Due to its position and natural bay at Lakki, Leros was the Italian navaI base of the Eastern Mediterranean in the 1930's. They fortified the base and built some of the biggest underground arsenals and warehouses into the islands hillside at Merikia.

During the Second World War, the Germans decided to invade the island whilst the Italians and British defended it. Over four days, a bloody battle was fought during which time the local inhabitants took refuge in the underground tunnels. Not one civilian life was lost, though the same cannot be said of the soldiers above ground. The Germans wanted Leros at all cost and outnumbered the ground forces massively, ultimately winning the battle.

The War Museum is well worth a visit and has been very well put together with lots of memorabilia and a short film showing footage of the battle. It seems incredible to us as visitors today how such horrific act could have taken place here.

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