just got back from a great holiday in crete, visited the german military cemetary in maleme a beutiful but sombre place and it hits home when there were over 4000 casuilties you look at the ages of these guys 18,19.20 years old just youths really but very brave and patriotic .
we also visited the naval museum in chania worth a visit as it goes back to the minoan times right up to present although a lot of the ww2 german stuff were copies or wrongly labeled espiesially a group of awards that wernt even good copies. but a good day out.
we alo went to the ww2 museum of george hatzidakis in askifou what a place it is an old farm that he has opened up to the public with his collection it is free to go but contributions are welcome.george dresses in the traditional cretan way and is a real gentleman who welcomes you with a hearty handshake when you arrive and a supply of the local raki(not for the faint hearted) he is now 73 yrs old and has been collecting since the age of 10, he saw two of his family killed by a german bomb and has a shrapnal wound himself from that bomb on his forehead, although he cant speak english and my greek is non existant we did manage to comunicate very well,a lot of the stuff is outside in the yard and in relic condition but has some very interesting items some of which have been donated to him.
when we got back from our visit to george we mentioned it to the sons of our hotel owners who said that they had some ww2 items in there family but didnt know what they were and they would bring them along for me to look at first was a spanish cross in bronze with swords that there grandfather had found a little battered but nevertheless genuine enough, then an uncles DAK pith helmet good condition and the best item was a k98 bayonet in mint condition matching numbers with a canvas DAK frog ,they didnt put any value as such on any of the things as they wernt for sale but were astounded when i told them there worth . i did offer over the odds on the bayonet but no luck it was the best i had seen.
anybody that gets chance to visit crete wont be dissapointed it is a beutiful island with very friendly people and a great climate but hiring a car is a must, and you soon get into the greek driving style
regards gaz
pic one george and myself im the touristy looking one
we also visited the naval museum in chania worth a visit as it goes back to the minoan times right up to present although a lot of the ww2 german stuff were copies or wrongly labeled espiesially a group of awards that wernt even good copies. but a good day out.
we alo went to the ww2 museum of george hatzidakis in askifou what a place it is an old farm that he has opened up to the public with his collection it is free to go but contributions are welcome.george dresses in the traditional cretan way and is a real gentleman who welcomes you with a hearty handshake when you arrive and a supply of the local raki(not for the faint hearted) he is now 73 yrs old and has been collecting since the age of 10, he saw two of his family killed by a german bomb and has a shrapnal wound himself from that bomb on his forehead, although he cant speak english and my greek is non existant we did manage to comunicate very well,a lot of the stuff is outside in the yard and in relic condition but has some very interesting items some of which have been donated to him.
when we got back from our visit to george we mentioned it to the sons of our hotel owners who said that they had some ww2 items in there family but didnt know what they were and they would bring them along for me to look at first was a spanish cross in bronze with swords that there grandfather had found a little battered but nevertheless genuine enough, then an uncles DAK pith helmet good condition and the best item was a k98 bayonet in mint condition matching numbers with a canvas DAK frog ,they didnt put any value as such on any of the things as they wernt for sale but were astounded when i told them there worth . i did offer over the odds on the bayonet but no luck it was the best i had seen.
anybody that gets chance to visit crete wont be dissapointed it is a beutiful island with very friendly people and a great climate but hiring a car is a must, and you soon get into the greek driving style
regards gaz
pic one george and myself im the touristy looking one
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