Crete 1941 is both a compelling tribute to heroism under threat and a subtle study of the epic and its place in the modern world. By attending to the history of political poetry in such a compelling and informed way, Dr Cadogan proves that poetry can still contend with the most difficult questions about bravery, belief, and allegiance at a time of war, and that it can serve the memory of those who deserve the highest respect.

- Dr Dan Sperrin, University of Oxford, Faculty of English

Reclaiming the skill, force and wisdom of millennia of European and South Pacific poetic taonga, and acknowledging the complexities of heroic deeds, error, and crime, Crete 1941 is no less than a commemoration and analysis of the human condition in extremis. In post-heroic times, this is a most difficult task and Crete 1941 tackles it with sensitivity, wit and bravura.

- Dr Norman Franke, Conjoint Research Fellow, University of Newcastle, Australia

Like the epics of old, Crete 1941 is the story of the deeds of men and women that are worthy of recording and retelling. The battle of Crete may have ended in the defeat of the allied forces, but the bravery of the defenders of the island is still celebrated in Greece as one of the most heroic moments of that war. Crete 1941 offers a new perspective to this event: that of the New Zealand allied forces to whom the island was an alien world, providing insight and understanding of the experience of fighting on the other side of the world. Crete 1941 is more than a historical epic. It is a guide to knowledge: knowledge of the mythical and historical past, but also knowledge of the self, collective and personal.

- Dr Olympia Bobou, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University

Bernard takes a unique approach to describing the emotions, the sounds, the players and the stage of the Battle of Crete within a poetic saga. He captures the clash and collision of our Treaty cultures within this tale of tragedy. I hope that our future generations will study Bernard's poetic work for its insight into the political forces at play and how this piece of history has played its part in our national identity.

- Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson, author, The Last Maopo, Member, Waitangi Tribunal

Of all the military campaigns fought in Greece during the second world war, the Battle of Crete is remembered as one of the strongest acts of defiance against Nazi aggressors. During ten days of fighting, 274 Australians and 671 New Zealanders were killed, and more than 3000 captured. Cretan villagers risked their lives hiding many ANZAC troops on the island, forging special bonds among the nations of Greece, Australia and New Zealand. Eighty years on, Crete 1941 brings all this to life, highlighting the sacrifices of our forebears so we may lead a peaceful, liberated life. This book is a sensitive account which deserves all the accolades and respect it will doubtless receive.

- Tony Tsourdalakis, President, Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand