New book about the battle of Crete

[KRETAKAMPFER]

My copy has just arrived and it looks a stunning book! My return trip to Crete is long overdue - I was last there in 1990, back when the FJ memorial was still standing. I'll join the queue for an autograph...

Michael

Thanks Michael. As I write at the epilogue , with this book the visitor of Heraklion will be able to see the battlefield and have a better understanding of the battle. I'm always happy to sign the book. It will be a great plesure to meet you guys. We have to coordinate this a bit since I live in Athens so that I will be in Crete at the right time.
Best regards.
Yannis

[KRETAKAMPFER]

Superb Yannis, many thanks for such dedication to history. Hope I can visit someday and have you sign my copy too.

Regards,
John

Thank you John. It will be a great pleasure to meet in Crete or even in Athens since I live there. I have to say that many members of this forum have helped alot with the book.
Best regards.
Yannis

[Paulus_Gun]

It is a fantastic book. I really enjoy reading it, especially the part from page 121 onwards about the assault on the east hill. On page 125 you show the grave of an Obergefreiter. I own the same picture and a picture of the older cross on the same spot. It belongs to a grouping of one of his comrades who was also part of Kissling's platoon as you mentioned. So it was really interesting to read more about this attack, since I had not read about it before!

[KRETAKAMPFER]

It is a fantastic book. I really enjoy reading it, especially the part from page 121 onwards about the assault on the east hill. On page 125 you show the grave of an Obergefreiter. I own the same picture and a picture of the older cross on the same spot. It belongs to a grouping of one of his comrades who was also part of Kissling's platoon as you mentioned. So it was really interesting to read more about this attack, since I had not read about it before!

Thanks PAULUS GUN.
I always try to link incidents with names and pictures. It was also very important that I managed to link the pictures in page 38 showing the 2 ju52's that crashed near airfield with the pictures in pages 45, 46, 47 and the names of the crew and the fallschirmjagers onboard.
Best regards.
Yannis

[Julfrenchie]

I've received mine today, it looks brilliant ! I'm planning a trip in Crete in July 2017 and i'm sure that this book will be a must have right there.
Thank you.

[KRETAKAMPFER]

I've received mine today, it looks brilliant ! I'm planning a trip in Crete in July 2017 and i'm sure that this book will be a must have right there.
Thank you.

Thanks Julfrenchie.
The book will be a detailed guide for your visit in Heraklion.
Best regards
Yannis

[Gran Sasso]

I think that Amazon uk has also a good price. There are differences among the Amazon uk , Amazon. com etc.
Best regards.
Yannis

My book arrived today, from Amazon UK; for 22,57 EUR (plus 3,- postage). Look forward to read it!

[nimsiemilitaria]

Received the book the other day, outstanding mate, good job.

[o.r.k.]

I´ve read 2/3 of the book and my respect to your meticulous efforts. I´ve never read a military history book that was so close to battle with first hand accounts. Surely great work and very time consuming research. You can almost hear the explosions and the rattling guns and feel the dust.
The content is very gruesome and sometimes I really shuddered about the insanity of war and the tragic butchery of young men it brings about. The very graphic described jump of so many young men into pre- arranged death (weapons were in the containers), the details like the woman slitting the throat of a para who fell with his parachute from a wall, the stubbornness of some paras, who in helpless situations assaulted Greeks who felt pity, the discussion about surrender in von Bluchers rest-platoon with 11 men down wounded, 7 struggling with almost no ammo in an undefendable position- what was there to discuss? I never read about the courageous and in general fair actions of the Greek regular army before, unfortunately the laurels are tainted by the often cruel civilian rage against the invaders (and the repercusssions didn´t always hit the culprits but many innocently arrested) that somehow reminded me of the atmosphere in France in 1789 when storming the Bastille. Although having read quite a few accounts of the battle (mainly Maleme) I was astonished that the fights around Heraklion were as tough or even worse. It makes me even wonder more how the paras could win- dispersed, low ammo, amidst all their fallen comrades. I don´t want to spoil too much
for prospective readers- I think you can´t get closer to history Yannis. I first wanted to write to you privately but I think that writing here does justice to your endeavor.
regards,
Oliver

