FROM GREECE TO CRETE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 7 June 1941, Page 2

FROM GREECE TO CRETE

HOW TAPAWERA SOLDIER FARED ANZAC DAY COINCIDENCE Writing from what he calls, “the beautiful island of Crete,” to his parents, Mr and Mrs W. Greep, Tapawera. Driver W. G. Greep tells of nis experiences in Greece and of the calm before ,the storm in Crete.

He says: “Seems ages since I last wrote to you but, for the last fortnight we have been experiencing war of a high degree. At this stage I’m not going to tell you what we have been through as you would worry too much. In fact we are lucky to be here and away from the Huns, thanks to the British Navy. One day I’ll never forget was 18th April. It was the worst day any of us have ever experienced. As I sit here now well out of danger and having a good spell you will wonder

no doubt where I am. Well I’m on the beautiful island of Crete, south of Greece. The weather here is wonderful, nice sunny days and we leisure at ease, swimming in the sea and sleeping. “All the clothes I have no ware what I stand up in and a few odds and ends in my side pack. We had to destroy all we had and carry as little as possible—hence the shortage. The majority of us have no dixies or mug.:, so have a couple of jam or other tins to eat and drink from. We have marched miles to get to safety so you can understand why we dumped everything. “We know what war really is now. Our chief concern was the Hun planes, as we were under constant bombing and machine gunning for ten days or so. The words, “Dive Bombed” and “Machine gunned” will live in our memory forever. “We were over-joyed to get to Greece, but towards the end we were very pleased to leave. We were there a little over five weeks. Athens is a lovely city. The streets and people are very clean. We had leave for three afternoons and evenings when we arrived there. I’m not permitted to state how far we penetrated through this fair land, but we were given a great welcome and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves for three weeks at least, the last two weeks being like Hell on earth for us. How lucky we are to be safe. “Tf anyone is sick of bully beef and biscuits we are. It has been our main food for three weeks: still it certainly fills up the gaps. Was showing my snaps to some Greek women only a few yards from where we are camped, and I gave them a photo of Nelson which you sent me. “The day we left Greece was 25th April, the anniversary of Anzac Day—what a coincidence. This island is full of grapes which will be ripe in six weeks. I wonder whether we will be here to enjoy them? Also we have a plentiful supply of oranges and there are thousands of olive trees.”