Reading time: 2 minutes
Forgotten Anzacs: The Campaign in Greece, 1941 – Revised Edition, by Peter Ewer
This is the largely unknown story of another Anzac force, which fought not at Gallipoli, but in Greece, during World War II.
Desperately outnumbered and fighting in deeply inhospitable conditions, these Anzacs found themselves engaging in a long retreat through Greece, under constant air attack.
Most of the Anzac Corps was evacuated by the end of April 1941, but many men got only as far as Crete. Fighting a German paratroop invasion there in May, large numbers were taken captive and spent four long years as prisoners of the Nazis.
The campaign in Greece turned out to have uncanny parallels to the original Gallipoli operation: both were inspired by Winston Churchill, both were badly planned by British military leaders, and both ended in defeat and evacuation. Just as Gallipoli provided military academies the world over with lessons in how not to conduct a complex feat of arms, Churchill’s Greek adventure reinforced fundamental lessons in modern warfare ― heavy tanks could not be stopped by men armed with rifles, and Stuka dive-bombers would not be deflected by promises of air support from London that were never honoured.
In this revised edition, based on fresh archival research, and containing a collection of previously unpublished photos, the truth finally emerges as to how the Australian, Greek, and New Zealand Governments were misled over key decisions that would define the campaign.
“This clear and well-written account of the campaign should do much to rescue the forgotten Anzacs from neglect by subsequent generations.“
Jeffrey Grey, Australian Book Review
“This book makes fascinating reading and does a long way in recognising these forgotten Anzacs.“
Peter Masters, Australian Defence Magazine
“Forgotten Anzacs is a timely tribute to those who took part in a neglected chapter in our military history.”
Greg Thom, Herald Sun
“Peter Ewer is one of very few Australian military historians to understand what Anzac means. This is a book that skilfully moves between the battalions of both nation bringing to the forefront whichever component the story demands, regardless of its place of origin. Ewer’s true recognition of Anzac nourishes his account and he builds on that strength as he also looks at the campaign from Greek, German and British perspectives.“
Michael McKernan, The Canberra Times
“This is an important contribution to Australian war literature … an engrossing history of a very important Anzac campaign.“
Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald
“Peter Ewer deserves the thanks of all Australians and New Zealanders for writing this absorbing and moving story before the participants have all disappeared.”
News Weekly
“A great account of what actually happened.”
Don Stephenson, 2/6th Battalion AIF, Prisoner of War 1941-1945
“For those of us who were there, this is an outstanding history of both the Australian and New Zealand campaign in 1941.”
Gordon Beal, 2/8th Field Company, Prisoner of War, 1941-1945
Forgotten Anzacs: the campaign in Greece, 1941 – revised edition – Book
By Peter Ewer This is the largely unknown story of another Anzac force, which fought not at Gallipoli, but in Greece, during World War II. Desperately outnumbered and fighting in deeply inhospitable conditions, these Anzacs found themselves engaging in a long retreat through Greece, under constant air attack. Most of the Anzac Corps was evacuated…
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