War vet, 97, returns to Crete battlef ield
Anthony Madden’s face tells his life story. The 97-year-old war veteran, widower and father-of-three, who lives in Hawke’s Bay, has vivid memories of his time spent fighting on Crete during World War II.
Once a prisoner of war after being shot by German forces, Madden is making one final trip back to the Greek island tomorrow to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Crete, fought between May 20 and June 1 in 1941.
While Madden is one of several Kiwis who fought there who are still standing, he is the only one well enough to travel.
The battle began with Nazi Germany’s airborne invasion of the Mediterranean island. Greek forces and allies, including New Zealand troops, tried to repel the assault.
Ultimately, the Germans were victorious. ‘‘It was a bit hair-raising at times,’’ admitted Madden, who was wounded on the first day of the invasion.
He was one of 7700 Kiwis stationed on Crete. Many made it off the island but 2180 were taken as prisoners and 671 died.
On the day he was wounded Madden was transporting prisoners between Maleme on the west of the island and the prisoners’ camp at Chania.
On his way back from a trip, he went to pick up his guitar from a canteen at the village of Agia Marina.
When he arrived the canteen was closed, so he wandered around to the back door. He then noticed a man standing in the doorway. ‘‘All you could see were his trousers and his rifle. The German field grey was much the same colour as the Greek police trousers.’’
Madden called out and the man came out into the open. He was a German paratrooper. ‘‘He looked at me, and I looked at him. We were both sort of really startled.’’
The man shot at Madden twice, missing him, but a third bullet hit him in the leg.
Madden finally took a shot at the
‘‘All you could see were his trousers and his rifle. The German field grey was much the same colour as the Greek police trousers . . . He looked at me, and I looked at him. We were both sort of really startled.’’
paratrooper but missed, at which point the man ducked back into the doorway. A comrade of the paratrooper in an opposite doorway then ran out in front of Madden.
Knowing he had to escape, Madden eventually managed to get up and run away to his truck.
He drove to Maleme where he was bound up by doctors who told him: ‘‘You’ll be going home on that one.’’
A hospital ship docked in the harbour was scheduled to leave that night and Madden was given medicine and a cigarette, and put aside.
However, when the wounded were being evacuated they missed him in the dark.
Madden remained in Maleme until the capitulation, at which point he was taken prisoner by the Germans.
He did not speak about his time as a prisoner, but Robin Lloyd, who is accompanying him to Crete, said authorities made Madden sweep the streets of Munich.
‘‘At nighttime he’d go back to his barracks and he’d put his trousers and jacket under the mattress so that it was already creased for the next day.’’
Germans used to compliment him on his turnout, Lloyd said.
Madden said he was looking forward to reflecting on his experiences one last time. ‘‘I was pretty lucky,’’ he declared. ‘‘I came through it OK.’’