The British Army on Crete

The first British troops landed on Crete on 1^st November 1940, immediately after the Italian attack on Greece. Their mission was to guard the naval base at Suda. Allied troop numbers on Crete increased over the following months, especially after the front collapsed in mainland Greece. Englishmen, Welshmen, Scotsmen, Australians, New Zealanders, Maoris with impressive war cries, Palestinian sappers and Cypriots all went to make up a multinational mosaic. The locals gave them a warm welcome, and drinking sessions became part of daily life:

"We had to pass through the group of locals who seemed to be uncertain of us. Soon, one of them shouted to all the others something about 'Engleesika'. Immediately they all started bringing glasses of white wine from a little taverna near the jetty and giving it to us."

(Reg Spurr, To Have and to Lose, Society of Cretan Historical Studies 2005, pp. 155-156)