Found, salvaged and preserved! A Blenheim shot down in Crete by friendly fire on April 28, 1941

The evacuation of  the BEF from mainland Greece towards Crete and Egypt is in full swing, during the last chaotic days of April 1941. A repetition of the Dunkirk operation on a smaller scale sees thousands of  allied soldiers fleeing the nazi advance in mainland Greece, following the capitulation of the Greek Army.

Boats of every size are struggling to get the troops from the shores of the Peloponnese and Attica, while the nazi Luftwaffe controls the skies over Greece and is constantly harassing the allies, sinking many ships.

The salvage operation in its final stages, the Blenheim is lifted out of the sea

One largely forgotten episode of this epic struggle is the story of a Bristol Blenheim Mk IV F (203 squadron, L9044), which covers the withdrawal of a convoy to Crete. A British destroyer with trigger-happy and quite nervous anti aircraft personnel believes the twin engine light bomber is a German one. They promptly set their sights on the Blenheim and shoot at it.

The evacuation route of BEF from Attica to Crete and Egypt. The dotted line depicts the flight path of the stricken Blenheim

Pilot Gordon Hall sees the starboard engine in flames and decides to try to reach the shores of Crete.

Minutes seem like ages and the crippled Blenheim is struggling to get to Crete. Losing altitude and flying with just one engine, it is obvious that there is not much life left in the aircraft.

Just 1.5 kilometres from the shore of Rethymno, Crete, Hall decided to ditch the aircraft, as smoothly as possible. Indeed, the Blenheim sits on the surface, giving enough time to its three crew members to safely evacuate the sinking aircraft.

A man from Crete, Markos Koumiotakis, sees the sinking aircraft and the three men trying not to drown, he ties a rope on his waist and plunges into the sea. A keen swimmer, Koumiotakis finally reaches the crew and manages to save them, after over two hours at sea.

The Blenheim rests on the seabed, protected by a reef right next to it, largely forgotten for almost 50 years, until a diver finds it again by pure chance. 

 The instrument panel of the Ju52 salvaged in Leros, with the Blenheim in the background, at the Hellenic Air Force Museum, Tatoi Airport, Athens, Greece

The Hellenic Air Force decides to salvage it and following a technically complex opearation, they manage to bring it to the surface 55 years after its last flight. Bullet-ridden, with personal effects of its crew still inside, the Blenheim awaits its preservation.

After a painstaking work by experts at the Museum, the Blenheim now sits in the hangar, telling its story to everyone who is interested to listen.

Pilot Hall, who survived WW2, had the privilege to sit once again at his seat and received part of the stricken aircraft as a gift from the Hellenic Air Force.

Blenheim pilot Gordon Hall at the Hellenic Air Force Museum, with the aircraft in the background

January 1941: A Greek soldier sends a letter from the front, using an Italian "cartolina" war booty

War is not only the heroic images we see in the movies, the embellished narratives and the sterile depiction of historical reality.

Wars are fought by everyday people, with feelings, thoughts, people that leave their peacetime occupation and immerse themselves in the atrocities of the battlefields, an experience from which if they survive, it will mark them for the rest of their lives. 

One of them, the soldier Matthew Tloupas, from the 2nd company of the 4th Machine Gun Battalion, is doing something very human in the lull of the fighting: 

He sends a letter to his girlfriend, which bears the handwritten note "CENSORED" .

In his letter, which is written in an Italian... war booty, dated January 11, 1941, in the heart of the harsh winter, soldier Matthew Tloupas, who is "somewhere in Albania", is dreaming of the moment he "will discuss closely" with his girlfriend Euphemia, and does not fail to note that "soon we will throw the Italians in the sea."

The Greek Army may not finally have reached its goal to ... throw Mussolini's army in the sea, but by reading this letter, everybody hopes that there was at least a happy ending in the romance and eventually Matthew was able to reunite with Euphemia. 

Η επιστολή... λάφυρο του 1941 και ο έρωτας στα βουνά της Αλβανίας

Ο πόλεμος δεν είναι μόνο οι ηρωικές απεικονίσεις, οι εξωραϊσμένες αφηγήσεις και η αποστειρωμένη αποτύπωση της ιστορικής πραγματικότητας.

