DZ - interesting about your uncle in Crete. My grandfather was there but was lucky enough to escape sailing on a landing ship with a Major Garret and 135 others to North Africa using blankets for sails as they had no fuel! This was something I only found out when discussing an item in a Victor annual I received as I child for Christmas and on discussing this with my father he told me that my grandfather was one of those involved.
Although I regretfully never had the chance to discuss the war with him (I always thought there would be the time) for what I can tell he had an interesting war. In the Royal Marines and then Comando's before helping out with the LRDG in North Africa blowing up airfields and the like. During the Italian landings he was sunk three times in as many hours - something my father tells me he was loathe to talk about as his abiding memory was of the screams of those trapped below and the smell of burning flesh. After being captured by the Italians (and escaping) he was off to the Far East - noone knows what he was up to but he would never have anything Japenese in the house so we can only presume it was not good.
Such a great opportunity missed and one that I will always regret. Brave (and modest) men indeed.