Battle of Crete order of battle
This is the complete order of battle for the Battle of Crete and related operations in 1941.
Allied
Commonwealth & Allied Forces, Crete - "Creforce"
- Headquarters Creforce - (Eastern Zone, east of Chania)
- Major-General Bernard Freyberg, VC, Colonel Stewart[1]
- C Squadron, 3rd The King's Own Hussars (seven light tanks)[1]
- Major G.W.Peck
- 10 Light Tank Mk VIs
- B Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment
- Lieutenant George Simpson
- Two Matilda tanks, crewed in part by two officers and five gunners of the 2/3rd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA).
- 1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment
- Lieutenant Colonel A. Duncan, MC (Force Reserve)
2nd New Zealand Division
- Headquarters New Zealand Division - Brigadier, Acting Major General[1] Edward Puttick - (Western Zone, west of Chania)
- 27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion (Lt. Col. FJ Gwilliam)
- 5th New Zealand Field Artillery Regiment
- 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Brig. Lindsay Inglis) between Chania and Galatas
- 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Brig. James Hargest) (Maleme and Platanias)
- 21st New Zealand Infantry Battalion
- 22nd New Zealand Infantry Battalion
- 23rd New Zealand Infantry Battalion
- 28th (Maori) Infantry Battalion
- 7th Field Company New Zealand Engineers
- 19th Army Field Corps Company
- New Zealand Field Punishment Centre (FPC)[2] Prisoners were released to fight the enemy.
- 1st Greek Regiment (1,030 Officers and men), (Col. IP Papadimitropoulos)
- Evelpidon Officers' Academy (17 Officers, 300 Cadets), (Lt. Col. Loukas Kitsos)
- 10th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Lt. Col. Howard Kippenberger) (Galatas)
- New Zealand Divisional Cavalry
- New Zealand Composite Battalion (700 rifles). General Weston named this force the "Royal Perivolians"[3] after they were supposedly involved in rescuing the King of Greece.
- 6th Greek Regiment (1,389 Officers and men), (Lt. Col. M Grigoriou)
- 8th Greek Regiment (840 Officers and men), (Lt. Col. Pan Karkoulas)
British 14th Infantry Brigade
- Headquarters, 14 Bde (Brig. Brian Herbert Chappel) – at Heraklion
- 2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment (Lt. Col. CHV Cox, DSO, MC) (637 personnel)
- 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment (Lt. Col. A Gilroy) (742 personnel)
- 2nd Battalion, Black Watch (Major AA Pitcairn, temporary commander[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]) (867 personnel)
- 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Lt. Col. RCB Anderson, DSO, MC) – Tymbaki sector
- 7th Medium Regiment, RA (Maj. R.J.B. Snook, DSO (wounded - 20 May 1941). No artillery weaponsa; equipped and served at Crete as infantry. (450 personnel)
Attached to 14 Bde:
- Australian 2/4th Battalion (Lt. Col. Ivan Dougherty)[lower-alpha 3] (550 personnel)
- Greek 3rd Regiment (Lt. Col Ant Betinakis) (656 personnel)
- Greek 7th Regiment (Col. E Cheretis) (877 personnel)
- Greek Garrison Battalion (commander unknown; ex-Greek 5th "Crete" Division, left behind as a garrison when their division was summoned to defend the mainland) 830 personnel)
19th Australian Infantry Brigade
No. 5 Battery, 2/3rd Field Regiment
