Just a few kilometers away from Chania, in the Souda bay, lies an impressive tribute to all those who lost their lives in the World War II to defend Crete. 

It was built and is preserved by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and 1527 soldiers are buried here. 

· United Kingdom: 862 soldiers

· New Zealand: 446 soldiers

· Australia: 197 soldiers

· South Africa: 9 soldiers

· Canada: 5 soldiers

· India: 1 soldier

· Other: 7 soldiers

The place is not that creepy as you would imagine, when thinking that it is a cemetery. It very well preserved and taken care of. 

When you get there, have a look at the tombstones. This will give you chills down your spine. While I was walking around, I was reading the names of those who are sleeping under those stones. And I was doing the math between their birth and death date. And this is where my heart broke. The age average of the fallen soldiers was around 22 years old. Think of all the mothers, fathers, sisters and wives that hugged and kissed their sons, brothers or husbands for the last time, never to see them again, of the children that grew up without seeing or remembering their fathers (as most children were usually born after their father was sent to battle).

How to get there:

By car – there is a big parking lot near the entrance and parking is for free

By bus – take bus nr 20 from Chania (City Center – in front of the Old Chania Market) and disembark at Merarhia (Μεραρχια or ΜΕΡΑΡΧΙΑ) stop. From there, walk for about 20 mins 

Please remember that this is a resting place and a memorial. Running around and leaving children unsupervised is not recommended. Do not pick the flowers and do not leave trash behind.