Chapter Thirteen
The tours of the Airborne Invasion battlefields are thoroughly worthwhile, despite the spread of development, holiday sprawl and an EU subsidydriven proliferation of olive trees. The six tours in this chapter start from an obvious point in the nearest town. Hire car is the normal means of transport for the battlefield visitor but the excellent Cretan bus service can be used to get to the main tour area and the hardy can walk the tours – except the withdrawal, which would take three days to complete on foot!
Currently available 100K maps are not particularly accurate or complete. Consequently, the use of signs in these directions (in a fast developing area!) and the various photographs will enable the visitor to navigate around the battlefield. However, larger maps and air photographs not suitable for inclusion in this book are available for download at www.galahadhistory.com.
Please be warned that as the long-standing regional difficulties are liable to come to the boil at any time, the military on Crete maintain a high state of security. Taking photographs of military bases and airfields, even if there are no visible signs banning photography, is asking for trouble!
Many readers will be expecting to visit the German Fallschirmjäger memorial on the outskirts of Hania during the tours in this book. However, despite attempts to represent the memorial as being to all nations’ airborne forces, the monument fell into increasing disrepair and with mounting vandalism, it has been removed. There are no firm plans to relocate the memorial but some hope that it will be incorporated into the Cemetery Hill museum/memorial complex, when it is built.
PRELIMINARY VISITS
If travelling to Crete via Greece it is worth visiting the following places on a stop-over:
Hotel Grande Bretagne The hotel taken over as the HQ of Luftflotte 4 and that of Fliegerkorps VIII and XII is located in central Athens on Syntagma Square, just north of the National Garden. The Grande Bretagne is a 5 Star establishment and while enjoying a cup of Greek coffee in the hotel’s halls, it is easy to imagine the bustle of Luftwaffe officers coming and going as tensions mounted.
The Corinth Canal The Bridge over the Corinth Canal that was the objective of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 2’’s Operation HANNIBAL is only an hour east of Athens and is worth a visit.
The highly controversial and detested Fallschirmjäger memorial. Even with the swastika deleted from the claws it has attracted the attention of vandals over the years. It has now been removed and may appear in a more secure location – or not.
Tour 1 – The Maleme Area
Leave Hania, following signs to Kastelli. You can either take the Old Coast Road through Platanias, which takes about thirty minutes through tourist sprawl or the National Road, which takes only fifteen minutes and provides a good view of the ground slightly inland. If taking this route, look out for the Tavronitis exit, turn left at the foot of the ramp and turn right in the village on to the Old Coast Road, heading east. The old iron bridge is to the left of the modern concrete bridge.
If taking the Old Coast Road through Platanias, after Maleme Village the development gives way to more rural country. Here the road goes between the Maleme airfield to the right and a Hellenic Army Barracks (RAF camp) on the left.
The Tavronitis Bridge The old steel bridge over the Tavronitis River (dry in most summers) that carries the Old Coast Road is to the seaward side of its modern equivalent. Once across the bridge turn right and park by a C1943 German bunker and Tobruckstand. Walk down to the bridge and look for the battle damage to the steel structure. Looking due east along the bridge is the area of the RAF Camp. On the low ground to the left was 22 NZ Infantry Battalion’s C Company position and to the right, on the forward slope of Hill 107 was D Company’s position.
The RAF 30 and 33 Squadron Memorial Crossing the new Tavronitis Bridge there is a large gravel open area. Hidden amongst the Cypress trees at the far side behind a chain link fence is a stone memorial built by the modern RAF successors to the two squadrons. It is located on the forward edge of the RAF Camp area in full view of the Tavronitis Bridge. Biannually, the RAF fly out to take part in the commemorations on and around 20 May. There are plans to put up a sign, which will help locate this memorial.
Drive back past the RAF Camp, now the barracks of a Greek parachute battalion, towards Maleme. The airfield is to the left – note the ‘no photography’ signs on the fence.
The German Cemetery In the outskirts of Maleme, after the second filling station, look out for a blue sign to the right, with a white square and the words Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof and Vlacheronitissa 4 Kms. Driving up a narrow road, take the signed right turn, following a sinuous route up hill and park at the cemetery. Toilets and a café are available here. See Appendix 2 for a description of the Cemetery.