| Unit | Commander | Remarks | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HQ 19 Brigade | Brig. George Vasey | At Georgioupolis. | |||||||||||||
| 2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion | Lt. Col. Ian R. Campbell | 620 personnel; Rethymno; Campbell commanded all Allied forces in the Rethymno area | |||||||||||||
| 2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion | Lt. Col. Ray Sandover | 650 personnel; Rethymno | |||||||||||||
| 2/7th Australian Infantry Battalion | Lt. Col. Theo Walker | About 550 personnel. Based at Heraklion; redeployed to Maleme and saw action in the Souda-Chania area ("42nd Street") during the battle. | |||||||||||||
| 2/8th Australian Infantry Battalion | Lt. Col. John W. Mitchell | About 400 personnel. Based at Chania; reinforced British forces around Perivolia and Mournies, and saw action in the Souda-Chania area ("42nd Street") during the battle. | |||||||||||||
| No. 6 Battery, 2/3rd Field Regiment | Maj. I. J. Bessell-Browne | 90 personnel, equipped with captured Italian weapons: four 100mm guns and four 75mm guns. | |||||||||||||
| 4th Greek Regiment | Col. M. Trifon | 1,300 personnel; Rethymno | |||||||||||||
| 5th Greek Regiment | Lt. Col. I Servos | 1,200 personnel; Rethymno | |||||||||||||
| Gendarmerie Privates School | Col. Iak Chaniotis | 916 personnel; Rethymno | |||||||||||||
Mobile Base Defence Organization
- Headquarters Mobile Base Defence Organization - Maj.-Gen. CE Weston-Souda Bay
- 15th Coast Regiment, RA[4]
- "S" Royal Marine Composite Battalion, Maj. R Garrett (Royal Marines)
- 1st Battalion, The Rangers, The King's Royal Rifle Corps - (later designated 9th Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps (The Rangers))[5]
- 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery - no equipment, used as infantry[6][7]
- 106th (Lancashire Hussars) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery[8] - Lt. Col. AF Hely
- 16th Australian Brigade Composite Battalion - 350 officers and men
Formed from the under strength 2/2nd and 2/3rd Australian Infantry Battalions - 17th Australian Brigade Composite Battalion - 270 officers and men
Formed from the understrength 2/5th and 2/6th Australian Infantry Battalions - 2nd Greek Regiment - 930 Officers and Men
- 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Marines
Naval forces
- Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet - Admiral Sir Andrew B Cunningham
Forces A1
- Force A1 - Rear Admiral H B Rawlings (R.A., 7th Cruiser Squadron)
- Queen Elizabeth-class battleships
- HMS Warspite (03) - Captain DB Fisher - damaged[9]
- HMS Valiant (02) - Capt. CE Morgan - damaged[9]
- G and H-class destroyers
- HMS Greyhound (H05) - Cmdr. WR Marshall-A'Deane, Sunk 22 May 1941
- HMS Griffin (H31) - Lt. KRC Letts
- HMS Havock (H43) - Lt. GRG Watkins
- HMS Hero (H99) - Cmdr. HW Briggs
- J-class destroyer
- HMS Jaguar (F34) - Lt. Cmdr. JFW Hine
Force B
Force B - Capt. Henry A Rowley
- Light cruisers
- HMS Gloucester (62) - Capt. Henry A Rowley, sunk 22 May 1941 with the loss of 722 crew
- HMS Fiji (58) - Capt. PBRW William-Powlett, sunk 22 May 1941
- HMS Orion (85) - Capt. GRB Back - damaged[9]
- HMS Dido (37) - Capt. HWV McCall - damaged[9]
- Destroyers
- HMS Decoy (H75) - Cmdr. EG McGregor
- HMS Hereward (H93) - Lt. WJ Munn, sunk by enemy aircraft 29 May 1941.
