At what point did the will to survive give way to the thirst for blood? The Battle of Crete was one of the most spectacular military campaigns of the 20th century. For the first time in history, German forces conducted an invasion conducted entirely from the air, while the inadequately equipped Australian, New Zealand, and British soldiers, alongside the local Cretans, defended the island.
One battle stands out for its brutality during the campaign. When the Germans approached the Allies' defensive line – known as the 42nd Street – on May 27, 1941, the men of the Australian battalions 2/7 and 2/8, the New Zealanders from various battalions, and British soldiers launched a ferocious assault with bayonets. In the end, the battlefield was left strewn with corpses.
Later, a German doctor would report that many of the corpses of German soldiers had been mutilated. Distinguished historian Peter Monteath delves deeply into the records and memories of Australians, New Zealanders, Britons, Germans, and Cretans in order to uncover the truth behind one of the most horrific battles of World War II.
