HMNZS CANTERBURY Commemorates The Battle of Crete
This month marks the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Crete. As we take time to remember those who served and fought in this battle, we can also remember that 25 years ago, in Crete, the Royal New Zealand Navy was a significant participant in the 50th anniversary.
On 18 March 1991, HMNZS CANTERBURY sailed from Auckland to Greece, where her crew attended the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Crete.
The first port of call when the ship arrived at Crete was to Heraklion on the north-east of the island. A memorial service and parade was held in the city square. After the service, the festivities started and it was evident that New Zealand’s involvement in the Battle for Crete had not been forgotten by the locals. The Report of Proceedings captures the mood noting that, “On completion of the parade, the town square became a festival stage with traditional music and dancing. Free raki was available, but it was not popular with the sailors and was variously described as kerosene or firewater. Beer was very much the preferred choice, with some chancing their arm with the local ouzo and retsina. The dancing and festivities went on for several hours…”
The ship’s company attended various commemorative services during the next few days and at times the respect accorded them was overwhelming. On one occasion at a small service, a local approached a group from the ship’s company on his hands and knees with a sign in English that read, “Thank you for returning”.
After a busy time at Heraklion, CANTERBURY sailed the short distance to Souda Bay, the main naval base in Southern Greece. Ships from the Royal Navy were already alongside and a passing comment overheard as CANTERBURY berthed was, “Do they polish her with Neopol?” — a wonderful compliment to the appearance of the ship, and something to make any Chief Bosun’s Mate proud.
A particular highlight was New Zealand Day at Galatas, a small town where a significant amount of fierce hand-to-hand fighting had occurred during the battle. The church in the town square, which had been used as a field hospital had apparently changed hands five times as the battle waxed and waned. The Maori Cultural Group entertained everyone in the Galatas town square and concluded with a stirring haka, which was performed close to 42nd Street — the scene of the attack on Germans by the 28th Maori Battalion.
According to the Report of Proceedings, “The crowd which numbered many hundreds was dumbstruck and the ovation at the end was deafening. Many of the locals related their experiences with the Maori Battalion during the war and one old man related his memory of the famous bayonet charge through the streets of Galatas.”
Stephen Dravitzki (Leading PTI): “The Maori haka on a hill in a village (Galatas) was a highlight … people were crying and it was extremely moving for all the team. Stories were told and people rejoiced……very memorable”.
Some amazing things occurred in Galatas that day. An elderly lady had stood in the town square since dawn and had approached anyone with “New Zealand” shoulder flashes on their uniforms with the name of a New Zealand veteran written on a piece of paper. Amazingly, the veteran was located among the group present! It turned out the lady had kept three Kiwis hidden for three years before they were discovered by the Germans. The veteran had walked down to see the house, but had no idea the lady would still be there so hadn’t knocked on the door. She had been awarded a commendation by General Harold Alexander after the war, which she had at hand.
Nick Boag (Able Seaman): “We spent an entire afternoon walking door to door with this old chap who wanted to find the people who hid him from the Germans. When we finally found them, the people were long dead but the daughter was still there and she welcomed him back like family. Fair bit of dust in the air that afternoon……. “
Similarly, a Kiwi veteran during the war had handed his British watch to a local when he was rounded up by the Germans shortly after the fighting had finished. At Galatas, both the veteran and the person who had been given the watch were reunited and the watch was returned − after 50 years. In another incident, so the story goes, another veteran walked up a small hill and retrieved the toilet bag that he had buried during the fighting!
Bruce Johnson (Sub-Lieutenant, Navigating Officer): “The thing I remember most is the sense of gratitude that the people of Crete still felt towards the Allies and New Zealanders in general. It didn’t matter where you went, as soon as people found out you were a New Zealander their response was overwhelming hospitality and embracement.”
Later that day, the Commanding Officer and members of the ship’s company attended a memorial service at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery at Souda Bay, where 446 New Zealanders lay buried. This cemetery is recognised as one of the most beautiful CWGC cemeteries in the world. Its beauty and significance were not lost on those attending.
The final full day in Crete saw many of the ship’s company attend a commemoration at Sfakia, the place from which many retreating soldiers had been evacuated by the Royal Navy to Egypt. The 130km drive across the steep and rugged White Mountains took three hours − somewhat easier than the march during the 1941 withdrawal. Many of the veterans had forgotten how difficult that march had been.
