The regiment was apparently made up largely of men from southern France (Occitania) and had as its motto an expression in Occitan: “Que y bengoun! “(let them come!).
https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/wiki/122nd_Infantry_Regiment,_French_Army
The following newspaper report appeared in the Sheffield Weekly Telegraph on Saturday 25 August 1900. Assuming that the ‘Highlander’ referred to was a member of 1/Seaforth Highlanders, and the ‘Artillery Sergeant’ was a member of No. 4 Mountain Battery Royal Artillery, the match must have been played sometime between April and November 1897, the period during which both the Seaforths and the Royal Artillery were both stationed on Crete.
TOMMY ATKINS ABROAD. HE PLAYS CRICKET AGAINST A TEAM OF FRENCHMEN IN CRETE.
During the International occupation of Crete 1897 there was great deal of rivalry amongst the detachments of the different nations to acquire and retain the palm for being the smartest contingent in the island. am not prepared to say which country bore away the palm of general efficiency and smartness, but it was I certainly not the Turks. However, when it comes to sport, I shall be less reticent, and in order that be who runs may read, it gives me unqualified satisfaction to say that we simply swamped all the other nations at every game from cricket to coddam.[1]
It is only fair to some of the other contingents to add that declined to take part in such popular as letting the wine out of each other’s bodies by means of stilettos, or we might not have secured an unbroken record. From Sir Herbert Chermside down to the black cook on the “Empress of India,” one and all could play the great and glorious game of cricket, or thought they could, which was almost of equal importance, for the reputation of old England had been called into question by 21 Frenchmen.
As the French Navy is recruited from the maritime population, its members are better acquainted with “le sport” as played the English Colonists. It so happened that two or three officers of the French contingent were Brittany men from the St. Malo district, and could play cricket about well they could talk English—which information is non-committal.
The fixture was made, and match arranged between eleven of the English garrison and twenty-two Frenchmen, a fortnight being given them so that they might get form.
The excitement in Brussels the day before Waterloo was, I feel sure, nothing to be compared to the effervescence which bubbled all over Candia on the day of the match. All the British turned out, as well as representatives of the other Powers. As soon the game commenced, we saw that it was walk over for us, as only four of them really knew anything about the game; the others not having the remotest idea what was required of them. One sportsman, ere going into bat, walked up to the bowler and insisted on shaking hands with him, to the great consternation of the latter, who said in reply, “I won’t hurt you Froggy.”
The antics he performed at the wicket were grotesque in the extreme, when not slaying invisible Satans, he posed in such an attitude that a gunner remarked,
“Blest if he don’t look like Ajax defying his mother-in law.”
The bowling was very erratic; for if the umpiring had been strictly to M.C.C. Rules, three balls in every over would have been “no-balled.” It didn’t do to be too severe, for the umpire commenced to “no-ball” in the second over, when one of the batsmen, a Highlander, shouted out,
“Give ‘em a chance, umpire; they’re only Frenchies.”
Nevertheless, the upmost good humour prevailed, for, whenever they scored a run, our men in the crowd cheered most frantically, while their compatriots shrieked out “Bis! Bis!” (Encore! Encore!)
The match was a replica of Waterloo, the British winning by an innings and some runs. Then the festivities began, interspersed with toasts and fulsome compliments.
The captain of the French team, in response to the health of his team, remarked, inter alia,
“I regret that we Frenchmen do not shine conspicuously on the cricket field: but, mes amis, a Frenchman is only in his proper element when he is on the field of battle.”
“And that’s a fact,” roared out a gigantic Artillery Sergeant, “you’d score plenty of runs then.”
The rude remark, being unheard by the captain, was, of course, unheeded, as the cheering was so intense.
A triumphal procession then started to escort the Frenchmen home. In the centre of the noisy, joyous throng of all nations could be seen the gigantic Artillery Sergeant, who stood 6ft.8in. [203cm] in his stockings, bearing aloft on each shoulder an inebriated son of Gaul, with the ease of a mother bearing her twins, to the mixed melody of Rule Britannia and the Marseillaise.
C.T.O.C.
