The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Towards the end of 1940, Italian forces invaded Greece from Albania. In February 1941 the British advance in North Africa was halted and a force, which included the 6th Australian Division, was organised and sent to assist the Greek nation. On 6th April the Germans invaded Greece and Yugoslavia simultaneously. The British force, which by then had not been fully concentrated in the country, initially encountered the Germans in the northern mountain passes. Outflanked and outnumbered the defenders were forced back, and the campaign developed into a fighting withdrawal into southern Greece. At various points along the way, however, units of the force offered stubborn and sprinted resistance, to the stronger German forces, which also possessed control of the air and could operate at will against the defenders. This painting shows a scene of desperate activity in the area of the Tempe gorge, where lightly-armed Australian troops battle against German armoured units, with air support, as they advanced across the Pinios River in a thrust towards Larisa.
A village in the Pinios Valley near Tempe as seen from positions held by 2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion during heavy attacks by Germans on the rearguard of the British forces withdrawing from Gre
Tempe in 1941, was the scene of a very heavy attack by German armoured units against the rearguard of the British withdrawal from Greece. The 2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion and New Zealand units
Illustration for the wartime publication 'The Australian Soldier - A Portrait'. Depicts two Australian soldiers wearing slouch hats talking to three Greek children. In 1944 Russell Drysdale was comm
top image: Pencil sketch of a church and some trees. In this area the 6th Australian Division fought rearguard against invading German forces and delaying action during the British forces withdrawal
This painting depicts the Battle of Retimo in Crete. A large part of the Allied force evacuated from Greece at the end of April 1941 was disembarked on Crete in order that the ships could return quick
One of the ports in Crete at which survivors from Greece landed, including a boat-load of Australians. Heavy fighting took place for the town and determined attacks by German paratroops were repulsed.