After the ceremony on the Sfakia foreshore, a glendi (feast) was held outside at a local hotel. It was not long before the traditional dancing commenced, and the locals started randomly firing handguns (live ammunition) in celebration. Apparently this is a Cretan custom, which still takes visitors by surprise, even when warned.
It was a tired but satisfied ship’s company that prepared the ship for her departure.
Chris White (Chief Writer, Captain’s Secretary): “Attending the 50th commemorations of the Battle for Crete was undoubtedly a career highlight, and it provided a rare opportunity to rub shoulders with our veterans − many of whom will now have now passed on. It was also a time in which it was very gratifying to see what an impact ordinary Kiwis had made in a time of crisis for Crete. The contributions that New Zealand made in that battle have never been forgotten by the Cretans − something that those present at the 50th anniversary were made acutely aware of. It was a proud time for all involved.”
Mike Franklin, Commanding Officer, remembers:
A highlight for Kiwis was the New Zealand-led celebration in the town of Galatas. After the usual speeches and laying of wreaths, our Maori Cultural Group performed a haka. This was a very special haka, as it was to commemorate the famous haka performed by the Maori Battalion before their charge down 42nd street. The group were well aware of the fact that they were following in the footsteps of their forefathers, even to the extent that they performed in uniform. The emotion and intensity of the haka was such that the majority ended up with blood running down their chests into their whites.
One very interested spectator was a small, old Cretan woman who after the performance approached the ship’s interpreter and asked to speak to someone from the ship. She told me that she had “seen that dance before”. On questioning, she related that, as a 16-year-old, she had lived in the house on the corner across the square. From her window she had seen a group of soldiers do the same dance 50 years before. This was a real ‘goose-bump moment’ for me.
Another highlight was the visit to the ship by Prince Michael of Kent, who was at the celebrations in his role as head of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The visit was a last-minute event, as a result of a request by Prince Michael himself. The Maori Cultural Group responded to the occasion, meeting him with a challenge and another stirring haka. Prince Michael remarked afterwards that he had been witness to the challenge many times, but it was the first time that it was performed for him.
The visit to Crete was very special to me, as my father had been on Crete. His platoon from the 18th Battalion were the group assigned to guard the King Of Greece and the Prime Minister. When the invasion began, they were tasked with escorting him and his entourage to Sfakia for evacuation. This was no walk in the park, and later the whole platoon was decorated for their efforts.
Several events remain firmly in my memory from the visit. The first was from the visit of the veterans to CANTERBURY in Pireaus where I discovered a Mr George Fraser who was in my father’s platoon. The second was an incident that occurred during a formal lunch with the Nomarch (Governor) of Heraklion. During the lunch, a photo pack of the Crete campaign was given to all attendees. As I thumbed through the pack, I came across a photo of my father’s platoon with the Greek King. I remarked to my Aussie colleague, Captain Tim Cox (CO PERTH), who was sitting beside me, that there was my father. This was overheard by the woman across the table from me, who just happened to be the Nomarch’s wife, and she then went and told her husband. This caused quite a fuss and I was the centre of attention for some time.
The Battle for Crete
The Battle for Crete in May 1941 was one of the most defining battles in WWII. A poorly equipped Allied force commanded by a New Zealander, Major General Bernard Freyberg, VC, was tasked with defending Crete from German invasion.
More than 30,000 Allied troops — from New Zealand (6700), Australia (7100) and Great Britain (15,000) − had been evacuated from fighting on the Greek mainland to Crete during the last week of April 1941. They had been forced to abandon their heavy equipment and transport, and most arrived on Crete with nothing but their personal weapons. There were also about 11,000 Greek Army soldiers on Crete.
Early on 20 May, massed German aircraft started dropping paratroopers on Heraklion, Retimo, Chania and the nearby airfield at Maleme. The Germans suffered heavily. Their casualties were so high that Hitler could never embark on a large airborne assault again.
None of the German objectives were met in the first day, and the decision was made to concentrate on the Maleme airfield. Although the airfield was still under artillery fire, the Germans quickly flew in reinforcements and that provided them with the breakthrough they needed. The absence of Allied air defence provided the German Luftwaffe with a clear advantage. The failure to hold Maleme is often held to be the key to the eventual defeat and withdrawal of the Allied force.
After it became clear that defeat was inevitable,16,000 Allied troops would be evacuated to Egypt from Sphakia by the Royal Navy between 28 May and 1 June 1941.