[1] A guessing game in which a number of players, typically in two teams of three, try to guess in whose hand a button or coin is concealed. https://www.lexico.com/definition/coddam
Readers will notice that cats are conspicuously absent from this illustration of French troops in Canea, published in Le Petite Journal on 20th June 1897.
There may be a reason for this.
The following article appeared on page 8 of the Pall Mall Gazette on 1st August 1899:
“WHY THE PET CATS DISAPPEARED.
The Vienna Neue Freie Presse has been publishing some details respecting the behaviour of the international troops quartered in Crete. An entertaining item is given respecting French soldiers. It seems that the second batch of French troops, who came to Crete after the departure of the Turks, seized all the cats they could find in Canea and Halepa and ate them. When, however, a large number of specially pet animals had thus disappeared, a great and indignant outcry on the part of the inhabitants arose. Accordingly the commander, to avoid serious trouble, had to issue a very drastic prohibition of cat-catching, which he embodied in an order of the day. But the practice was checked with difficulty.”
While the above might seem to be nothing more than a bit of anti-French propaganda, it appears that it might have some basis in fact.
Writing a series called Memories of a Sailor, published in the French newspaper “Le Courrier” between 1st June 1 and 6th July 1939, Émile Amédée Dupourqué who had been a Lieutenant de Vaisseau (Royal Navy equivalent rank Lieutenant) in the French navy in 1897 and in charge of the fortress of Spinalonga in 1897 and 1898, recalled his time on the island. Writing some 40 years after the events in question, and in articles which undoubtedly embellish those events, after complaining about the difficulties of keeping his men clean and healthy on Spinalonga because of the difficulty obtaining fresh water, he had the following to say about the catering arrangements on the island:
“The officer’s cook …. worthily bore the predestined name of Vatel. In my life, I have not eaten mutton kidneys as well prepared as the ones he served us daily for two years. It was, in short, what was best in animals smelling full of the ooze that Christians provided us. A suckling pig a la palikare [roast suckling pig] was the only variation of our menus until the day when the Admiral gave us a seine [fishing net], the tables were stocked with abundant fish in the bay. I owe it to myself to admit that my sailors had an extraordinary consumption of cats. Soon there were none left on the island where they were very numerous.“
So, it would appear that at one stage at least, and in one location, French troops did indeed consume the local cats!
Many thanks to Jean-Pierre Destelle for the help he gave me writing this piece. I can confirm that although one of his ancestors, Lieutenant-Colonel Émile Honoré DESTELLE was, prior to and at a later date, the Commander of the International troops in Canea, Colonel Destelle’s diary of that period makes no mention of cats! The Colonel does, however, make mention in his diary entry of Sunday 13th November 1898, of an Ottoman Gendarmerie Captain struggling, in vain, to keep his cat dry while being rowed out to his ship during the embarkation of Ottoman troops from Irapetra.
The Commander at the time of the reported cat-catching episode was probably Lieutenant-Colonel René Dominique SPITZER.
Two trading cards from Germany from the early 20th century, plus one silk card and one paper stamp. On offer on line in June 2021. The historical accuracy of the illustrations and the captions on the cards cannot be guaranteed!
German Cigarette trading card. According to Wikipedia, the cigarette factory Constantin (also: Cigarettenfabrik Constantin), was founded in Hanover around 1888 by Angely Constantin, who came from a Greek tobacco grower family, and it merged with Jasmatzi AG after 1916. This would seem to date the card from between 1899 and 1916.
German Margerine trading card. This appears to be part of a series of cards issued in 1930-1931.
Woven silk card. Date and provenance unknown.
Paper stamp c.1904.
On 21 February 1897, in response to a plea from Cretan Muslim in a number of villages in the locality of Sitia, villagers, a small French party set out to cover the 12 or so kilometres from Sitia to the village of Paraspori in order to bring the inhabitants to the safety. They were blockaded in the village by Cretan Christian insurgents and feared that they would face massacre if they were to surrender to them. On his return, the commander of the French party, Capitaine de frégate [Commander] Pivet, submitted the following report to his superiors.
