The barge from Crete, painted by Peter McIntyre, New Zealand’s official war artist, in July 1941.
McIntyre’s painting illustrates the epic journey of a group of escapees who sailed an abandoned landing barge from Crete to Egypt. The 137-strong party, mostly Royal Marines, set out on 1 June. Nine New Zealanders were thought to be among this party, although the only one known by name was Private W.A. Hancox. He had been picked up 3 km off shore, paddling along on a plank of wood.
After the barge’s fuel ran out blankets were rigged as sails. To make sure these caught the breeze the men often had to jump into the water and push the nose of the barge in the right direction. Conditions on board were tough. Food supplies were rationed to half a tobacco tin of water and a teaspoon of bully beef per day. During the voyage one soldier died of exhaustion and another committed suicide. On 9 June, eight days after leaving Crete, the barge drifted ashore 24 km west of Sidi Barrani in Egypt.
No Way!!!
ReplyDeleteWait until Netflix 'adapts' it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting never herd of this story before.
ReplyDeleteI have questions about the painting though. The text says “137 Strong“ but there’s no way 137 are on that barge in the painting, nor do I believe 137 would fit on that barge no matter how friendly they got.
Roger that! Shouldn't the front be a drop ramp?
Deletehad not heard of it previosly. more detail: https://www.royalmarineshistory.com/post/2017/12/27/sea-borne-escape-from-crete-in-a-damaged-landing-craft-royalmarines-commando#:~:text=Bowden%20chose%20to%20stay%20with,into%20the%20darkness%20to%20reconnoitre.
ReplyDeleteThe parents of the Doctor I go to were from Greece. His father and uncle were in the Greek army and fought Mussolini and then the Nazis until Greece surrendered, and then fought as partisans until Germany said enough is enough. If this doesn't stop we're going to start reprisals. His father and uncle stole a rowboat and rowed across the Aegean Sea to British held territory where his father joined the navy and his uncle joined the army so they could fight the Nazis again.
ReplyDeletewildbill
What a tale of courage. Real men.
DeleteThank you.
https://www.royalmarineshistory.com/post/2017/12/27/sea-borne-escape-from-crete-in-a-damaged-landing-craft-royalmarines-commando
ReplyDeleteThey set out with 139 men, including 56 Marines, some Australians, New Zealanders, a Greek and two Palestinians. There was little fuel, food or water, but Bowden had found a map of the Mediterranean in a deserted school and this became their chart. "It was all in Greek," he recalled, "but we could still recognise the shape of the countries."
Their supplies were a travelling clock, odd tins of oil and petrol, and biscuits and bully beef which had been abandoned on the beach. With only one engine working, and the deck just above water level, they set sail at 08.55 on the morning of June 1.
When they ran out of fuel they used their bootlaces to stitch together a sail of blankets, and dived over the side in groups to steer the landing craft by swimming. After nine days, during which time two men died, the craft beached on the North African coast. Many of the survivors were so weak that they could not stand, but two Maoris went to search for water. Meanwhile, not knowing if they were behind British or German lines, Bowden and a young Australian officer set off into the darkness to reconnoitre.
A pipeline led them to a British anti-aircraft battery, where they summoned transport, and Bowden returned to the beach to report to Garrett. Though many were ill and without boots, they marched to a rendezvous which Bowden had fixed, where a convoy of lorries was waiting to take them to safety. Within days Garrett's Royal Marines were re-equipped and ready to fight again.
It’s a genuine dit, which is cited in the Royal Marines Corp museum. The names, rank and number certify the same. Though it was a landing craft, not a barge as mentioned. Yours Aye. Ex Bootneck.
ReplyDelete