Lieutenant Colonel Andrews’ HQ was just beyond the top gate at the left corner of the cemetery; beyond lies the ridge of Hill 107 running due south.
Hill 107 There are two ways of reaching the crest of Hill 107, which has a traditional white chapel and memorial cross on its highest point.
Approach A. Step over the gate at the top left corner of the cemetery and follow the track through the vines and olives. It is about a ten minute walk.
Approach B. Leave the cemetery and drive down the approach road tuning right at the Tjunction and follow the winding road and fork right just before the bridge over the National Road. This metalled road eventually becomes a track after the hairpin bend but the white painted chapel can be seen several hundred yards ahead.
Up here, it is easy to visualise the fighting amongst the olive groves and vines, both individual engagements, such as that of Helmut Wenzel and the organised probes by II/LLSR through the gap where the National Road now runs.
Go down to the open area below the chapel, to the north-east the view is down onto 22 NZ Battalion’s HQ Company positions and further inland are those of 21 and 23 Battalions, with 28 Maori battalion beyond.
There is also a post invasion German bunker and gun pit built on the crest of the hill used to protect the Luftwaffe anti-aircraft gunners, who took over a 3-inch anti-aircraft troop’s gun pits for their own defence of the airfield both during the battle and up to the island’s eventual liberation in 1945.
German Cemetery after the war with veterans visiting the last resting place of their fallen comrades. Present-day German Cemetery.
To the south of Hill 107, on a site that is today occupied by modern antennas, was a pair of forty foot high radar masts, a part of the old Air Ministry Experimental Site. This was a part of the chain of such radar stations deployed to Crete to give the Commonwealth forces warning of the approach of aircraft.
Present-day German Cemetery.
From the Cemetery or the chapel continue towards Vlacheronitissa. Drive through this traditional Cretan village and park near the T-junction. This is where Strentzler led 6 Kompanie through the hills using the broken low ground.
Turn right. The detached platoon from 21 NZ Battalion were on the high ground to your right. After going through an underpass under the National Road bridge, you will be driving along the front of D Company’s position. Entering the open area of the RAF Memorial at the junction, the Tavronitis Bridge is to your left. You will have now completed a circuit of Hill 107.
Maleme/Pygi Turn right and drive into Maleme/Pygi, where a sharp eye will spot older buildings, amongst the modern developments, complete with bullet holes in the walls. Turn left just after the Hotel EL-KI and the supermarket IN.KA. Drive down to the beach and turn left along the old beach road and park where the road peters out. The beach was used to crash land Ju 52s, initially those that had been badly hit by anti-aircraft and New Zealand small-arms fire and subsequently as a deliberate but desperate measure to reinforce the Fallschirmjäger. The beach also marks the right flank of the counter-attack mounted on the night of 21/22 May by 20 NZ Inf Bn, the tanks of 3 Hussars on the Maleme/Tavronitis road and 28 Maori NZ Battalion to the south of the road. The restaurants here provide a welcome chance of a drink and a meal.
Tour 2 – The Galatas Area
To reach the LZs and DZs of Gruppe Mitt, drive through Maleme, Girani and into Platanias. When nearly through Platanias turn right at the 24-Hour Bank opposite Café Bamboo. Annoyingly the turning is only signed Galatas from the east, so if you miss the turning (and you probably will), use the BP garage just beyond the Daratos sign, to turn around and have a second attempt.
At the next major crossroads go straight across following the sign to Daratos. After a hundred yards take an uphill right fork. Follow the road. Galatas is to your right. When you come to a Cemetery turn off the road to the left and make your way up to the top of Cemetery Hill. From here you will have an unrivalled view of Prison Valley and the neighbouring Pink Hill. You will not be able to locate the lake/reservoir to the west as it has been drained.
Galatas then and now.
Leave Cemetery Hill and head down into Prison Valley. Turn right and at the second crossroads, turn left. Reaching the main Hania-Aghia road, turn right and drive past the prison. This was HQ FJR 3, with the Prison being used as the aid post.
Galatas Drive into the centre of the village and park in the square opposite the church.
