked up what they could to fight with. After the war their view was: "never again will we face an invader unarmed" and so many of them kept a little something under the bed for future use - much to the annoyance of the government in Athens. The Metaxas government had had to specifically disarm the Islanders in 1938 after a short rising against the Athens administration. Crete had a long history of armed Republican sentiment - and regarded themselves as being left defenceless by Athens - especially once the 5th (Cretan) Division was posted away to the mainland. The British had wanted to arm and train a replacement division on the island prior to the invasion, but couldn't get agreement with Athens; similarly London had to halt an attempt by SOE to set up an early and well-armed "stay-behind" guerilla organisation in the few weeks immediately before the invasion. After the war as Greece entered its Civil War....the Athens government rapidly changed its view on the Cretans being armed For with so many of the population being armed or having access to weapons, the Communists never managed to get a decent foothold on the island during the Emergency, despite ELAS being very active during the war only shortly before.
A documentary I watched the other day about the invasion of Crete, a local being interviewed brought a MP40 out from his house complete with ammo. He said he took it from a container dropped by the Germans when they were landing.
Attacking a British Position on Crete. Possibly with a well placed stick grenade? Then the British Soldiers surrendering. 1. 2. 3. 4.
I once heard a war photographer say on TV that if a picture, such as those above, is well framed then it has been spoofed after the event that it puports to show.
I can't see how or why they would re enact the capture of some British POW's. I think those shots are perfectly plausable. Sapper a WW2 Vet said on here if the camera man is in front of the soldiers it is probably set up. As you can see the photographer is hiding behind the wall at the point of a explosion (I presume a grenade). Anyway I think they are real. Regards Andy
