Crete: The Battle and the Resistance (55 page)

3rd Hussars (seven light tanks)

4th New Zealand Brigade

Brigadier Inglis

18th NZ Bn.

19th NZ Bn.

1st Lt. Troop RA

5th New Zealand Brigade

Brigadier Hargest

(Maleme Sector, HQ Platanias)

7th Royal Tank Regt. (2 Matildas)

21st NZ Bn.

22nd NZ Bn.

23rd NZ Bn.

Engineer Det.

28th (Maori) Bn.

1st Greek Regt. (Kastelli Kissamou)

10th New Zealand Brigade

Colonel Kippenberger

NZ Divisional Cavalry

NZ Composite Bn.

6th Greek Regt.

8th Greek Regt.

20th NZ Bn. (Divisional Reserve)

Suda Sector

Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation

Major General Weston

Lieutenant Colonel Wills

Naval Officer-in-Charge Suda

Captain Morse RN

15th Coastal Defence Regt.

Anti aircraft and searchlight batteries

Marine composite battalion

1st Bn. Rangers

Northumberland Hussars

106th Royal Horse Artillery

16th Australian Inf. Bde. Comp. Bn.

17th Australian Inf. Bde. Comp. Bn.

'Royal Perivolians' Comp. Bn.

2nd Greek Regt.

Georgioupolis

HQ 19th Australian Inf. Brigade

Brigadier Vasey

2/7th Australian Inf. Bn.

2/8th Australian Inf. Bn.

Rethymno

2/1st Australian Inf. Bn.

Lieutenant Colonel Campbell

2/11th Australian Inf. Bn.

7th Royal Tank Regt. (2 Matildas)

4th Greek Regt.

5th Greek Regt.

Cretan Gendarmerie

Heraklion Sector

HQ 14th Infantry Brigade

Brigadier Chappel

2nd Bn. Black Watch

2nd Bn. York and Lancaster Regt.

2nd Bn. Leicesters

2/4th Australian Infantry Bn.

7th Medium Regt. RA

7th Royal Tank Regt. (2 Matildas)

3rd Hussars (six light tanks)

3rd Greek Regt.

7th Greek Regt.

Tymbaki

2nd Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Hldrs.

7th Royal Tank Regt. (2 Matildas)

Strength

The total of Allied troops amounted to 42,460 of whom only about half were properly formed infantrymen. The Suda sector had the lowest proportion of armed servicemen: only 3,000 out of 15,000. The total of 42,460 included about 9,000 Greek soldiers of whom only a small proportion, because of insufficient arms and training, played a significant role. In addition there were 1,200

gendarmes and over 3,000 Cretan irregulars.

Losses

Killed and Missing

1,751

Wounded

1,738

Prisoners of War

12,254

Royal Navy:

1,828 killed and 183 wounded

Cruisers

sunk:

Gloucester, Fiji, Calcutta

Destroyers sunk:

Juno, Greyhound, Kelly, Kashmir, Imperial, Hereward

Capital ships damaged:

Warspite, Barham, Valiant, Formidable

Cruisers damaged:

Ajax, Naiad, Perth, Orion, Dido, Carlisle

Destroyers damaged:

Kelvin, Nubian, Napier, Ilex, Havoc, Kingston, Nizam

The German Order of Battle and Chain of Command

IV Air Fleet

General Löhr

VIII Air Corps

General Freiherr von Richthofen

120 Dornier 17s based at Tatoi

40 Heinkel Ills based at Eleusis

80 Junkers 88s based at Eleusis

150 Junkers 87b Stukas based at Mycenae, Molaoi and Skarpanto 90 Messerschmitt 110s based at Argos

90 Messerschmitt 109s single-engined fighters based at Molaoi
XI Air Corps

General Student

Brigadier Schlemm (CoS)

Colonel von Trettner (Ops)

Major Reinhardt (Int)

Three transport groups under command (approx. 500 Junkers 52s) Glider wing (approx. 70 DFS 230 gliders)

Squadron of Fieseier Storch reconnaissance aircraft

Storm Regiment HQ

Brigadier Meindl (then Colonel Ramcke)

