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Veteran Story: Jane Pugh

This week we are pleased to feature Jane Pugh. Jane was a Nursing Sister with the 26th British Military Hospital in Athens. Jane arrived in Greece in November 1940 and was there until April 1941, when she was evacuated from Megara to Crete and then on to Egypt. Jane joined the Territorial Army Nursing Service (TANS) in 1938 and went on to serve with Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) throughout the war as a Lieutenant. Here is an extract from her story: 

“Within days of the German invasion 26 General Hospital was the only functioning military hospital in Greece. Soon bed space was scarce, tents were erected in the grounds as extra wards, and these had neither water supply nor sluices. The nurses worked like machines, admitting patients, preparing them for surgery, washing, feeding them then evacuating them. German air attacks on the Thessalonica to Athens road increased, and the sound of guns could be heard at Kiffisia. In addition to wounded allied soldiers, wounded German soldiers were being nursed. Doctors operated day and night and wore revolvers all the time. There were air raids, but the hospital itself was never bombed, although being close to Menidi Airfield, bombs fell close by.”

We are very grateful to her son, David Grant, for Jane’s story from his family history website. 

Please click on the link below and scroll down to STORY to read about Jane’s experiences. 

Read Jane Pugh’s Story

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Veteran Story: Len Abbs

This week we are pleased to feature Len Abbs.  Len was one of the early members of The Brotherhood of Greek Veterans. He joined the RAF in 1938 where he trained in RAF photographic work before being posted to 9 Squadron then to 211 Squadron. He arrived in Greece in November 1940 and was there when the Germans invaded in April 1941. He was fortunate in being evacuated to Egypt.

Len was later posted to Sumatra where he was captured by the Japanese and became a PoW. He was one of the lucky ones to survive. He married Betty in 1947, had five daughters and lived to be 93 years of age before he passed away in 2014.

Please click on the link below and scroll down to STORY to read about Len’s experiences as well as information on 211 Squadron. 

Read Len Abbs’ Story  

Len is also featured on the website ‘Heroes of our Time’  https://heroesofourtime.co.uk/len-abbs.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks to Noah Scott for the Brotherhood Archive

After many years as our Archivist, Noah Scott has passed on the baton.

We wish to thank Noah for all his hard work and dedication in building and curating our Archive. It is based on accounts from individuals who were involved in some way in the Greek Campaign, the majority of whom are (or were) members of the Brotherhood, supplemented by information from research and other sources. 

As well as spending many hours over the last few years putting the Archive together, including thousands of pages of documents, Noah has also committed a lot of time to conducting his own research. In addition, for many veterans, Noah has personally developed their stories and acted as their author. While some veterans may only have a small record (as per the registration forms we currently show for our veterans on the website), there are also those whose ‘stories’ literally run to hundreds of pages.

Noah very carefully constructed the Archive by setting up a Folder for every single veteran (over 540 of them)  and within each folder separate files : Foreword, Pre-Greece, Greek Campaign, Post-Greece and Post Script and sometimes Last Post. This means that in whatever form content has arrived into Noah’s inbox over the years (be this photos, news cuttings, POW questionnaires, verbatim memories, books etc) Noah has deconstructed this content and then written/crafted it in order to populate each file correctly.

In developing the Archive, Noah has captured not just people’s activities as part of the Greek Campaign but, where possible, their whole stories. In order to help future researchers or family members, Noah has also pulled in content, where relevant, from other sources like Wikipedia or official accounts, in order to paint a picture and to tell the story, where possible, for many veterans.

To find out more about Noah’s approach to the Archive please click on the link below.

La Raison d’Etre by Noah Scott

As we have previously stated, Noah’s endeavours may well have gone unrecognised without the time Mary Peterkin (Sanderson) has spent this year, painstakingly taking Noah’s content and transferring the records and stories (literally piece by piece) onto the website.

This has been a major achievement, as it means not only is all of Noah’s hard work and dedication visible for all to see, but we also now have a very substantial and lasting legacy, not just for a few famous veterans who we know about or who have written books, but just as importantly many unknown and unsung heroes of this ill-fated campaign.

David and Mary Sanderson have now taken over the Archive function. Given that we are now receiving veterans’ stories from children and grandchildren, we have developed a couple of proformas which we are asking people to complete if they wish their relative to be added to the Archive. Please contact us at greekveterans@gmail.com if you wish to add a veteran to the Archive.

 

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Veteran Story: Eric Sanderson

This week we are pleased to feature Trooper Eric Rockcliff Sanderson of the QO 4th Hussars, father of David Sanderson our Chairman. 

Eric joined the 4th Hussars in 1938. In early 1941 he found himself in northern Greece, and on 6th April 1941, the day after his 21st birthday, he woke to learn that Germany had invaded northern Greece. As a tank driver at the rear end of the retreat to the ports in the south, Eric was one of around 8,000 men left behind in late April 1941. He took to the Taygetos mountains where some 800 men attempted to make their way even further south hoping that a boat would come to take them to safety. Most of these “evaders” were caught pretty quickly. Eric did very well as he managed to avoid  capture for several months until late October, when he was captured by the Italians and taken as a PoW to Italy. Following the Italian collapse in September 1943, Eric was then taken by the Germans to Germany. 

Please click on the link below and scroll down to STORY where you will be able to read about Eric’s  experiences. You will also find links to information about the QO 4th Hussars. 