Paraspori expedition (February 21, 1897).
Report from Capitaine de Frégate PIVET, Second Officer, to the Commander of the “Suchet“.
On returning from our trip to Paraspori, I have the honor of to report on the mission that you were kind enough to entrust me. On the urgent request that the Muslims stranded in Paraspori and Roukaka had addressed you on February 19, you had obtained from the chiefs of the province, that in recognition of the service you had just returned to their party by releasing their 300 co-religionists blocked in Hierapetra, they would give freedom to Muslims from Paraspori and Roukaka if they consented to surrender their arms. But the Muslims, knowing the cruelty of their enemies, had declared that they would rather die with guns in their hands than run the risk of being slaughtered as soon as they surrendered the guns to them. However, they added that, full of confidence in the protection of the French flag, they would hand themselves, and their families, over to the officer you would send to fetch them, and deliver their weapons.
It was in these circumstances that I left Sitia this morning at 8.30 a.m., taking with me the Master at Arms and eight armed sailors from the Suchet, Ibrahim-Effendi deputy to the caimacan [town governor] of Sitia, and two notables of the city. Mr. Saounazzo, our consular agent at Rethymno, kindly accompanied me as interpreter and as adviser on the wider picture.
At 9.15 a.m. we arrived at Piskokephalo where we are received by all the inhabitants, from adults to old people, armed with Gras rifles. Due to its proximity to Sitia which is the most important Muslim center in the region, this village is the post advance of the Christian party. (This is where the [Christian] Cretan traders from the town of Sitia took refuge and where the insurrectional committee of the province met. [Footnote in the original document.]) As agreed yesterday with the Christian leaders, Mr. Stephanidis, came forward, and Mr. Dernitzakis, a notable in Piskoképhalo, joined us. One of their men carrying a white flag walked at the head of our group, next to the sailor who carried the flag French. Around 10 a.m., approaching the Christian village of Akladia, we saw armed men appear around us who seem to placed in outposts and who, while keeping hidden, follow us. By the time we reach the first houses, the armed inhabitants were coming out on all sides. They have been warned of our passage and did nothing to stop us; but it was easy to see by their scowls that our mission did not have their sympathy. As much as they had been nonchalant in coming to receive us, they are eager to follow us when we got out of the village. This procession could only frighten the women and the children we are going to look for, so I tried to get rid of them by first thanking them for their conduct, and, this procedure not having been successful, strongly urging them to stay at home.
Later in the morning, we arrived at the entrance of Paraspori and I rallied my little detachment to me while, at my request, the headman and M. Dernitzakis strived to mountaineers of Akladia, Skopi and Paraspori, whose appearance is frankly bad, following us. I crossed through the village with the Turkish leaders; it had been abandoned and the inhabitants had taken refuge together in the far end, in an isolated group of 2 or 3 houses which were probably easier for them to defend. In order to inspire their confidence, I had wanted to introduce myself to Muslims under the terms they themselves had indicated to us, that is to say with our flag flying, surrounded by a few armed sailors and accompanied only by Turkish authorities who were to tell them to trust us and tell them that the ‘Mouchavir [Councilor] Ismaïl-Bey ordered them to follow my instructions.’
Fortunately, we were able to reach the door behind which they stood, arms in hand, before the Christians who were gradually gaining ground. Had they come any closer, it was to be feared that being enemies each as fanatic as each other if, so to speak, they came face to face, the guns would go off by themselves. Then not only would we have been caught in the crossfire, but our mission would have completely failed and the situation of the prisoners made even more perilous. Some Turks came out unarmed and, seeing the white flags and the tricolor, they took courage, [acknowledged our authority], and said they are ready to bring me their weapons. During this conference, Christians came forward, and I could tell that the sight of them would prevent the women from coming out. I begged them to go away, even threatened them, but everything was useless; they want to see the weapons, to count them and make sure that the Turks do not have either knife, nor gun on them. They were furious that the Christian chiefs from Piskokephalo had consented to the weapons being surrendered to me. They wanted, according to custom, they were given to the weapons, less perhaps for what they are worth than because they would attest their victory.