Major Braun

I

Battalion

Major

Koch

II

Battalion

Major

Stentzler

III

Battalion

Major

Scherber

IV

Battalion

Captain

Gericke

7th Parachute Division HQ

Major General Süssmann

Major

Count

von

Uxküll

Parachute Engineer Battalion

Major Liebach

1st Parachute Regiment

Colonel Brauer

Captain Rau

Captain

Count

von

der

Schulenburg

I

Battalion

Major

Walther

II

Battalion

Captain

Burckhardt

III

Battalion

Major

Karl-Lothar

Schulz

2nd Parachute Regiment

Colonel Sturm

Major Schulz

Captain Paul

I Battalion (Rethymno)

Major Kroh

II Battalion (Heraklion)

Captain Schirmer

III Battalion (Rethymno)

Captain Wiedemann

3rd Parachute Regiment

Colonel Heidrich

Lieutenant Heckel

I Battalion

Captain Freiherr von der Heydte

II Battalion

Major Derpa

III Battalion

Major Heilmann

5th Mountain Division

Major General Ringel

Major Haidlen

Captain Ferchl

95th Mountain Regiment

(Divisional troops)

Mountain Artillery

Lieutenant Colonel Wittmann

Pioneers

Major Schaette

Reconnaissance

Major Count Castell zu Castell

85th Mountain Regiment

Colonel Krakau

I Battalion

Major Treck

II Battalion

Major Esch

III Battalion

Major Fett

100th Mountain Regiment

Colonel Utz

I Battalion

Major Schrank

II Battalion

Major Friedmann

III Battalion

Major Ehal

141st Mountain Regiment

Colonel Jais

(from 6th Mountain Division)

Strength

Landed by parachute and glider:

Maleme

1,860

Ayia valley and Canea

2,460

Rethymno

1,380

Heraklion

2,360

Landed by troop-carrier:

Maleme

13,980

Total

22,040

Losses

Killed and missing*

paratroopers

3,094

mountain troops

580

aircrew

312

Wounded

2,594

*17 of the missing were German officers shipped out to Egypt as prisoners of war.

Appendix C: Ultra Signals Sent to Crete Before the Battle

In this early stage of Ultra, signals were sent to Cairo in the OL or Orange Leonard series with three digits. The OL 2000 series was sent simultaneously or up to several hours afterwards to Crete. Cairo thus knew what had been sent to Crete — the OL 5000 series was for Malta. This system was intended to prevent the onward dispatch of unnecessary information which might risk compromising Ultra if intercepted or captured. Messages sent to Creforce were usually prefixed 'Personal for General Freyberg — Most Immediate'. Captain Sandover, the officer in the cave above the Creforce quarry, would decode the message, show it to Freyberg, and then burn it. The time and date of dispatch came at the end of each message, but here they are put at the beginning for easy reference.

OL 2151

1845

hours

28.4.41

OL messages sent to Cairo only will carry OL three digit numbers in current series. Messages to Cairo and A.O.C. Crete [Group Captain Beamish received Ultra for a few days before Freyberg's arrival]

carry OL 2000 and up in current series. Numbers thus show distribution each message.

OL
2155
1615 hours

1.5.41

It is learnt that to enable the GAF [German Air Force] to carry out operations planned for the coming weeks, enemy will not mine Suda Bay nor destroy aerodromes on Crete. This message cancels OL

2154.

OL 2157

0325

hours

3.5.41

There are indications that air transport units will not be ready for large scale operations before 6th May earliest. Other preparations appear to be complete.

OL 2165

2150

hours

4.5.41

There is evidence that on May 4th staff of 7th Fliegerdivision moved to Salonika, and that it will move to Athens about May 8th.

OL 2167

2340

hours

6.5.41

Preparation for operation against Crete probably complete on 17 May. Sequence of operations from zero day onward will be parachute landing of 7th Fliegerdivision plus corps troops 11th Fliegerkorps to seize Maleme Candia [Heraklion] and Retimo [Rethymno]. Then dive bombers and fighters will move to Maleme and Candia. Next air landing of remainder 11th Fliegerkorps including headquarters and subordinated army units. Then flak units further troops and supplies. Third mountain regiment from 12th Army detailed, elements of armoured units motorcyclists anti-tank units to be detailed by supreme command army and all to be under 11th Fliegerkorps. Admiral South-East will provide protection with Italian torpedo boat [or boats?] flotillas minesweepers and possibly U boats. Sea transport by German and Italian vessels. Operation to be preceded before zero day by sharp attack on RAF military camps and anti-aircraft positions.