Read Eric Sanderson’s Story 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kalamata and UK Reunions 2022 – 81st Anniversary of Greek Campaign

We do not yet have a date for the Kalamata Reunion in 2022 but we hope this will be held the week commencing 9th May 2022. Based on previous years, the ceremony is usually held on a Tuesday which would be 10th May 2022. We will publish an update when we know more.

The UK Reunion at Lichfield will be held Saturday 10th September 2022. More information will follow in due course.

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UK Reunion – 80th Anniversary 11th September 2021

We were blessed with good weather and an excellent turn-out for our service at the Greek Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum.  We were very pleased to have an excellent Uk military presence at this special 80th Anniversary service. There were 14 representatives from various units which had been actively involved in the original campaign, who attended our service.  The most senior of these was a Brigadier Humphris, 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade. Also attending was Captain Ioannis Papavlachos, the Greek Defence Attaché; Lieutenant Emma Thomas of the New Zealand Defence Force and Sqn Leader Rashmin Gunaratne, Australian Defence Force.

All five of our standards were carried this year by the following ‘volunteers’: Ian Brown, Paul Hadwin, Barry Parkin, Colin Pleavin and Peter Simpson. In addition, the Branch Chairman of Bournemouth, Pool and District Branch of the Royal Tank Regiment, Retired Captain Dave Larcombe, attended and carried an RTR standard.

Father John (Nankivell) led the service, ably assisted, as usual, by his wife, Georgina. Janet Parkin gave a short welcome and introduction followed by an address from our Chairman David Sanderson. Please click on this link to read David’s speech.

David Sanderson address

Nine wreaths were laid this year – one by each of our three special guests (see above): plus Brigadier Humphris on behalf of all the military representatives present; Captain (Retired) Dean Hutton, Royal Tank Regiment; Roger Hadwin – Prisoners of War; Mary Sanderson – on behalf of the Widows; Margaret Stanbridge – in Remembrance of Deceased Members; and Mark Buttery on behalf of the Brotherhood. Geoff Swinnerton gave the oration and acted as Parade Marshall.  Many thanks to all who helped make the 80th anniversary service a memorable occasion.

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Veteran Story: Jack Dean

This week, we are pleased to feature Lance-Sergeant Jack Dean, 292 Field Company, Royal Engineers.

Sources for Jack Dean’s story come from personal correspondence with his widow Iris and by cross-reference with Ken Millington’s account in the BBC’s Peoples’ War series – Ken was also a Sapper in 292 Coy RE.  Other ex-members of 292 Coy contributing to the Brotherhood archives and with relevance to Jack Dean’s own experiences are Allan Slocombe, Ernie Carroll and Malcolm Young.

Much more data is held in Jack’s Archive at the 2nd World War Experience Centre at Otley, West Yorkshire.  These include many documents and photographs plus some medals, including the Greek-awarded Campaign Medal.  

Jack and Iris were keen members of The Brotherhood and greatly appreciated the chance to meet up with other veterans in both Kalamata and UK.  

Please click on the link below and scroll down to STORY where you will be able to read about Jack’s  experiences. 

Read Jack Dean’s Story

 

 

 

 

 

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Veteran Story: George Dexter

This week, we are pleased to feature George Dexter who, until his death in 2014 aged 97, was the last living survivor of the SS Slamat.  George was a very lucky man. On being evacuated from Greece, he survived being sunk twice. First on the SS Slamat, then on one of her rescue vessels, HMS Wryneck. A third vessel, HMS Diamond was also sunk. George was one of only eight soldiers, one naval officer and 41 seamen to survive the worst sea disaster of Operation Demon, the maritime evacuation of the Allied Forces involved in the 1941 Greek Campaign.

Many years later, George presented a memorial stone in honour of those who died on the day he was saved. This memorial stone sits in The Greek Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum, Lichfield. For those of you attending the 80th anniversary  service at the NMA this Saturday, 11th September 2021, you will be able to visit the stone and pay your respects.  

Please click on the link below and scroll down to STORY where you will be able to read about George’s experiences. 

Read George Dexter’s Story

 

 

 

 

 

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80th anniversary commemoration Saturday 11th September 2021

As a reminder, this year’s service will be held in the Greek Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum, Lichfield on Saturday 11th September at 11.30am or, if wet, at 12 noon in the Chapel.  Arrangements at the Arboretum are a little different this year. All visits must be pre-booked – within the two weeks leading up to 11th September, no earlier.  If booking on-line the email address is thenma.org.uk.  If you are arriving by car, please note that one ticket is required per four wheeled vehicle and  all passengers are included in the ticket.  If you cannot book on-line then phone the NMA 01283 245 100.  Most facilities are open: restaurant, coffee shop etc.

After the service, we have made arrangements for a buffet lunch (at a modest cost per head) to be provided for us at a local venue, not far from the Arboretum. If you wish to join us for lunch, please email us at greekveterans@gmail.com and we will you send you the details. We will need to know numbers in advance for catering purposes.

 

 

 

 

 

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Veteran Story: Leslie Donald Haslewood

This week, we are pleased to feature Leslie Donald Haslewood, an Australian signalman who served in the Greek campaign. 

Les was involved in fighting in Egypt, Greece and New Guinea and was wounded In action twice before returning to Australia after the war. Les wrote about some of his experiences and his cousin Kenneth Duus has included these with research of his official service records, unit diaries and photos to write his detailed military service history.

Kenneth has very kindly shared with us a copy of this very comprehensive and compelling account. Please click on the link below and scroll down to STORY where you will be able to read about Les’s experiences. 

Read Leslie Donald Haslewood’s Story