RETURN TO CRETE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23316, 27 September 1945, Page 4

RETURN TO CRETE

Veterans Of Campaign Memorial Service At Suda Bay From the Official War Correspondent with the N.Z.E.F. LAKE TRASIMENO, Sept. 25. Kiwi veterans of the Crete campaign who are still with the Division, numbering about 100 of all ranks, will return to Crete this week after more than four years for a memorial service to their fallen comrades, which is to be held at the British war cemetery, Suda Bay, next Sunday. The party will be headed by Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg. who commanded the Allied forces in Crete in 1941, and by Major-General H. K. Kippenberger, who is coming from England to attend the service. The remainder of the party, which ranges from senior officers to privates, will include also a guard of honour and a band from the Fifth New Zealand Infantry Brigade. The party will travel from Naples on board the Ajax, one of the cruisers which evacuated many New Zealanders from Crete four years ago, and will spend two or three days there before returning to Naples. They will be awav from Italy for approximately one week. The memorial service will be attended by the British commander who accepted the surrender some months ago of the Germans in Crete, and also by representatives of the British forces in Greece. Members of the Greek Army and local civilians have also been invited to be present. It is expected that, during their visit, the New Zealanders will be the guests of honour nt various receptions to be arranged by the people of Crete, who retain grateful memories of the gallant but unsuccessful fight, put up by the Allied troops to defend the island against the greatly superior German invasion. It. is possible that this memorial service will be the forerunner of similar services to be held on, the principal battlefields in Italy Where New Zealanders fought and also at El Atnmetn.