However, the coming and going began. While we made a pile of old flintlock or shotguns near me, and the attention of Christians was entirely absorbed by this operation, a bag was filled with pistols, sabers and daggers. The Muslim women, seeing that nobody cared about them, prepared to leave. They took everything they saved from their homes when they took refuge in this house, clothes, mattresses, blankets, etc., and slipping into a field near where we stood, they gathered in a group where our sailors loaded the bags and blankets on the five donkeys that I brought from Sitia, sitting the old people and children on top. The Turks placed the heaviest objects on their shoulders and will joined the convoy. I gathered, and placed on a donkey, the 24 rifles that I was given; but the bag containing the small arms had disappeared and Christians did not notice it! On the other hand, they claimed that their enemies had 7 Martini rifles and 3 revolvers that they did not see surrendered. Now that the house was evacuated, I allow them to look for them there. But Christians did not wait for this authorization to start looting; they searched everywhere and took away everything the Turks may have forgotten.
At a quarter past noon, our column set out for Sitia by a more direct route than the one we took on the outward journey. In our front went our flags and the headman of Piskoképhalo who would serve to guide us and ensure our passage through the Christian villages that we had to cross. I took the rear with the Master at Arms and 4 sailors to protect the 217 unfortunates we took charge of against the always possible return of their enemies, and to ensure that none of them remained behind. So began our journey home, a biblical exodus in miniature through the mountain, by rough paths where the old men, the women and children advanced with difficulty, often stopping by the side of the path to lay down the burden that crushed their shoulders and to rest for a moment. But they were so happy to have escaped the danger that threatened them night and day, that fatigue did not concern them. They urged each other on, mothers giving up their children to our sailors, the old men leaning on the sailors’ arms, and at the slightest sign from me everyone got back to the march. They had such confidence in us that they didn’t hesitate to follow our flag into the Christian village of Skopi, in spite of knowing how hostile the inhabitants were to them. They packed tightly against each other in these narrow alleys, in the midst of all these armed people who would only have had to extend the arms to strike them and assuage their hatred or revenge upon them.
When the whole column was out of the village, I stopped in the middle of the villagers who filled the path and covered the terraces and houses, and I thanked [the headman], through Mr. Saounazzo, for letting us pass freely. I remind him that, ‘Thanks to you, Commander, 400 of your co-religionists blockaded by the Muslims in Hierapetra were released’. I expressed the firm hope that those who honor themselves with the name of Christians would not show themselves less human than the fanatic disciples of Muhammad. I urged them to lay down their arms, and if they find some Muslim lost or hidden in the mountains, to bring him to us in Sitia. Our words were understood and our feelings well interpreted, because the population expressed the intention to follow our advice, and, in testimony of trust and friendship, women bring us wine, brandy and fill our pockets with lemons and of oranges. At 4.15 a.m. we arrived in Sitia, Muslim woman rushed to meet us and we handed over the 217 prisoners from Paraspori.
In closing, Commander, I must say how satisfied I was the conduct of my 8 sailors and the zeal with which the Master at Arms assisted me. All competed in dedication, helping old men walking, carrying children, taking on their shoulders part of the women’s baggage of the women, and by their gaiety and their spirit, winning everyone’s confidence. I would like to express my gratitude for the extreme kindness of Mr. Saounazzo who, by his perfect knowledge of the Cretans and his eagerness to translate my thoughts, has greatly contributed to the success of my mission.
PIVET.
It’s worth noting that while Sitia was by this time under French control, in early February 1897, before the allocation of the Powers’ secteurs, another sucessful European effort to save civilians from intercommunal violence had featured the Royal Navy.
Louis Joseph Pivet was born in 1855 and joined the Navy in 1872. After his tour in Cretan waters, he continued to enjoy a successful career in the French Navy. He eventually achieved the rank of Rear Amiral and having served for a time as Chief of Staff, retired from active service in March 1917. He died in 1924.[i]
Source of report: H. De La Martiniere (Lieutenant de Vaisseau)
La marine Francaise en Crete
Paris. R. Chapelot Cie. 1911. Appendix III p. 234.
