Cretan resistance

For the first time during World War II, attacking German forces faced in Crete a substantial resistance from the local population.

Resistance in Crete involved figures such as Patrick Leigh Fermor, George Psychoundakis, Georgios Petrakis (Petrakogiorgis), Manolis Bandouvas, Antonis Grigorakis, Kostis Petrakis, John Lewis, Tom Dunbabin, Dudley Perkins, Sandy Rendel, John Houseman, Xan Fielding, Dennis Ciclitira, Ralph Stockbridge and Bill Stanley Moss.

[2] Communication by boat with Egypt was established as a means of evacuating British and Dominion soldiers who were trapped on Crete and for bringing in supplies and men to liaise with Cretan resistance fighters.

He approached a young high school student named George Doundoulakis after observing his keen knowledge as a Greek interpreter in Archanes during the Battle of Crete.

After the war, George Doundoulakis was awarded the King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom from Great Britain for his services and assisting in the evacuation and safety of British and Dominion stragglers from Crete.

George Doundoulakis, John Androulakis, and Leigh Fermor, along with guerrilla leader Manolis Bandouvas, would take refuge within the mountainous SOE hideouts of Mount Ida.

[10] Leigh Fermor became renowned after the war in the British book and film, Ill Met by Moonlight, for his abduction of German General Kreipe from Crete.

Following Doundoulakis' exit from Crete to join the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS), he handed off leadership of the organisation he initiated to Mikis Akoumianakis, son of the caretaker at Knossos.

Logically the civilian population could have been expected to remain inactive while the professionals – the British Commonwealth and a small number of Greek troops – fought it out with the invaders.

The New Zealander Dudley "Kiwi" Perkins, also known as "Kapetan Vasili" by locals became a legend for his courage, and after he was killed, the Cretans kept his grave covered with flowers.

This youthful, Kim-like figure was a great favourite of everyone's, for his humour, high spirits, pluck and imagination and above all the tireless zest with which he threw himself into the task.

[18][19] Zografakis helped Leigh Fermor when he returned to Crete prior to the abduction of Kreipe[20] in addition to the bombing of the Kastelli Airfield with George Doundoulakis.

[21] Most cells had a radio for communicating with Egypt through which information could be passed and requests made for parachute drops of food, clothing, supplies, and weapons.