Seeking information on Major Doelberg

Ms Raine Bryant,  granddaughter of Major Julian Frederic Doelberg, Royal Engineers, Service number 18318, is seeking information about her grandfather who died on 29 April 1941. Raine believes he had been on a special mission to help delay the advance of the German forces during the Allied evacuation. As part of this evacuation, Major Doelberg and other allied soldiers had hired a Greek ship, loaded with hay, to evacuate to Crete. As they were trying to repair a broken engine, two German aircraft strafed the boat. Most soldiers jumped in the sea. Major Doelberg, along with six other soldiers, died and were buried by the villagers of Proastion (in southern Peloponnese) on the Kaminia (also called Delfinia) beach. The ship burned and sank. A year later the bodies were exhumed and buried in the local cemetery. In the Autumn of 1944 a British warship arrived at Kalamitsi beach, and a military chaplain, followed by a Cypriot interpreter, went to the village, where a service was held, the bones were exhumed again and were carried to the ship. The bones were finally laid to rest at Phaleron War Cemetery, Athens. If you have any information, however little, please email us at greekveterans@gmail.com and we will forward it on. Many thanks.