| Place | Europe: Greece, Crete |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART92806 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | Overall: 36 x 48.7 cm |
| Object type | Work on paper |
| Physical description | pen and black ink on card |
| Maker |
Winters, Michael |
| Place made | Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra |
| Date made | 2003 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: AWM Licensed copyright |
Old Cretan woman in fear, her goat, the devil of old and Australian troops
Description
Towards midday on Friday 22 May 1941, Captain Ralph Honner led C Company, 2/11th Battalion, through vineyards which were littered with the corpses of German paratroopers, into the tiny village of Cesmes.
In a house that had been damaged by air attacks, the soldiers found a blind elderly woman. Although unable to communicate with her, they clearly understood how terrified she was; the men gave her food and some milk from a goat that had also survived. They tethered the goat nearby, then moved on, hoping villagers might soon return to find the woman.