Battle of Crete MemorialPrint Page

The memorial commemorates the courage, sacrifice and commitment of those who served and endured the Battle of Crete during World War Two. In particular, Australian service personnel with direct links to Western Australia and the people of Crete, who on so many occasions risked their lives to assist them.

The plaque which will placed on the memorial was unveiled on the Oxi Day celebrations which were held on the 6 November 2022 in Kings Park.

On the 27th May 2021 in the spacious Boardroom of Jackson McDonald the Battle of Crete Memorial Committee of WA (BCMC) unveiled their concept design for a memorial to the 1941 Battle of Crete. The memorial, to be located within the Saw Avenue precinct at Perth’s King’s Park, will commemorate the courage, sacrifice and commitment of those who served and endured the battle. In particular, Australian service personnel with direct links to Western Australia and the people of Crete, who on so many occasions risked their lives to assist them. 

The proposed memorial design is based on a ‘broken column’ made of polished marble, a symbol from the Greek tradition that signifies a young life cut short, often in battle. At the base of the column is to be backed by polished granite and will feature four bronze figures in relief. Three of the figures are military, one civilian.

The proposed memorial received support from the Federal and State Governments as well as the RSL WA. In principle support for the project has also been received from the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) who are responsible for Kings Park. Prominent WA artists Smith Sculptors have been chosen to develop the design. The BCMC has also partnered with the National Trust (WA) who have acknowledged the project as a worthy one and have set up a donations section under the heading ‘Battle of Crete Memorial Fund’ on their website. Donations made through this avenue are fully tax deductible. This was an important partnership to help make this memorial a reality.

Crete, the largest and southernmost Greek island was strategically located in the eastern Mediterranean. Many British, Australian and New Zealand troops evacuated from Greece in April 1941 were landed at Crete while others were sent to Egypt. By mid May the 30,000 strong British garrison on Crete included 6,500 Australians. In addition, there were 10,000 mainly untrained and poorly armed Greek troops on the island.

On 20 May, Germany launched Operation Mercury, an airborne invasion on the island. This was the first invasion involving large numbers of airborne troops. German paratroopers and glider-borne soldiers descended upon Crete at Maleme, Retimo, and Heraklion airfields and the naval base at Suda Bay which were all situated on the northern coast of Crete. In the first 24 hours, the Germans suffered appalling casualties and captured none of their objectives.

At Retimo and Heraklion the Australian and British defenders kept the invaders off the airfields. But at Maleme, a mistaken withdrawal of a New Zealand battalion on the night of the 20th was exploited the next day by the Germans who captured the airfield and were able to bring in the reinforcements they needed to defeat the allies. On 27 May, the decision to withdraw from Crete was made and the defending troops made their way to the south coast. About half the British force, including 3000 Australians, were evacuated by the Royal Navy which had played an important role from the opening of the battle. Three British cruisers and six destroyers were lost in the Battle for Crete including HMS Kashmir among whose survivors was Ordinary Seaman Ian Rhodes, RAN, the highest decorated Australian seaman and only Australian recipient of the naval Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. Australian casualties on Crete were 274 killed, 507 wounded and 3,102 taken prisoner.

 

Location

Address:	Saw Avenue , Kings Park, 6005
State:	WA
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -31.960491 Long: 115.824381 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Monument
Monument Theme:	Conflict
Sub-Theme:	WW2
Designer:	Smith Sculptors
Artist:	Smith Sculptors

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:	Sunday 6th November, 2022

Source: MA