“He is consistently hunted by the occupying troops”– The commendation for...
It is clear the original intention was to award Paddy a DSO, but that was struck out in favour of an OBE. Paddy was later awarded the DSO for his part in the Kreipe abduction. Interestingly they had...
View ArticlePatrick Leigh Fermor’s complete SOE file now on-line
I am very pleased to be able to present the complete SOE file of Patrick Leigh Fermor which was released to the public in August 2011 by the National Archive at Kew. My thanks go to Steven Kippax who...
View ArticleSnail’s pace to Byzantium: journey of a lifetime
This is a combination of profile and review of Words of Mercury. An interesting piece. by Ann Elder First Published in Athens News, 9 Jan 2004 “I HATE the word travel-writer,” London-born, Mani-based...
View ArticleA Year of Memory: the top ten posts on the Patrick Leigh Fermor blog
As the year comes to a close it is time to reflect upon what has passed and to look forward to 2012. I make no predictions for the coming year. There are some things which are almost certain such as...
View ArticlePatrick Leigh Fermor’s 1998 interview with Amalia Negreponte
I was alerted to this interview by Mark Granelli. As ever we have to be cautious about things that may have got lost in translation but I was a little suspicious about this interview as Paddy appears...
View ArticleReg Everson and his powdered egg breakfast for General Kreipe on Mount Ida
At Paddy’s funeral last year, I stayed afterwards for a drink with a small group at the hotel which used to be the Dumbleton estate manor house, originally home to Joan’s family. A man from Wales...
View ArticleThe Kreipe pennants – the story of their rediscovery by Billy Moss’ daughter
Discovering the full details behind a particular story or event is often tricky with clarifications, enhancements, or downright contradictions emerging sometimes many years after the event. Fortunately...
View ArticlePatrick Leigh Fermor: extract from the new biography
The Telegraph ran an extract from the biography over the weekend. It was the Kreipe kidnap again! In an extract from her life of the travel writer and war hero Patrick Leigh Fermor, Artemis Cooper...
View ArticleA man so charming he won over his hostage
Charles Moore reviews ‘Patrick Leigh Fermor: an Adventure’ by Artemis Cooper (John Murray) By Charles Moore First published in the Daily Telegraph 08 October 2012. The single most famous story about...
View ArticleRussians on Crete, oligarchs and controversial journalism
I was woken from my post New Year slumber by an email from someone called John Helmer who claims to be the longest-serving western journalist in Moscow. He said that he wanted to write a review of An...
View ArticleThe life of the most extraordinary man to play Test cricket
This article was sent to me by Charles Hennah, and I am sharing it with you for three reasons. The first his the life of Bob Crisp is pretty extraordinary and worth a read; as the generation who fought...
View ArticleXan Fielding Crete books to be republished
I have just discovered that Xan Fielding’s books about his time in SOE and wartime Crete are to be republished by Paul Dry Books and will be available, if Amazon is to be believed, in June 2013. Hide...
View ArticleChryssa Ninolaki – part of the Greek resistance on Crete
By Tony Knight First published in The Guardian, Monday 3 October 2011 My friend Chryssa Ninolaki, who has died aged 80, played a courageous part in the struggle for freedom in Crete. She was a true...
View ArticleReg Everson and his powdered egg breakfast for General Kreipe on Mount Ida
From time to time I plan to re-publish some of the best blog posts as we have over 700 posts on here and many get lost. This first re-post was inspired by my attendance last night at the presentation...
View ArticleEscape from Fortress Crete
In one of the most audacious feats of World War II, two British undercover agents and a group of Greek partisans in Nazi-occupied Crete kidnapped General Heinrich Kreipe, the commander of the German...
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