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| Corporal Harry Gilchrist. |
Harold Gilchrist was the son of George and Ann and his occupation was listed as "orchard hand" when he enlisted. He was in the 20th (Canterbury and Otago) Battalion of the New Zealand Army when German forces invaded the island of Crete in 1941. He was one of the 80 men of the Battalion who were killed on the island.
The story of the Kiwis on Crete has been told many times by more competent authors than this one. It was a savage fight between the best of German soldiers and British Empire troops who, though ill-equipped and recently evacuated from Greece, were experienced and battle-hardened.
I have found no exact details of Harold's last day but here is the account from the Official History:
Sunday, 25 May, was critical. All morning there were constant air attacks and steadily increasing machine-gun and mortar fire. When enemy troops were seen massing in front of 18 Battalion's positions B, C, and D Companies of the 20th, organised into two companies under Captain Fountaine and Lieutenant O'Callaghan, were sent up to 10 Brigade by Brigadier Inglis and placed in a reserve position in the olive trees north of Galatas. The enemy was coming along the beach and, if 18 Battalion was beaten back, it might be possible to attack north and drive the enemy into the sea. Early in the afternoon these companies were very heavily bombed and machine-gunned in a four-hour blitz. At one stage there was an alarm that paratroops had landed in the hospital area. Colonel Burrows, with an Italian camouflaged groundsheet flapping behind him, ran over with Sergeant Sullivan to investigate. Later, the Bren platoon under Lieutenant Green was sent out on a patrol of the area but no paratroops were discovered.
Between 4 and 6 p.m. the Germans dive-bombed the 18 Battalion positions and put in a heavy infantry attack. That battalion's right-hand company was overwhelmed and a counter-attack by its Headquarters Company failed to restore the situation. By 5 p.m. Colonel Kippenberger decided he could not wait to counter-attack but must use the 20 Battalion companies to try to hold the line.
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| 20 Bttn positions, May 25, shown in the Official History. |
Kippenberger ordered Fountaine and O'Callaghan to take their companies and occupy positions along Ruin Ridge, a support position that could be seen from his headquarters in the EFI building, sometimes called ‘The Blockhouse’. This ridge had previously been held by the Composite Battalion, which was beginning to withdraw.
The companies moved off and within a quarter of an hour a steady crackle of rifle and Bren-gun fire broke out and continued till an hour before dark. By this time casualties were heavy and the position looked grave. C, B, and D Companies lay in that order north from Galatas. When the enemy broke through between the town and Rin Ridge, C Company at one stage was fired on from behind. Lieutenant Upham's platoon was heavily engaged from the outset. While his men stopped under a ridge, Upham crawled forward, observed the enemy, and brought his platoon forward as the Germans advanced. The platoon killed over forty with fire and grenades and forced the remainder to fall back. Just at dusk the enemy attacked determinedly in an attempt to capture Galatas. There was a danger of the 20th being cut off, and Colonel Kippenberger sent four runners to find the two company commanders with orders to withdraw towards A Company, which had come up during the afternoon and was manning the line of a ravine a little to the east.
The rest of the story of 20th Battalion on that busy day can be found here.
A Sergeant Allison who returned to Crete in 1954, wrote: "Last night I slept in a little cottage close to the spot where Harry Gilchrist, Billy Horn, Jock Hoffman and Jack Friend were killed.
"I've heard many stories about the deaths of NZ-ers and the escape of some. I am writing now amongst some olive trees between Galatos and Daratsos, but again I'm interrupted by three small boys - one eating a handful of grapes and very ragged in dress. There's such a great deal to tell you..."
Harold lies in the Suda Bay war cemetery on Crete.
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| Group of Roxburgh soldiers in Cairo - Harry is bottom row, second from left. Photo: Hocken Library |
Roxburgh Cemetery.
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