Lygides From the Prison Valley Road, heading towards Hania, turn right, signed to Lygides. At the centre of the village, go straight on up a narrow road (to the left of a taverna). Stop at the T-junction. This is the area where von der Hydtes’ I Battalion fought. Across the valley to your front are the 19 Australian Brigade positions.
Galaria Leave Prison Valley Road by turning first right after the Vamvakopoulo sign. Drive through olive groves and park at the crossroads. This is the centre of 19 Australian Brigade’s position.
Force Reserve Positions Heading east towards Hania, drive under the National Highway. On the left is a sports complex with lights. Turn left uphill after the sports field and follow the road. Park at the end of the road and walk around the far side of the sports pitches up onto the high ground. The centre of 1 Welch’s position was up here. The Rangers and Northumberland Hussars were down in the area of the road and the last stand took place in the area of the underpass.
42nd Street This is on the south-eastern outskirts of Hania. From the city centre follow the signs to Souda. As you leave the city, the density of houses, factories and car dealerships start to thin, look out for a sign to Tsikalaria on the right. To confirm that you are on the correct road look out for the small street sign Chickalarion Street. This is 42nd Street. Drive several hundred yards and park by an old olive grove. It is through these old trees that the Australians and New Zealanders delivered their momentous charge on 27 May 1941.
Souda Bay Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
Take the same route out of Hania, past 42nd Street. Follow signs for Souda and go straight across a large, open and complicated junction, ignoring the New Road signs. Just before the set of traffic lights, there is a green and white CWGC sign to the Cemetery indicating that you should turn left at the traffic lights. After the lights, follow the road around some bends and another CWGC sign indicates to the right. Park by the Cemetery gates. A description of the Cemetery is to be found in Appendix 2.
The Maritime Museum of Crete This Museum at the western end of the Venetian Harbour in Hania, is well worth a visit in its own right but also has a large display dedicated to the invasion on its upper floor. There are photographs rarely seen outside Crete and a collection of Commonwealth and German artefacts.
Souda Bay Cemetery.
Tour 3 – Rethymno
Hill B From Platanias take a right turn signed to Marbulas. Go under the National Highway, ignore the next sign to Marbulas and go straight on Hill Brises in front of you. Turn left up a rough track opposite an EKO filling station. After 200 yards you will reach a T-junction; turn left and then next right. This will take you to an open area on Hill B, the position of 2/11 Australian Infantry.
Hill A Return to the filling station junction, continue east and turn left to Adele. In the village turn left towards Kambos. The feature on your right is Hill A and the valley between the road and hill is Wadi Pigi. Continue down the road where the road bears left and goes parallel to the National Highway; follow. Go straight under the bridge to return to Platanias and turn left or take the unsigned ramp up to the National Highway before the bridge to rejoin the Highway eastbound.
Tour 4 – Iraklio
WARNING Do not take photographs of the airfield, barracks or the ‘Golf Ball’ their perimeters or facilities. The area doubles as an active Hellenic air base and the consequences of, no matter how innocently compromising security, are severe for the unwise. It has been pointed out to me regularly that Greece is potentially ‘just fifteen minutes from war’.
Take the airport spur off the New Road. Approaching the airport terminal’s concourse, turn left and follow the road. After the hire car lots, on your left, is a Hellenic Army barracks; both this and the airfield were a part of 1 Black Watch’s area of responsibility. When entering the built up area look out for a sign Agios Nikolaos Old Road to the left. Take this road, which was the boundary between the Black Watch and 2/4 Australian Infantry Battalion. 2 Leicesters were beyond them and further still to the west were 2 York & Lancs.
East Ridge Continue on towards Agios Nikolaos, following the road around to the left before the new road. The airfield perimeter is on your left and you will go under an underpass. Take the first right and then follow the road to the left (No through road sign) and take the first non-gated left turn. This will take you behind a waste disposal processing site. Park and in front of you is East Ridge, held by a platoon of Black Watch.
Tour 5 – The Withdrawal to Hora Safakion
This tour will take a whole day, including a late and leisurely lunch at Hora Safakion. From Hania to the south coast the total driving time is about 1 hour 30 minutes. Set your distance measurer to zero on turning off the Coast Road.
