Melburnian Janet Derrick (73) headed to Greece this week to realise a lifelong ambition: to visit the place where the father she never knew was killed in World War II.

Janet’s odyssey will see her head to Souda Bay in Crete to lay a wreath on the water where her father Donald Haddow, a shipwright on HMAS Perth, was killed in a German bombing raid on 22 April 1941.

“I was less than two years old when my father died so I never had a chance to get to know him,” Janet told Neos Kosmos. “For me this is a way to connect with him. I want to go back and experience being close to where he was.”

While Janet’s children have visited Crete before this will be her first trip to Greece.

“I’ve been thinking about doing this trip for as long as I can remember. For me it’s about recognising that I did have a father, because I’ve only ever had photos.”

One of the first casualties in the battle for Crete, Donald Mceachern Haddow – known as ‘Bingle’ to his shipmates – was born in Glasgow in 1904.

Enlisted in the RAN originally as a joiner in 1925, the proud Scot who had a thistle tattooed on his right arm joined the Perth in 1939.

On loan to the cruiser HMS York in April 1941 (which had been beached after an Italian attack in the bay a month before by Italian motor launches), Haddow’s death occurred while he was diving on the stricken warship.

On 22 April, a German air raid caught the 37-year-old Haddow having just resurfaced in a small tender alongside the York’s half-submerged hull.

In his heavy diver’s suit and lead boots, he had just removed the copper helmet when a bomb exploded in the water nearby, swamping the work boat and sending the heavily weighed-down diver plummeting to the depths.

Just three weeks before he had written to Janet’s mother Esther. The letter he sent to their Hastings home has faded slightly with age, but its content is still vivid and achingly poignant

“We’re still pretty busy over here,” wrote Donald. ” Until we wipe them right out of the Med we can expect no relief …shall be glad to get away from the dive bombers…

“I hope there will be more snaps for me, Janet is lovely to see. What a lot I am missing by not being home with her now…”

As this paper goes to press, Janet’s long-awaited pilgrimage to Crete, accompanied by her husband Bryan, has begun.

They will arrive, so fittingly, on the overnight ferry to Souda from Pireaus, disembarking close to the spot where Donald Haddow lost his life.
After a day’s rest they will find a boat to take them out onto the water.

“We’ll get there and see the harbour and try and work out where the York might have been. But like my eldest son said, ‘you’ll just know’,” said Janet.

Based in Chania for their 10-day stay, Janet and Bryan are hoping local people and the Nautical Museum of Crete may be able to help in their very special mission.