[KRETAKAMPFER]

I´ve read 2/3 of the book and my respect to your meticulous efforts. I´ve never read a military history book that was so close to battle with first hand accounts. Surely great work and very time consuming research. You can almost hear the explosions and the rattling guns and feel the dust.
The content is very gruesome and sometimes I really shuddered about the insanity of war and the tragic butchery of young men it brings about. The very graphic described jump of so many young men into pre- arranged death (weapons were in the containers), the details like the woman slitting the throat of a para who fell with his parachute from a wall, the stubbornness of some paras, who in helpless situations assaulted Greeks who felt pity, the discussion about surrender in von Bluchers rest-platoon with 11 men down wounded, 7 struggling with almost no ammo in an undefendable position- what was there to discuss? I never read about the courageous and in general fair actions of the Greek regular army before, unfortunately the laurels are tainted by the often cruel civilian rage against the invaders (and the repercusssions didn´t always hit the culprits but many innocently arrested) that somehow reminded me of the atmosphere in France in 1789 when storming the Bastille. Although having read quite a few accounts of the battle (mainly Maleme) I was astonished that the fights around Heraklion were as tough or even worse. It makes me even wonder more how the paras could win- dispersed, low ammo, amidst all their fallen comrades. I don´t want to spoil too much
for prospective readers- I think you can´t get closer to history Yannis. I first wanted to write to you privately but I think that writing here does justice to your endeavor.
regards,
Oliver

Thank you very much Oliver. Your words are very encouraging. It took a lot of effort to complete this book. When I read feedback like yours I believe that I have achieved my goals. Thank you again and best regards. Yannis

[jochen]

Oliver has highlighted one of the great strengths of Yannis's new book (full disclosure: I did the copy-editing for the book and we have exchanged many emails on various aspects of the book while it was in preparation), his focus on the small unit actions in amazing detail. Like Yannis, I have walked the battlefield where Wolfgang von Blücher and his platoon were pinned down (you could not imagine a worse position) while researching my own book on the fate of the von Blücher brothers("Heroes in Death" - available on Amazon, of course). His book brings these battlefields back to life and conveys the experiences of all sides in vivid and agonizing detail. The book also reminds us that these Fallschirmjäger were tough men and great soldiers, but in the end, just men. This was brought home to me when a witness (Gerhard Broder) to the circumstances of Wolfgang's death described to me what he saw. I was astonished that after 70 years the raw emotion and the anger was still there. We enjoy a fascinating hobby, but it is well to be reminded of its context by books such as Yannis's and by the work of men like Kurt22 in Russia. Adrian

[Totenhead]

I will be ordering mine in the next couple of weeks

Would be interesting to have another book regarding Rethymnon, stayed there 4 years ago, looking forward to returning to Crete soon

[gwatty]

Great read, 2/3 through. Incredible that some of the stones on von Blucher's grave have been located from original photos! It is surprising that the Kreta campaign was ever successful. Photo on page 198 looks like Brad Pitt, those Cretan dudes look mean, would not like to meet them with only a P08! regards graeme

[herrzark]

Just arrived and mine copy. At first i can say an impresive book. Great cover and pages.Great material. And second an amazing work. Many photos from past and present. With stories from war, persons and memories. Impresive work. Well done to the Author.Yannis you made for that some years but all that was for good result.Impresive.Well done.Great work.Wish for the future the best . If someone is still thinking to buy it or not i can say only...dont wait and buy it now!!!!!

[W Petz]

Yannis....So now I know what you have been up to all these years besides chasing women on your scooter in Athens. I definitely need to pick up this book as it is getting many positive comments from WAF members at large. By the way I didn't realize you were working on this book until now....I don't think you ever asked me for the use of any of my Kreta photos but obviously it would not have mattered much. So Congratulations my friend on what appears to be a great reference and approach on telling the story of an often forgotten & bloody battle for Heraklion.