The Commonwealth War Cemetery is located 5 kilometers from Chania Town, just above the harbor of Souda. This is a stunning location on the rim of a bay with a spectacular view of the Aegean Sea. The graves in this cemetery include those of British Commonwealth servicemen who died on the island of Crete during WWII.
In total, there are 1,527 tombs of men who died during the Battle of Crete (May 1941) and throughout resistance actions against Nazi troops throughout the island until 1945, when the Second World War came to a close. The majority of the troops buried are British (862), although soldiers from Australia (197), New Zealand (446), Canada (5), South Africa (9) and India are also represented (1).
An inscription containing the names of all servicemen buried there may be seen at the cemetery’s entrance. The grave of the renowned archeologist John Pendlebury, curator of Knossos from 1930 to 1934, who continued Arthur Evans’ investigations in Crete, is also located in this cemetery. When World War II broke out, Pendlebury enlisted in the British Intelligence Service and went to Crete to help organize the resistance, but he was killed by the Germans in 1941.
This cemetery was designed by Louis de Soissons, and festivities commemorating World War II fatalities are held every year. Throughout the year, there is a considerable influx of visitors from all over the world, primarily from Australia and New Zealand.
