New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa
Media Release
18 May 2009
Battle Of Crete Remembered

Arthur Midwood and Phillip O’Neil, two veterans who fought for New Zealand in Crete, will take part in a wreath laying ceremony to mark the 68th anniversary of the Battle of Crete at the National War Memorial in Wellington on Wednesday 20 May at 10.55 am.

Mr Midwood, Ngati Pikiao Rotorua, served with the 28th (Maori) Battalion in Greece, Crete and Africa. He was shot in the chest during the battle but survived and went on to fight in the African campaigns. After the war he returned to New Zealand and worked as a builder in Taupo for most of his life.

Mr O’Neil, of the 22nd Battalion, fought during the battle and was taken prisoner on 20 May 1940 at the Maleme Airfield in Crete. He was a prisoner of war for over five years. He currently resides in Masterton.

The struggle for Crete was a particularly fierce battle that cost the New Zealand forces heavily, with 671 killed, 967 wounded and 2,180 taken as prisoners of war.

Official guests at the ceremony include their Excellencies theHonourableSirAnandSatyanand and Lady Satyanand, Associate Minister of Defence theHonourableHeather Roy, Ambassador of Greece His ExcellencyMrEvangelos Damianakis, Rear Admiral Jack Steer representing the Chief of Defence Force, visiting Deputy Chief Hellanic Defence General Staff Lieutenant General Konstantinos Kalamatas, as well as representatives of the Cretans Association of New Zealand and Te Puni Kokiri.

The ceremony will be supported by a catafalque party of New Zealand Army personnel and members of the Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

More:

There are currently 717 New Zealand Defence Force personnel deployed on 14 peacekeeping operations, UN missions and defence exercises across 10 countries.

Battle of Crete background
The Battle for Crete in May 1941 was the one of the most dramatic battles of the Second World War. Over 7500 New Zealanders, along with British, Australian and Greek troops and Cretan civilians, battled to repel the huge German airborne attack, and came very close to succeeding.
The battle was a major defeat for the Allied Forces with 15,743 casualties. New Zealand casualties numbered 671 killed and 967 wounded, while another 2180 were taken as prisoners of war. The Royal Navy endured huge losses, with six destroyers sunk and more than 2,000 naval personnel killed.

ENDS

© Scoop Media