Could you please let me know where you read this about Crete? it is not that I doubt you it is only that I have a particularly strong interest in Crete.It did. It's something that was done by all sides. Solid information? there are many first hand accounts. For example I have read some recently, by the perpetrators, of the killing of captured and wounded German paratroopers on Crete.
A man surrendering is giving himself up to the very people he has likely just been trying to kill. The first few minutes are critical. If the prisoner survives these his chances of longer term survival increase exponentially.
Cheers
Steve
I have more often heard of the killing of captured and wounded German troops by Cretan civilians and later the Andartes SOE than by regular Commonwealth troops. I am aware that in places when the German paras first landed the Commonwealth troops went through the olive groves and orchards as quickly as they could killing German paras suspended from trees and not taking prisoners because there was nobody to take them back behind the lines. I did see a documentary where a veteran talked of this and I was disgusted by his proud and gloating attitude, the harsh reality may have been that there was no other option than to do this but there is no need to be proud of it.