In the course of looking through various other archive sources, I discovered that the John Murray Archive at the National Library of Scotland holds a significant portion of Patrick Leigh Fermor’s private papers, notes, drafts and unpublished works. Given he looms large over everything relating to Special Operations Executive and the resistance in Crete, and with a mandatory free day of annual leave burning a hole in my pocket, I decided to have a look and see what these documents actually contain.
What I was looking for:
More information about Tara, in particular is there a description of the building itself.
What, in Patrick Leigh Fermor’s own words, is there available on the mission to evacuate General Carta before the Germans seized control of the eastern part of Crete.
What is the contents of the documents relating to Ralph Stockbridge and Alfred Fenske, General Kreipe’s driver and in the half completed book “Mountain Village Life” by George Psychoundakis.
What I found:
Unfortunately as the documents I viewed are part of the special collections, direct photography of the pages was not allowed, but I made copious notes.
Mountain Village Life contains a good deal of information about, as the name suggests, life in a Cretan village in the mid 20th century. It describes farming and food, clothing and customs and day to day details of the world known to the Cretans at the time of the Axis invasion.
The First Ball in Tara is a short account of the party held to celebrate the move into the famous/infamous mansion in Cairo that housed several SOE agents while on leave. It is likely this account that forms much of what is repeated elsewhere, such as the numerous glasses being smashed and the problem of a burning sofa solved by throwing it out of a window.
The Spiriting Away of General Carta is Leigh Fermor’s own account of the negotations between the Cretan resistance, SOE and the Italian commander of the eastern Lasithi province General Carta and the plan to smuggle him out of the island. Unfortunately he only goes up to the end of negotiations and doesn’t cover the actual escape mission in any detail.
Stockbridge’s account of the battle conveys the chaos and pandemonium of the sudden airbourne attach and retreat. He also describes his vow to return to the island to help with the resistance and immediately volunteering for secret operations when back in Cairo.
What surprised me:
Amongst the files of correspondence there is a section concerning Alfred Fenske, General Kreipe’s driver in Crete who was struck over the head during the initial kidnapping and then killed when his injuries slowed down the kidnap team. In these files, there are photos of men sat outside a taverna. Not that uncommon a sight in Crete, but in this one there is a skull in a basket. Fenske’s skull. As casually as if it were a loaf of bread. Evidently the offhand account that he had then been beheaded after being killed is true!
There is also back and forth correspondence between Leigh Fermor and a German author who had been trying to uncover what had happened relaying that Fenske’s son had visited the island to find out more about his father and the islanders, with no ill feeling between the two sides.
Also amongst this correspondence is a very rare quote from General Kreipe himself, who had been contacted regarding his drivers fate. In this he mentions that he had been handcuffed and gagged during the initial kidnapping and that therefore the conversation described in Ill Met By Moonlight could not have happened as described.
Identifying how much material there is available regarding the end of the battle of Crete, from the retreat to Sphakia and evacuation of troops by the Royal Navy to SOE chasing up stragglers and those left behind. Additionally, completing my photographing of SOE reports and files to review later.
That there are extensive details, down to lists of individual soldiers, of those evacuated from Crete following the formal end of the battle! This includes those picked up by Commander Pool and HMS Torbay at Preveli, backing up some of what is described in The Fortress Crete. These include Jack Smith-Hughes and Dudley Perkins, who would later return to the island as SOE agents.
Also mentioned in The Fortress Crete is an account of several Greek soldiers having to disguise themselves as Cypriots to get a place on board, which is also attested to in these files.
Due to the volume of materials contained in the SOE reports, I was only able to browse these while making copies, but even then it became clear that SOE were involved in providing relief to survivors of reprisal massacres in addition to the usual espionage, propaganda and sabotage activities expected.
In one instance a German soldier in change of supplies was found to be stealing boots and leather to then sell on to the locals. He managed to escape into the hills before being found out and arrested.
Following the Italian armistice in September 1943, one Italian soldier sprung Cretan resistance fighters out of prison and helped them to join up with their comrades. When offered an opportunity to escape on the next boat back to Cairo, he refused unless his Cretan semi-fiancé could be allowed to escape with him!
Amongst the documents relating to the rescue of stranded Allied troops, was a note concerning the acquisition or construction of speedboats to use alongside slower, more vulnerable craft.
Just as a reminder of the nature of the war in Crete is reports by a local doctor feeding information to the Allies regarding the medical situation following the battle. Reports of massacres and atrocities committed by the occupiers are commonplace amongst SOE files, but these were particularly difficult reading. 
Also in the set of documents I was able to order was a collection of intercepted, decrypted and translated German communications. Two of which related to the kidnapping of General Kreipe by SOE. As well as giving some information on how the kidnap was reported and the timeline of events, it also mentions the letter left behind to inform the Germans that the mission was organised by the British. Now to pour through the photos of the other documents!
