Description
View from a hilltop of a small sailing boat in a calm, sandy bay along the south-east coast of Greece. Four New Zealand soldiers can be seen in the boat and on the shore. This is one of a series of photographs taken by NX4131 Sergeant (Sgt) Ernest Bruce Haydock, 1 Australian Corps, who evaded capture after the defeat of the Allied Forces in Greece. Sgt Haydock, of Sydney, NSW, enlisted at Neutral Bay, NSW, and embarked from Alexandria for service in Greece on 24 March 1941. On 25 April 1941, after the first series of German attacks, Sgt Haydock was separated from his unit and with German forces close behind, he set sail on a commandeered sailing boat with five New Zealand soldiers: Lieutenant 'Skip' Flavelle, 21 Battalion New Zealand Army (NZA); 37171 Private (Pte) A K Boulton, NZA Division HQ; Pte Little, 4 Field Regiment NZA; Private Walsh, 21 Battalion NZA. After an arduous five-day journey down the coast to the south-east of Greece, and helped many times by the Greek people, they met an English Colonel, who had been given the specific task of picking up any stragglers. There the party met another New Zealand soldier, 1638 Pte F 'Slim' Martyn, 26 Battery 4 Field Regiment NZA. At 5:00am on 4 May 1941 they landed on the western side of the island of Crete, where after a short time they were transported to Alexandria and their respective units. Sgt Haydock was discharged from 13 Armoured Regiment on 13 December 1943 with the rank of captain.
Details
Accession Number
P03257.009
Classification
Photograph
Physical Description
Colour: Black & white
Format: 35mm
Support: Nitrate
Date Made
April 1941 - May 1941
Credit Line
Donor S Dumbrell
Copyright
Copyright expired - public domain
Conflicts