Scope of the Shrine:
- The Shrine is to honour and remember the Cretan civilian men and women, the Cretan Militia and the servicemen of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand who gave their lives in the Battle of Crete (20 May to June 1941). The Shrine will also remember all those who participated in the Battle and its aftermath with special reference to those service and civilian persons who were executed, suffered physical or mental injury, became prisoners of war or suffered hardship of any description.
- The battle of Crete did not end on the 1st of June for the Cretans who continued to fight and risk their lives until the liberation of their island.
- It is acknowledged by all Australian, UK and New Zealand historians that during the weeks that followed the capture of Crete the civilian population including the clergy, risked their lives to harbour, feed, save and ultimately help in the evacuation of Allied troops.
Many Cretans were executed with no effect on the extent of help.
- The consequences of the unrivaled resistance of the Cretan population and the allied troops were detrimental to the ensuing course of the war. The losses of the invaders were extremely heavy and Hitler was imposed to cancel his muted plans to use paratroopers to invade the United Kingdom.
- The Holy Monastery of Preveli was a rallying point for the Allied Servicemen before their evacuation by submarines. The Abbot and the Monks of the Monastery with the civilian Cretans of the area had a crucial role for the salvation of a big number of Allied troops from this part of the island.
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