POW camps on Crete

Allied troops taken prisoner after the battle were located in the west of the island at Agii Apostoli also referred to by some pow’s as “Galatos camp “( mostly New Zealanders and British with a few other nationalities such as Palestinians,Cypriots and Indians) Skines , (Australians ) the former rudimentary camp where Italian prisoners of war captured in North Africa  were kept. and a small camp at the airfield at Maleme used for work details and burial parties.

Recently it has come out that a camp was established on the southern coast at Tymbakion also known as Tympaki and Timbakion .

Known by the allies during WW2 Timbakion was the location of an airstrip built with POW and local labour, this location is currently being researched.

Maleme camp was likely used to supply the Germans with labour in which to rebuild the airfield and clean up the large amount of wreckage etc accumulated during the battle.

It seems some allied prisoners of war captured on Crete were issued with Pre stamped steel identification tags such as this example below.

A separate tag was issued once arriving in Germany,in most cases StalagVIIIB was the first camp the men got to call ‘Home’ for the duration of the war .

Stalag VIIIB or 8b Lamsdorf Germany was located in which is now known as Lambinowice Poland,in 1943 it was renamed Stalag 344.

Crete POW’S were also sent to a number of other camps,Oflags (Officers camps) Stalag 18A,Stalag 383 and a few to Stalag 4A. There are other camps that were possibly used and these are still being researched.

A good website on the subject can be found here https://www.lamsdorf.com

Tag authors collection.

The entrance to the former British 7th General Hospital at Agii Apostoli aproximately three kilometres west of  Chania.

This became a make shift POW camp for many men prior to being shipped to Salonika on mainland Greece,then onto Germany via train.

The main building in the top right of the photograph still exists today.

Entrance to camp

The building on the top right can be seen below, the building though derelict still stands today.

Above part of the POW camp at Agii Apostoli, likely taken after the last of the men were sent on to Salonika then to Germany .

The location can be visited today though many trees are now growing in the foreground.

POWS Crete
Agii Apostoli NZ Maori Pows

NZ Maori prisoners of war along with a fellow NZer wearing pattern 37 battledress trousers far left. Agii Apostoli camp west of Chania.

agii apostoli
Agii Apostoli Crete

An alternative view of the camp looking north east. Allied Bren gun carrier in the foreground.

Allied POWS Suda bay

Suda Bay Allied Prisoners of War awaiting transport to mainland Greece via ship (not pictured)