British sailors from H. M. S. Anson.
The first British troops to land in Crete were Royal Marines landed from H. M. S. Revenge at 3.15 p.m. on 15th February 1897; followed shortly afterwards that afternoon by parties from H.M.S Barflour and H. M. S. Rodney. The duties of the sailors and marines centred on patrolling both Canea and the surrounding countryside in order to keep Cretan Christian and Cretan Muslims apart. The illustration above shows ‘Bluejackets’ from H. M. S. Anson and appeared in the Illustrated London News on 1 May 1897.
The British in Crete, 1896 to 1913. 