[Note: This third mountain regiment was the 141st Mountain Regiment from the 6th Mountain Division added to reinforce the 85th and 100th Mountain Regiments in the 5th Mountain Division.

The 95th Mountain Artillery Regiment and other detachments would not have counted since they were divisional troops. Admiral South-East was Admiral Schuster.]

OL 2168

1005

hours

7.5.41

Flak units further troops and supplies mentioned our 2167 are to proceed by sea to Crete. Also three mountain regiments thought more likely than third mountain regiment.

[Note: The main misunderstanding arose when analysts read these two sentences together, and made two mistakes. They jumped to the conclusion that three mountain regiments were coming
in addition
to the XI Air Corps (7th Parachute Division and 22nd Airlanding Division). The 22nd Division's involvement had been described in OL 167 of 26 April, which detailed its transport from Bucharest to Athens, but no signal cancelling its move by the 12th Army and substituting the 5th Mountain Division appears to have been intercepted. The Directorate of Military Intelligence, but not the Directorate of Air Intelligence (see OL 2170 below), appear to have read the two sentences together and assumed that these three mountain regiments were also to be transported by sea along with the flak units. In OL 2/302 almost all the other follow-on elements detailed by the 12th Army are lumped into the seaborne convoy.]

OL 2169

1735

hours

7.5.41

Melos to be occupied by Germans on 7th May with a view to preparation aerodrome.

OL 2170

1830

hrs

7.5.41

Further to 2167 this series concerning projected German attack on Crete. Following is estimated scale of attack and suggested timetable. Suggested timetable. First day or first day minus one — sharp bombing attack on air force and military objectives. First day — parachute landings and arrival of some operational aircraft. On first or second day arrival of air landing troops with equipment including guns, motor cycles and possibly light AFVs [armoured fighting vehicles]. Second day —

arrival of seaborne forces and supplies after arrival of airlanding detachments. Estimated scale of parachute and air landing attack. Number of troop carrying aircraft at present available in the area is about 450. This could be increased to 600 if required. Subject to operational facilities for the highest number being the scale of a parachute attack on the first day could be 12,000 men in two sorties. Scale of air landing of troops and equipment on second day could be 4,000 men, and four hundred tons of equipment or equivalent, carried by 600 Ju 52s. If an air landing operation took place on first day parachutists effort would be reduced by about 50%. A preliminary bombing attack would probably be made by long range bombers and twin engined fighters based in Bulgaria Salonika Athens and possibly Rhodes. Maximum effort for a day estimated at 105 long range bomber sorties and 100 twin engined fighter sorties. Aircraft available as occupying air force — 60 Me 109s and 90 Ju 87s. Start from landing grounds in Peleponnese. Position of landing grounds not known but Germans are believed to be searching for suitable sites. Athens area is the operational area from which airborne attack will probably start. All above scales of effort are the maximum weight which it is believed could be attained. No account has been taken of effect of our action or possible lack of operational facilities in the Athens area for the maximum number of aircraft available. Foregoing from director of intelligence.

OL 2/284

1900

hours

13.5.41

Twin engined aircraft will probably attack aerodromes on Crete on May 14th.

OL 2/302

1745

hours

13.5.41

The following summarises intentions against Crete from operation orders issued.

Para 1. The island of Crete will be captured by the 11th Air Corps and the 7th Air Division and the operation will be under the control of the 11th Air Corps.

Para 2. All preparations, including the assembly of transport aircraft, fighter aircraft, and dive bombing aircraft, as well as of troops to be carried both by air and sea transport, will be completed on 17th May.

Para 3. Transport of seaborne troops will be in cooperation with admiral southeast, who will ensure the protection of German and Italian transport vessels (about twelve ships) by Italian light naval forces. These troops will come under the orders of the 11th Air Corps immediately on their landing in Crete.