Στον πόλεμο πάνε καθημερινοί άνθρωποι, με αισθήματα, σκέψεις, άνθρωποι που από την ειρηνική τους ενασχόληση βρέθηκαν στο επίκεντρο της θηριωδίας των πεδίων των μαχών, μια εμπειρία, από την οποία αν βγουν ζωντανοί, θα τους έχει σημαδέψει για το υπόλοιπο της ζωής τους. 

Ένας από αυτούς, ο στρατιώτης Ματθαίος Τλούπας, του 2ου λόχου πολυβόλων στο 4ο Τάγμα Κινήσεων Πολυβόλων, κάνει κάτι πολύ ανθρώπινο στην ανάπαυλα των μαχών: 

Στέλνει μια επιστολή,  η οποία, όπως είναι φυσιολογικό, φέρει τη χειρόγραφη ένδειξη "ΕΛΟΓΟΚΡΙΘΗ" στη φίλη του.

Στην επιστολή του, η οποία είναι γραμμένη σε ιταλική κάρτα... λάφυρο, με ημερομηνία 11 Ιανουαρίου του 1941, στην καρδιά δηλαδή του βαρύ χειμώνα, ο Ματθαίος "κάπου στην Αλβανία" ονειρεύεται τη στιγμή που "θα συζητήσει από κοντά" με την Ευφημία "του", ενώ δεν παραλείπει να σημειώσει ότι "σύντομα θα πετάξουμε τους Ιταλούς στη θάλασσα".

Μπορεί να μην επιτεύχθηκε τελικά ο στόχος της... κολυμβητικής δοκιμασίας των Ιταλών, διαβάζοντας όμως αυτή την επιστολή-ιστορικό τεκμήριο, ο καθένας εύχεται να υπήρξε τουλάχιστον ευτυχές τέλος στο ειδύλλιο και τελικά ο Ματθαίος να κατάφερε να σμίξει με την Ευφημία. 

Σύμφωνα με έρευνα στα ρχεία που πραγματοποίησαν οι φίλοι του ιστολογίου Ιδομενέας Φιλοκτήτης και Γιώργος Κρικέλας, το 4ο Τάγμα Πολυβόλων Κινήσεως, στάθμευε στο Τσιροτάτι, στην κοιλάδα Τομορίτσα (στενωπός Κερπίτσας). 

Η κατάσταση στον τομέα της Χ Μεραρχίας παρέμεινε αμετάβλητη ως τις 28 Δεκεμβρίου. Μετά από μια μικρή δράση στις 29 Δεκεμβρίου, όπου το Απόσπασμα προώθησε ελαφρώς τις θέσεις του (στις μάχες δεν φαίνεται να συμμετέχει το 4ο Τάγμα Πολυβόλων Κινήσεως), το ΤΣΔΜ εξαιτίας της κακοκαιρίας, διέταξε την διατήρηση του κτηθέντος εδάφους. 

Πιθανόν το τάγμα έκανε Χριστούγεννα και Πρωτοχρονιά στο Τσιροτάτι.

Η Χ Μεραρχία ζήτησε στις 14 Ιανουαρίου 1941 (από το Ε' ΣΣ στο οποίο πλέον υπήγετο αυτή και το 4ο Τάγμα Πολυβόλων Κινήσεως) αντικατάστασή της προς ανάπαυση και αναδιοργάνωση. 

Εν τω μεταξύ είχε λάβει διαταγές για συνέχιση των επιθετικών επιχειρήσεων αν επέτρεπαν οι καιρικές συνθήκες, γιατί επιχειρούσε σε υψόμετρα 1700-2100 μέτρα. 

Το προσωπικό είχε εξαντληθεί από 3μηνο αγώνα και κάθε μήνα μειώνετο η δύναμη των κτηνών σε άνω των 400. Το ΤΣΔΜ αναγνώρισε την ανάγκη ανάπαυσης κι επιφυλάχθηκε. Μεταξύ 24-25 Ιανουαρίου υπήρξε μια μικρή δράση στην οποία δεν φαίνεται να συμμετείχε το 4ο Τάγμα Πολυβόλων Κινήσεως. 

