Battle of Crete

The Battle of Crete was a World War II military engagement tenaciously contended between the German 7th Airborne Division (Fallschirmjäger) and the British forces on the island of Crete, from May 20 to June 1, 1941. This German military operation was launched under the codename "Unternehmen Merkur," "Operation Mercury," in which the highly trained Fallschirmjäger defeated a larger force in fierce combat. The Germans had already invaded mainland Greece, during Operation Marita, in April 1941.

British forces had taken Crete when the Italians invaded Greece on October 28, 1940. Although the Greek Army managed to hold off the Italian attack, the Germans defeated both the Greek and British forces during the Balkans Campaign in April 1941, forcing the Royal Navy to evacuate more than 50,000 Allied troops from the mainland to the island of Crete. These troops were used to beef up its garrison. The Island of Crete provided the Royal Navy with harbors in the eastern Mediterranean and the Axis southeastern flank could be threatened. Nevertheless, the Luftwaffe's commanders devised a plan for capturing Crete through a daring airborne attack. Hitler agreed with this military plan, but he stated that the operation had to be as soon as possible, in May, because of the approaching attack on the Soviet Union.

The British Commonwealth combat units deployed on the island of Crete consisted of 52,000 troops, under the command of Major General Bernard Freyberg. They were reinforced by 9,000 Greek troops. The German 7th Flieger Division would insert its paratroopers by parachute and gliders, followed by the 22nd Air Landing Division once the airfields were secured. The assault was initially scheduled for May 16, but was postponed to May 20, with the 5th Mountain Division replacing the 22nd Division.

The Battle of Crete began at 08:00 hours, on May 20, 1941, when German paratroopers landed near Maleme airfield and the town of Chania. The 21st, 22nd, and 23rd New Zealand Battalions defended Maleme airfield and its direct surrounding area. At Maleme, the paratroopers jumped into strong enemy fire from infantry forces, which had been emplaced in positions built into the hills south of the airfield. Many Fallschirmjäger were killed during the descent. Due to the concentrated machine gun fire, many men were unable to recover their heavy weapons containers (mortars and machine guns) and as they had to rely on their rifles, sub-machine guns, and hand grenades, and the large knife they carried until supplies were dropped from German transport planes.

Below, German Fallschirmjäger dropping from the sky. These were lucky enough to land in a safe spot of the island.

German paratroopers in action during the battle of Crete.