No Battle Without Him

As the English warship sailed silently into the night from southern Crete to Tobruk, Libya, officer Seiradakis was immersed in thoughts. What would he face in the Middle East, where he was tasked with strengthening the Greek army in exile and assisting the allies against the Axis? In May 1943, the Second World War was in full swing. Two years had passed since the battle of Crete where he had fought against the German paratroopers. It was one of the many battles he had survived in his life. What to remember first? Already at the age of eleven he had taken the rifle against the Turks in Crete. He did not expect then that his youthful enthusiasm would lead him to fight in the Balkan wars in northern Greece. Much less to fighting in French Lorraine and Gallipoli during World War I. Now, with the outbreak of World War II, he was once again in it. Amidst the battles of El Alamein in the Middle East new adventures awaited.Charalampos Seiradakis is a typical example of a Greek officer of the war-torn 20th century. He enlisted on the side of liberal politician Eleftherios Venizelos and his pioneering policy and participated in wars that shaped modern Greece. His life provides a fascinating as well and lively story."This is a carefully written narrative based on many sources ... making an important addition to the body of history ... It is obvious that this book is a labour of love". Sir Michael Llewellyn-Smith