Source: gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France
Machine translated and edited for clarity. 20 February 2021
Popular British and European newspapers of the era represented the despatch of European troops to Crete as being a humanitarian response to the inter-communal violence taking place on the island, and in particular to the outbreaks of violence in Canea in early 1897. To a certain extent this view is still held today in some quarters, the Intervention being portrayed by some as a move aimed at protecting Cretan Christians from the wrath of Cretan Muslims, or vice-versa.
In reality, one of the principal triggers, if not the main one, for the European Intervention was the movement to the island of some 1,500 Greek troops plus artillery. Commanded by Colonel Timeleon Vassos, this force landed on Crete at Kolymbari on 14 February 1897 and eventually established their base at Alikianos.
While this move was apparently hugely popular with a large proportion of the mainland Greek population and enthusiastically welcomed by numerous Cretan Christians, it was considered by the Ottoman Empire to be an invasion of their sovereign territory and a casus belli, an act which would justify them declaring war on Greece. However, Greek and Ottoman interests were not the only ones involved in the situation. Such a war would, in the eyes of the European Powers, have been detrimental to their interests in that it had the potential to involve them in the conflict, an involvement which could produce catastrophic consequences, particularly in the Balkans.
‘The greatest excitement prevailed in Athens when it was known that two regiments were to be sent to Crete. Thousands of people saw them leave Athens on the 13th inst. And a large and enthusiastic crowd gathered at Piraeus. At two o’clock the first boatload of men was taken on board, and at about six o’clock the first of the steamers cast off amid the deafening cheers of the crowd.’
In the immediate aftermath of Vassos’ landing, the Ottoman Empire, in spite of its apparent legal justification, evinced no great desire to fight a war. In the event, and despite an incident the same day when a Greek warship opened fire on an Ottoman troopship while the latter was withing Cretan waters, the Porte showed a degree of forbearance, relying on the European Powers to act in their, the Powers’, own interests and take steps to punish Greece for its actions. By now the naval forces of the Powers were operating a policy of preventing both Greek and Ottoman reinforcements being sent to the island, a policy which impacted disproportionately on Greek plans since the Ottomans already had a considerable force in situ on Crete, and Greece was unable to reinforce its initial landing. However, the size and the professional nature of the Greek force, along with the presence of Greek warships in Cretan waters off Canea, produced a threat to the town which could not, militarily, be ignored by the Powers.
Consequently, on 15 April 1897, the European Powers commenced landing their forces in Canea; not so much as to protect the civilian populations of either community, but rather to maintain the status quo in the region.
In the event the Intervention was successful at achieving this aim, at least in the short run. When, in late April 1897, Greek actions on its northern borders between Greece and the Ottoman Empire pushed the Empire into declaring war, there was little or no diplomatic support for Greece within Europe. Consequently, the feared spread of the war did not take place.
The outcome of the ‘30 Days War’ was a military defeat for Greece. However, diplomatic pressure on the part of the Powers reigned in the extent of the Ottoman victories. Paradoxically, the Ottoman Empire, though victorious on the battlefield, emerged from the war in a weaker position than it had started.
As for the Greek troops on Crete, other than taking part in a few minor skirmishes shortly after their arrival, they achieved nothing militarily and were withdrawn in mid May 1897. Greece had sent sufficient troops to Crete to start a war, but too few to finish it.
A previous post dealt with a series of German adverts relating to the Cretan Intervention.
I have been reminded that the German’s weren’t the only ones cashing in on the situation in Crete to attempt to sell more goods, thie French alsao took the opportunity of European interest in Crete to try to sell chocolates and tapoica. Again, in at least one case, the basis of the advert was a newspaper illustration., an illustration that was also used in the post linked to above.
Choclolate Louit’s interpretation of the Gendarmerie mutiny of 2 March 1897.
It’s notworthy that in spite of copying the illustration from a French weekly journal, the chocolate company got the date wrong!
Soleil Du Dimanche view of the Gemdarmerie mutiny.
Chocolat D’Aiguebelle’s interpretation of refugees fleeing to the mountains.
