Seventeen thousand miles from the Greek island of Crete, on a wet and windy Wellington day, a crowd gathered in the Hall of Memories at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park to remember a World War II battle on the Mediterranean island.
It's been 75 years since the dramatic 12-day battle begun, on the Greek island where 7700 New Zealand soldiers were stationed.
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
The families of those who fought in the battle, other veterans and dignitaries attended the service, including Major General Themistoklis Bourolias from Greece's National Defence Force.
Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne says it's a significant day for New Zealand.
Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne (Simon Wong / Newshub.)
"I think every New Zealander has a memory, whether their family was involved or not, of the Battle for Crete."
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
Joan O'Neill's husband Phillip was 18 years old when he went to Crete; he lied about his age so he could enlist.
"He was captured on Crete and finished up in a German prison camp for three-and-a-half years. He escaped and went to Poland where a Polish family looked after him until peace was declared."
Ms O'Neill's husband was one of more than 2000 New Zealanders taken prisoner and 671 died.
"He always wanted to go back to Crete because he left a lot of mates there, but he wasn't well enough," says Ms O'Neill.
Phillip O'Neill died in December 2010, and his wife still comes to every commemoration because it was always something "he wanted to do".
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
George Neonakis, from the Cretan Association of New Zealand, says the number of veterans who fought in Crete are getting fewer and it's important to remember.
"We're just trying to keep the spirit of the battle of Crete alive."
He says the battle formed a bond between New Zealand and Greece.
George Neonakis, right, (Simon Wong / Newshub.)
"Quite often you hear the world blood brothers. That bond between the people of Crete, the Greeks and the Kiwis, it comes down to the point that 75 years later, we are still talking about it."
And he says that conversation needs to continue.
"It's a battle that people need to remember. The veterans might go, the legacy stays."
Newshub.
