Crete Greece

Arriving by boat into Heraklion Crete and then driving by night to Rethymno was memorable mostly because of it's danger with unmarked roads, no lighting and a black night, add to this Greek drivers who have little concern for speed or road law. But we arrived safely. Today we went to Melame which is a major site for the battle for Crete in WW2. My uncle served here with the medical corps and was among those who were safely evacuated after climbing over the mountains to escape the Germans paratroopers. Many thousands of troops were saved by the navy who came ashore and took soldiers off the beach. But many others missed the evacuation and lived in caves protected by Greek citizens who put their lives in great danger by doing so. It was moving to visit both the allied cemetery and also the German cemetery as well. Many lives were lost under the New Zealander General Fryberg who we suspect made a poor decision not to defend Hill 107 above the airport. Tomorrow we had back to Heraklion and take the boat back to Athens.Read more