Chocolat D’Aiguebelle’s interpretation of the bombardmernt of Canea.
Note that on the 28th March 1897, the date on the card, there does not appear to have been any European naval activity which could be described as ‘The Bombardment of Canea.’ Presumably the event depicted is relasted to oner of the earlier occasions on which the European naval forces opened fire on Cretan Christian insurgents.
Massacres dArménie, chromolithographies publicitaires éditées par la Chocolaterie d’Aiguebelle, Monastère de la Trappe (Drôme), et par la société des Tapioca de l’Etoile,
The caption refers to Armemians being massacred in Iraklion, but although there were undoubtedly a small number of Armenians on Crete in the late 19th century, there does not appear to be any record of them being singled out for attack by the Ottoman authorities.
The card is one of a series showing scenes from the Armenian Massacres which occurred between 1894 and 1896. As far as the author can make out, this series appears to have been a joint production between the chocolate manufacturer ‘Chocolat d’Aiguebelle’, a company owned by Catholic Trappist monks, and the tapioca manufacturer ‘Tapioca De L’Etoile’, a company about which little can be found in an internet search. The full series of the cards can be seen herehere.
A report in the Scottish newspaper the Scotsman date-lined Canea 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday 7th April 1897, stated that:
“The insurgents of the district of Kissamo have addressed a letter to the Admirals to warn them of a projected attack on the fort. The Turkish garrison asks to be relieved.”
Similar reports of insurgents gathering around Kissamos suggested that they were armed with four or five mountain guns, previously captured from the Ottomans (or more likely supplied by the Greek forces under Colonel Vassos.) In response to this threat, on Thursday 8th April 1897, the Austrian Zara class torpedo cruiser S.M. S. Sebenico proceeded to Kissamos. Reuters reported the events that followed:
“On Thursday the Austrian cruiser [Sebenico]* arrived at Kissamos and hoisted a flag of truce and sent off a boat with two soldiers and mails for the garrison of the fort. The boat was fired upon by the insurgents, and the [Sebenico] replied, first with her quick-firing guns, and finally with a 6.inch gun. The insurgents then ceased firing. On Friday morning boats sent from the Austrian squadron to embark refugees were fired upon. The squadron thereupon approached the shore and opened fire, expending eighty shells. This silenced the Insurgents’ fire, and the boats took off twenty seven women, children, and old men. The boats on leaving were again fired upon.” [* Erroneously stated in the report to be the Stephanie, (S.M.S. Kronprinzessin Erzherzogin Stephanie) another Austro-Hungarian vessel also on station in Crete.]
Reynold’s Newspaper Sunday 11 April 1897.
Austro-Hungarian torpedo cruiser S.M.S. Sebenico.
The Austro-Hungarian navy was not alone in this action; In company with, and under the command of S.M.S. Sebenico, H.M.S. Fearless, a Scout Class Torpedo Cruiser captained by Commander Charles E. Gladstone, was also involved in evacuating women and children from the Ottoman fort on 9th April. They too were fired on by insurgents and both the Austro-Hungarian and the British ships opened fire to cover the embarkation.
A British newspaper described the action:
“The latest authentic news from Kissamos Kastelli, where the insurgents are pressing hard upon the Turkish garrison, is that the Austrian gun-boat Sebenico has succeeded in taking off about, I believe, one hundred women and children The blue-jackets were repeatedly fired on during the operation Reconnaissance’s from the war-ships have completely failed to discover the five guns which the insurgents were reported to have placed position. The Fearless, third-class cruiser, which is now at Kissainos, is likely to remain there, since it is an Austrian station; and Captain Rainier, of the Rodney, who returned to duty on Saturday, is senior to the Austrian captain, who directed the operations during his absence from illness.
An English cattle-steamer has been captured by a cruiser, its commander being unable to produce the proper papers. In future, every British vessel will obliged to carry a prearranged document, setting forth its character, destination, and other formal particulars.”
St James’ Gazette 12 April 1897
Over the next few days two Ottoman blockhouses were evacuated and one set on fire to destroy it, the other apparently had nothing flammable in it. It was then decided to destroy the blockhouses by naval gunfire as reported by Commander Gladstone.