Megala Khorafia (Beritiana Junction) Heading east from Hania and Souda, turn off main Coast Road, signed Megala Khorafia. Cross the bridge and follow the road up the zigzag (the new post-war route) into village. Park by a shop on the outskirts and take a small made-up road behind the shop to where you can get a view of the valley. This is where a part of the Maori force was located during the battle on 28 May. Deep in the valley below is the unenviable position occupied by the commandos. The enemy approached via the coast road and over the hills opposite.
Continue south through the village towards Vyres. Vyres is one of the points en route where dumps and transit camps were established. These camps were welcome sources of supply and rest but were only partly successful in organising the mass of withdrawing troops. Continue through the village south towards Stylos.
Stylos (Km 5.5) Halt by the bridge over the defile short of the village. This is the area where 23 NZ Battalion deployed on the morning of 28 May, covering the bridge and the high ground to the south-west, where they were nearly surprised by GBR 85.
Agh Pandes (Km 11) Stop on a zigzag short of the village. Up on the ridge, looking north, was the right flank of Layforce, who were deployed in blocking positions. Across the road, to the west, through the low ground to the left were another two companies. Behind you, towards Agh Pandes were the scant reserves and the tanks. The enemy’s main attack came through the low ground having been rebuffed on the higher ground.
Vryses (Km 17) This small town was one of the stopping, rest and collection points en route to Hora Safakion. Just a few miles south the road up to the mountain pass starts to rise steeply. A good place to stop.
The Saucer (Km 34) As the green Askifou plain comes into sight, stop. From this area it is possible to see the course of the old road.
The War Museum, Kares, Askifou This is the hospitable Hatzidakis family’s private collection of items collected from across the island. Pieces of Ju 52 lie alongside British petrol tins, helmets and the remains of a Bren gun. Not a conventional museum but charming and a useful illustration of many of the things mentioned earlier in this book. A visit is also an opportunity to see an old style Cretan house and have a cup of Greek coffee in the simple village store, well off the beaten tourist track.
While coming down into the Saucer, look out for hand painted ‘Military Museum’ signs, in yellow at the time of writing, off the modern highway to the left. Drive down into the village following the signs.
Blocking Position 1 (Km 36) Leaving the saucer one passes the area of the first of the covering force’s positions. It is easy to envisage the fight back to the village of Imbros and the Second blocking position.
The Imbros Gorge (Km 41) At five miles this spectacular gorge is less than half the length of the Samaria Gorge and walking down it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes and is worthwhile in its own right, as well as and to follow in the footsteps of the withdrawing Commonwealth force. Purchase a ticket at one of the cafés at the top and walk down to the ticket office. Water, good footwear for rough terrain and cover from the sun are essential. Please be aware that there is no easy evacuation from the Gorge, which should not be attempted by the unfit or those who are less than fully healthy. Buses and taxis are readily available to take you back up to the valley.
Blocking Position 3 (Km 53) The ridges and bends in the road were used by the tanks and carriers to block the German advance.
Komitades Off the modern highway, at the foot of the Imbros Gorge, the caves and the gullies provided shelter for men before making the last leg of the journey to the port and the hope of evacuation. This is where the final surrennder took place.
Hora Safakion This attractive and, despite the portside restaurants, unspoiled village was where the ships’ boats came in. Most troops were, however, evacuated from the beach through the houses just to the west. Immediately above the village is St Peter’s Cave which was where the regulating HQ was located. Hora Safakion itself was, of course, surrounded by a security cordon of Royal Marine infantry.
Tour 6 – The Abduction of General Kreipe
This very short tour is best done in conjunction with the obligatory visit to Knossos. The site of the abduction is six and a half kilometres south of the palace complex. Drive through Agh Irine and stop at the junction signed Archanes.
Spila Junction The road junction was the scene of the abduction. Even though there have been changes to the layout since 1942, the excellence of the site chosen can be fully appreciated.
Villa Ariadne The villa long described as ‘the most beautiful in Crete’, was built by Sir Arthur Evans during his excavations at Knossos. It was a natural choice for the German General’s residence, being between his HQ in Archanes and the largest town on the island, Iraklio. The villa was used as a field Hospital during Operation MERKUR and, after being used as the German Commander’s quarters, was were the Germans signed their surrender on 9 May 1945. It is located about 100 yards north of Knossos and although it is not open to the public, if you ask nicely it is usually possible to enter the grounds.
