Poppa reveals a war medal in his hand to his grandson. Manu asks, "Did you win it?"
"Sort of, a King gave it to me," the old man says. He then tells Manu how his Anzac platoon rescued the Greek King, Prime Minister and the rest of their party on a Greek Island during World War II.
Photo: Alistair Hughes Upstart Press
It's a perilous journey trekking from one side of the island to the other, trudging up a ravine, across the White Mountains, and through a narrow gorge. They must avoid the German paratroopers landing in
their thousands on the island and renegade Crete mountaineers who shoot at them, mistaking them for Germans.
Due to the kindness of the village people and the dedication of the Anzac soldiers they make it to the coast and send out SOS signals. But they don't know if the ship is friend or foe.
Manu discovers a tale of bravery, teamwork and sacrifice and sees his grandfather in a new light.
Photo: Alistair Hughes Upstart Press
Photo: Upstart Press
Award winning children's author Maria Gill discovered the story when she was researching a previous book, Anzac Heroes.
"I thought it would make a great adventure story for children. I also have a very soft spot for Greece, as I visited there a few times when I was a back-packing 20-something. I worked there as a nanny for a few months, and visited many of the islands including Crete. I had to wait more than 20 years to visit it again, but this story propelled me to travel to Crete and see the gorge for myself."
Photo: Upstart Press