Καθ' όλον τον μήνα Ιανουάριον, επεκράτησαν δυσμενείς καιρικαί συνθήκαι και εις τον τομέα της Χ Μεραρχίας. 

Αι καθημεριναί χιονοθύελλαι και αι εκ των αγώνων ταλαιπωρίαι, επέφερον την εξάντλησιν των ανδρών, ιδίως των εν τη πρώτη γραμμή ευρισκομένων, προς ανακούφισιν των οποίων διετάσσετο η κατά το δυνατόν αντικατάστασις διά των εις χείρας των διοικήσεων εφεδρικών τμημάτων. 

Οι εφοδιασμοί προσέκρουον επισης εις πλείστας δυσχερείας, λόγω της καταστάσεως των οδών και της φθοράς και ελλείψεως μεταγωγικών κτηνών. 

Μεγάλη ήτο η φθορά ανδρών και κτηνών εκ του ψύχους, ιδία εις τα τμήματα τα ευρισκόμενα επί του υψ. 1732, των δυτικών αντηρίδων αυτού και των ανατολικών κλιτυών του Τόμορι, καλυπτομένων συνεχώς υπό χιόνων πάχους πλέον του ενός και ημίσεως μέτρου. 

Ο ποταμός Τομορίτσας, ορμητικός κατά τον ρουν, ήλασσε περιοδικώς κοίτην και επέβαλλε την συχνοτάτην κατασκευήν νέων γεφυρών. Η διάβασις διά του ορμητικού ρεύματος, ήτο επικίνδυνος και πολλά πεφορτωμένα κτήνη παρασυρόμενα επνίγοντο. 

Η καθ' ημέραν μέση διαρροή των ανδρών εκ κρυοπαγημάτων, υπερέβαιονε τους τεσσαράκοντα πέντε, οι δε θάνατοι κτηνών εκ των κακουχιών και της κοπόσεως τους είκοσι. 

Συνολικώς κατά το τέλος του μηνός Ιανούαρίου η έλλειψις κτηνών έναντι των προβλεπομένων υπό των πινάκων συνθέσεως δι' ολόκληρον την Μεραρχίαν, υπερέβαινον τα 500, των δε μαχίμων ανδρών τους 3500 κατά προσέγγισιν.

Τα παραπάνω περιγράφονται σε 2 τόμους της ΔΙΣ, "Η Ελληνική Αντεπίθεσις" (14 Νοε 1940 - 6 Ιαν 1941), σελ. 199-202 και "Χειμεριναί Επιχειρήσεις και Ιταλική Επίθεσις Μαρτίου", σελ.37-38, 55.

"Μέσα από το σκοπευτικό μου": Η πρώτη έκδοση (1949) του βιβλίου του Ηλία Καρταλαμάκη

Το εξώφυλλο της πρώτης έκδοσης (1949) του βιβλίου του Ηλία Καρταλαμάκη

"Το βιβλίο αυτό", γράφει ο επισμηναγός Ηλίας Καρταλαμάκης στο εισαγωγικό σημείωμα "Για τους συναδέλφους μου" του έργου του "Μέσα από το σκοπευτικό μου", το οποίο εκδόθηκε στην Αθήνα το 1949 "δεν αποτελεί μια αυστηρά ιστορική μελέτη, ούτε στεγνή εξιστόρηση των πολεμικών γεγονότων της Αεροπορίας μας. Περιέχει όμως τις πιο εκλεκτές πολεμικές αποστολές από κάθε είδος που τα καταδιωκτικά μας εξετέλεσαν".

 

"Σελίδες από τη ζωή και τη δράσι των ελληνικών καταδιωκτικών στην ξενητιά..."

