The Guns of Navarone!

Older people will certainly remember the legendary war film, from 1961, ''The Guns of Navarone'' with many stars of the time (David Niven, Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and our own Irene Pappa). The film was shot in Rhodes, but few know that, although a novel, the cannons existed on Leros (and the author of the novel was inspired by them). Here is the huge base for the first cannon, at the Gerakas position and below the steep rock on which the cannons were placed. In the photo (from the war finds museum of the Ioannis Paraponiaris family, in Agia Irini), a corresponding cannon a little lower down, at the Katsouni position, here with Nazi soldiers (after the occupation of the island, 18/11/1943). Leros, during the period 1912-1943, was transformed by Italy into the strongest naval base in the SE Mediterranean until its occupation in November 1943 by Nazi troops. A total of 26 battery batteries were installed on the island.