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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: spencer2004 on Thursday 26 August 10 17:08 BST (UK)

Title: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: spencer2004 on Thursday 26 August 10 17:08 BST (UK)
Hello. Just wondering if any kind person who will be visiting Crete would be prepared to take a picture of my Uncle's headstone. He was in the Australian Army Infantry 2/11 battalion killed defending the Island in 1941 and is buried in the cemetery at Suda Bay there. It would mean allot to the family to have a picture. Thank you.

Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: jane l on Thursday 26 August 10 17:12 BST (UK)
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=478476.msg3374917;topicseen#msg3374917
you may find him here
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: spencer2004 on Thursday 26 August 10 19:26 BST (UK)
Hello Jane1.  Thanks for the link, unfortunately it takes me back to my original question? please could you post the link again.

I do have the position and number of his grave
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: jane l on Thursday 26 August 10 19:31 BST (UK)
http://www.northernmemories.co.uk/Battle/Suda.htm sorry hope this is the right 1
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: spencer2004 on Thursday 26 August 10 20:44 BST (UK)
Thank you very much, the pictures whilst not showing his grave were excellent and gave me an idea of the cemetery.
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: jane l on Thursday 26 August 10 20:57 BST (UK)
http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=69004&mode=1 maybe this might be of use
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: jane l on Thursday 26 August 10 21:01 BST (UK)
what was his name
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: spencer2004 on Thursday 26 August 10 21:54 BST (UK)
Hello Jane1. His name was Douglas Bernard Wilkins.
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: joanna69 on Friday 27 August 10 18:48 BST (UK)
Here is a photo of the grave:

http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=1282612

You can order a higher quality version of the photograph from the war graves commission photographic project - for a small fee.  Once paid they'll email you the photograph.  I know all of this as I did it myself for a few of my ancestors buried in Ypres.

All the best

Jo
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: spencer2004 on Friday 27 August 10 19:12 BST (UK)
Thanks Jo, was the writing on the headstone legible when you received your emailed copy?
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: joanna69 on Friday 27 August 10 19:31 BST (UK)
Yes it was - they make sure of it when they take the photo I think - its at a much higher resolution than the example given on their website.   I can clearly read the inscription on both the ones i have from them.
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: spencer2004 on Friday 27 August 10 20:04 BST (UK)
Thanks, thats great to know, I have ordered.
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: Glenpenny on Tuesday 07 September 10 18:54 BST (UK)
Just to let you know.  I don't think the photographs of the cemetery on the link which was posted do it justice.  It really is in a beautiful spot,  situated on a level with Souda Bay and all the graves face towards the water.  It's a large bay with mountains on each side and the view from the cemetery is quite breathtaking.  I'm very pleased that you have managed to find a photograph of your Uncle's grave.

Veterans of the Battle of Crete still visit every year and hold a rememberance ceremony there.
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: spencer2004 on Tuesday 07 September 10 22:10 BST (UK)
Thank you Glenpenny for that lovely description of the Cemetery, I would very much like to visit.

Also, many thanks for all the help given by other members on this thread, I have now received the photographs which are excellent with the inscription on the headstone very clear.

Kind regards Carol.
Title: Re: Is Anyone Visiting Crete? Help Needed Taking a Photograph
Post by: Northernmemories on Saturday 18 September 10 00:13 BST (UK)
Hi to everyone, I'm Norman, I run the Northernmemories web site. The images taken seven years ago in Crete were taken with a now primative digital camera with a limited capacity of memory, how times change!. The images were taken with rows of headstones and individual ones for my other web site, to detail and remember those who fell. I'll admit, I only took a few shots of the surroundings, to me the gravestones were the important part of my visit, every one should be remembered.

Regards to all,

 Norman.