"Προσπάθησα να δώσω μια καλή εικόνα της σκληρής ζωής, των δοκιμασιών και της δράσεως μιας τετραετίας άγνωστης στον πολύ κόσμο" συνεχίζει ο αεροπόρος-συγγραφέας.

Το οπισθόφυλλο της πρώτης έκδοσης

"Ο τίτλος του βιβλίου δικαιολογεί τυχόν παραλείψεις γεγονότων εξ ίσου σοβαρών ή και πιο σπουδαίων από όσα εκθέτω, χωρίς όμως να αδυνατίζουν το περιεχόμενο, γιατί ο κύριος σκοπός του είναι να δείξη τις συνθήκες πούζησαν οι ξενιτεμένοι αεροπόροι για να συνεχίσουν τον αγώνα στη Μ. Ανατολή και Ιταλία"

 

Φωτογραφία του συγγραφέα (Ιούλιος 1942)

"Το τελευταίο θέλω να πιστεύω ότι το πέτυχα. Θα είμαι εξαιρετικά ευτυχής να μάθω την κρίσι σας, τόσο τη δική σας, όσο και των λοιπών αναγνωστών"

April 27, 1941: When the nazis entered Athens

On this rare photo, recoloured by acclaimed artist Markos Danezis, we see elements of a nazi mechanised column in Athens, most probably very close to Omonia (Concord) Square, one of the most central spots of the capital of Greece. Note the indifferent stance of the passers-by, no one is even looking at the nazis.

On 6 April 1941, Germany came to the aid of Italy and invaded Greece through Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. 

Greek and British Commonwealth troops fought back but were overwhelmed. 

On 20 April, after Greek resistance in the north had ceased, the Bulgarian Army entered Greek Thrace, without having fired a shot, with the goal of regaining its Aegean Sea outlet in Western Thrace and Eastern Macedonia. 

The Bulgarians occupied territory between the Strymon River and a line of demarcation running through Alexandroupoli and Svilengrad west of the Evros River. 

The Greek capital Athens fell on 27 April, and by 1 June, after the capture of Crete, all of Greece was under Axis occupation. 

After the invasion King George II fled, first to Crete and then to Cairo. A nominally right-wing Greek government ruled from Athens, but it was a puppet of the occupiers, the so-called "Quislings", the name of the Norwegian traitor who became a nazi pawn.

On this rare photo, recoloured by acclaimed artist Markos Danezis, we see elements of a nazi mechanised column in Athens, most probably very close to Omonia (Concord) Square, one of the most central spots of the capital of Greece. Note the indifferent stance of the passers-by, no one is even looking at the nazis.

HMHS Britannic: The... other Titanic, sunk on 21 November 1916, in Greece

The Titanic is a shipwreck that has attracted the interest of the audience for over 100 years, since its sinking back in 1912.

Few are aware though that her sister ship the Britannic, sunk during WW1 in the Aegean Sea, Greece, on November 21^st, 1916, with the loss of 30 persons out of the 1065 people on board and is now resting on the seabed in almost perfect condition.

A Greek diving mission brought, from a depth of 120 meters, images from a shipwreck resting in the Aegean for almost 100 years. 

The "Greek Woman of the Abyss," Lena Tsopouropoulou recorded through her lens images of a ship almost 260 meters long.

The strait between Makronissos and Kea islands, just a few miles from the Temple of Poseidon on the southern tip of Attica, is one of the busiest sea passages, since antiquity with a history of 2500 years of navigation. 

"Victim" of the First World War, the Britannic was retrofitted into a hospital ship and sank after hitting a German mine that had been laid in late October by the German submarine U 73 and stayed for decades forgotten until the famous French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau located and identified it in 1975. 

Since then, several diving and scientific expeditions have visited the wreck, which is of great interest, both because of its almost perfect condition, almost 100 years after the sinking, and because of its historical and archaeological significance. 

Unlike the "Titanic" that dragged more than 1,500 people at the bottom of the sea, the "Britannic" was more... merciful since just 30 people perished with her.

"The Britannic is a major wreck with a great history," says Mrs. Lena Tsopouropoulou and adds: 

"Diving the wreck is a unique experience, the size of the ship left me speechless. It took a while until I started taking pictures".

