The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
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 quickly to Greece for more troops. British, New Zealanders, some Greeks and about half of 6th Division formed the ill-equipped Crete garrison, mostly deployed in defence of three airfields at Malame, Retimo and Heraklion. Others defended the Suda Bay-Canea area. At Retimo the defenders consisted mainly of the 2/1st and 2/11th Battalions. The Australians fought on until finally overcome by the Germans, with losses amounting to 781 killed or wounded and 3109 captured.
Iraklion is described in the Official War History as Heraklion. View of the airfield as seen from the east. The 2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion, while attached to the 14th (British) Infantry Briga
As seen from Suda village. The 2/2nd and 2/3rd Australian Field Regiments held positions on the outskirts of Suda during the German parachutists attack. Suda figures prominently in the defence of Cret
SUDA BAY, CRETE. 1941-04. REMNANTS OF THE 2/1ST FIELD REGIMENT AND STRAGGLERS FROM OTHER UNITS WHO CAME UNDER THE COMMAND OF NX143 LIEUTENANT D.H. WADE IN GREECE AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY DISEMBARKED AT C
Rethymnon is discribed in the Official History of the War as "Retimo". Considerable fighting took place in this area in 1941 in which Australians and New Zealand evacuated from Greece, took part. The
Commemorative gilded medal with a pale blue watered ribbon attached to a simple ring suspender. The obverse shows the helmeted head of the Greek goddess Athena flanked by laurel sprays and Greek lette
German paratroopers march into town after spending seven long days of severe fighting. German paratroopers of General Kurt Student’s XI Air Corps – were highly trained and motivated. For ten days they