“All ships present opened fire on the east block-house, distant 3,800 yards, and expended a considerable amount of ammunition. The result was that the walls were knocked down to a certain extent, but the ruins remain just as effective as a protection for riflemen as they were before, and it would be an impossible task to level the building to the ground by gunfire.” (National Archive. ADM116/92 Enclosure 185. Commander Gladstone to Rear Admiral Harris, 14 April 1897.)
In March 1897, Greek troops under Colonel Vassos along with Cretan Christian insurgents threatened to isolate and cut off the main source of water for Canea. The response of the European powers was to occupy Fort Subachi at Perivolia/Butsinaria. Fort Subachi at Perivolia/Butsinaria.
This event was reported, with illustrations, in a number of European newspapers. As mentioned elsewhere,elsewhere, at least one enterprising European merchant sought to cash in on this event, using contemporary newspaper illustrations as the basis of advertising cards.
Further research has brought to light several other instances of the same company, Pfeiffer and Diller, attempting to cash in on events occuring in Crete and reported in European newspapers.
Pfeiffer and Diller ‘Cretan’ advertising cards
The cards and the illustrations they were copied from are shown below.
February 1897 Cretan Christain Insurgent attack on Suda Bay repulsed.
Cretan Christian attack on Suda Bay. Illustrated London News.
Pfeiffer and Diller card of attack on Suda Bay.
Note that the card above bears the title, in German, ‘Turks in action at Larissa.’ This is presumably a reference to the fall of the town of Larissa to Ottoman forces on 27th April 1897, during the 30 Days War. (For the record, Larissa is in Thessaly and nowhere near Crete!)
2 March 1897. Gendarmerie Mutiny.
Italian marines open fire on mutinous Gendarmerie
Pfeiffer & Diller card of Gendarmerie Mutiny.
25 April 1897 Assault on the Malaxa Blockhouse Assault on the Malaxa Blockhouse.
Assault on the Malaxa Blockhouse. Le Petit Journal
Pfeiffer & Diller card of Insurgents storming the Malaxa Blockhouse.
April 1897, Fort Subachi.
European forces occupying Fort Subachi. Illustrated London News 24 April 1897.
Pfeiffer & Diller card of European forces at Fort Subachi.
The remaining two cards in the set appear to relate directly to the 30 Days War.
Pfeiffer and Diller, a coffee company based in Horchheim bei Worms am Rhein, Germany, were founded in around 1873 and ceased operation in 1943. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of their adveritisments played upon the Imperialist aspirations of the Second Reich. However, they were not alone in using racism and Imperialism to sell goods; many British and French companies followed exactly the same sort of advertising strategies.
Many thanks to Mark Neal for his help in sourcing the Pfeiffer and Diller illustratioons
On 11th February 1897, the French 3rd Class Protected Cruiser le Troude, commanded by M. le capitaine de fregate Aubert, arrived off Crete.
French Protected Cruiser Le Troude.
On board her was the ship’s Doctor, Dr.Dominique-Noel-Joseph Duclot. During her service off Crete, which lasted until October 1897, Dr. Duclot travelled around and upon the island taking a series of photographs which in 1898 would be included in his book, En Crete.
En Crete
Along with various photographs he also included two maps. One of them, as might be expected, showed the physical layout of the island.
‘Physical’ map of Crete.
The other map however, showed the political division of Crete; not the more usual map included in such publications presumably showing the manner in which the Powers divided their secteurs, but rather one showing the Ottoman administrative division of the ‘Vilayet’ of Crete into its various ‘Sanjaks’.
Duclot’s ‘Political’ map of Crete.
Comparison with the post 1897, European division of the island shows that the Powers kept largely to the Ottoman boundaries, no doubt for administrative convenience, though merging two of the sanjaks to create the Russian secteur and creating the International secteur around Canea.
Map of the European Secteurs of Crete. Map prepared for Colonel Herbert Chermside, Commander of British troops, in April 1898.
The European Intervention in Crete, 1896 to 1913. 