Mrs. Lena Tsopouropoulou highlighted the technical difficulties that the project presented: "The conditions are very demanding, both technically and for photography. It is a great challenge to be able to capture photographically such a wreck and to be able to give an overall picture of the ship".

The "identity" of the Britannic

The "Britannic", one of three almost identical ocean liners of the shipping company "White Star", (the other two being the "Titanic" which sank in 1912 and the "Olympic" which was sold for scrap in the 1920s) is synonymous with luxury transatlantic voyages in the early 20th century.

It was launched in February 1914

Requisitioned in December 1915

Sank in November 1916

Registered length: 259.80 meters

Gross registered tonnage: 48,158

Cruising speed: 21 knots

Major Alexis Casdagli, the Battle of Crete and the... "Fuck Hitler" message

By Trevor Solley

Imprisoned by the old enemy for four years during World War Two, Major Alexis Casdagli never lost his fighting spirit up with his own cheeky form of resistance, adding the secret messages to his needlework which were never spotted by his Nazi captors.

Pinching red and blue thread from a disintegrating pullover belonging to an elderly Cretan general, Casdagli passed the long hours in captivity by painstakingly creating the sampler in cross-stitch.

The passive resistance, ironically displayed in such a gentle pastime, could have put the prisoner of war's life in jeopardy.

But instead of spotting the comments, his Nazi captors put the canvas on display in the castle where he was being held and subsequently three other prison camps.

At first glance the painstaking needlework doesn't look offensive, and the main message reads "This work was done by Major A. Casdagli. No. 3311. While in captivity at Dossel-Warbung Germany December 1941".

Sewing for men: Believe me, chaps, sew and ye shall reap 07 Apr 2013

But around the outside of the decorative symbols which surround the message, an innocent looking set of dots and dashes is actually morse code.

And the hidden message spells out Casdagli's defiant message to his unwitting Nazi captors: 

"God Save The King" and "Fuck Hitler".

The sampler, which was recently on display at the Victoria and Albert museum, was this week reunited with Mjr Casdagli's son, Tony.

"My father always said that the red cross packages her received kept him alive, but the sewing kept him sane,"

said 79-year-old Tony.

"He was captured at the battle of Crete and marched up Greece for six weeks before being flown to north Germany.

"Having run a textiles company before the war he knew a little about sewing, so when he was given a canvas by another prisoner he started stitching for something to do."

Alexis was held along with a Greek general, from whose dress jacket Alexis pulled the threads he used to stitch the sampler.

"The Red Cross wouldn't give care packages to captives until they had been held for over a year ," said grandfather-of-five Tony.

"So my father had to pick threads from items of clothing. Eventually he was able to ask for thread and canvas in his packages.

"He was so good at it the Germans had him giving classes to his fellow officers, but the Germans never worked out his code."

When Tony was 11, he received a stitched letter through the post. "It is 1,581 days since I saw you last but it will not be long now. Do you remember when I fell down the well? Look after Mummy till I get home again," Casdagli laboriously spelled out with finely stitched letters.

In a bleak, claustrophobic part-map and part-diagram, his father created a needlework of "Room 13, Spangenberg castle".

"At the bottom was a Union flag, added Tony. "National flags were forbidden in the camp, so Casdagli sewed a canvas flap over it with "do not open" written on it in German.

"Each week the same officer would open the flap and say, 'This is illegal,' and Pa said, 'You're showing it, I'm not showing it.'"

Major Casdagli was held captive between June 1941 and April 1945, his time captive split between four different prisoner of war camps.

After the war Alexis's textile business folded and he joined a British mission to Greece during the civil war as a non combatant before starting a perspex factory in London.

He kept up is stitching habit until his death in 1990, at the age of 90, and his son joined him regularly to spend time together sewing.

Tony, a retired Royal Navy officer, who lives in London with his wife Sally, caught the bug off his father when he retired from the navy.

"I still sew when I have nothing else to do," he said. "My father didn't sit down to teach me how to do it but I picked it up watching him."

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