- HMS Hotspur (H01) - Lt.Cmdr. CPF Brown
- HMS Imperial (D09) - Lt. Cmdr. CA De W Kitcat, sunk 29 May 1941 off Crete
- HMS Jackal (F22) - Lt. Cmdr. MP Jonas
- HMS Kimberley (F50) - Lt. Cmdr. JSM Richardson
Force C
| Force C - Rear Admiral Edward Leigh Stuart King (C.O. 15th Cruiser Squadron) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship | Commander | Armament | Tonnage | Remarks | |||||||||
| HMS Naiad (93) | Capt. MHA Kelsey | Light cruiser - damaged[9] | |||||||||||
| HMAS Perth (D29) | Capt. Sir PW Bowyer-Smyth | 8x6 inch guns,
8x4 inch guns, 4x3 pdr guns, 8x21 inch torpedo tubes |
6,830 tons | Light cruiser - damaged[9] | |||||||||
| HMS Kandahar (F28) | Cmdr. WGA Robson | Destroyer | |||||||||||
| HMS Nubian (F36) | Cmdr. RW Ravenhill | Destroyer - damaged[9] | |||||||||||
| HMS Kingston (F64) | Lt. Cmdr. P Sommerville | Destroyer - damaged[9] | |||||||||||
| HMS Juno (F46) | Cmdr. St John Tyrwhitt | Destroyer Sunk 21 May 1941 | |||||||||||
| HMS Calcutta (D82) | Capt. DM Lees | Anti-Aircraft cruiser Sunk 1 June 1941 within one hundred miles of Alexandria | |||||||||||
Force D
| Force D - Rear-Admiral Irvine Glennie Destruction of Lupo Convoy (21–22 May 1941) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ship | Commander | Remarks |
| HMS Dido (37) | Capt. HW McCall | Light cruiser- damaged |
| HMS Orion (85) | Capt. PBRW William-Powlett | Light cruiser - damaged[9] |
| HMS Ajax (22) | Capt. EDB McCarthy | Light cruiser - damaged |
| HMS Janus (F53) | Cmdr. JAW Tothill | Destroyer |
| HMS Hasty (H24) | Lt.Cmdr. LRK Tyrwhitt[10] | Destroyer |
| HMS Hereward (H93) | Lt. WJ Munn | Destroyer - sunk by enemy aircraft 29 May 1941 |
| HMS Kimberley | Lt. Cmdr. JSM Richardson | Destroyer |
Force E
- Force E - Captain JP Mack (CO 14th Destroyer Flotilla)
- HMS Ilex (D61) - Capt. (D2) H St L Nicholson
- HMS Jervis (F00) - Capt. (D14) P J Mack
- HMAS Nizam (G38) - Lt. Cmdr. Max Joshua Clark
- HMS Carlisle (D67) - Capt. TC Hampton - damaged
5th Destroyer Flotilla
5th Destroyer Flotilla - Captain Mountbatten
- HMS Kelly (F01) - Capt. Lord Louis Mountbatten, Sunk 23 May 1941
- HMS Kashmir (F12) - Cmdr. HA King, Sunk 23 May 1941
- HMS Kelvin (F37) - Cmdr. JH Alison - damaged[9]
- HMS Jackal (F22) - Lt.Cmdr. MP Jonas
- HMS Kipling (F91) - Cmdr. A St Clair-Ford
Evacuation Fleet
Sphakia evacuation force - Rear-Admiral King
- HMS Phoebe - Capt. G Grantham, light cruiser
- HMAS Perth - Capt. Sir P.W. Bowyer-Smith, light cruiser - damaged[9]
- HMS Coventry - Capt. WP Carne, light cruiser
- HMS Calcutta - Capt. DM Lees, Anti-aircraft cruiser, sunk 1 June 1941 with 255 survivors
- HMS Glengyle - Capt. CH Petrie, Landing Ship, Infantry (Large)
- HMAS Napier (G97) - Capt. Stephen Harry Tolson Arliss RN, N-class Flotilla Leader.
- HMAS Nizam (G38) - Lt. Cmdr. Max Joshua Clark
- HMS Kelvin (F37) - Cmdr. JH Alison
- HMS Kandahar (F28) - Cmdr. WGA Robson
Air forces
- Air Officer Commander-in-Chief, Middle East - Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore
- No. 30 Squadron RAF (Squadron Leader RA Milward/Sqn. Ldr. Shannon) - Bristol Blenheim
- No. 33 Squadron RAF (Sqn. Ldr. MT StJ Prattle/Sqn.Ldr. Edward Howell, OBE, DFC) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane
- No. 80 Squadron RAF (Sqn. Ldr. EG Jones) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane
- No. 112 Squadron RAF (Sqn. Ldr. LG Schwab) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane[lower-alpha 4]
- No. 203 Squadron RAF - Bristol Blenheim
Axis forces
Fliegerkorps XI
| Unit | Commander | Equipment/Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| KGzbV 1 | Oberst Fritz Morzik | Junkers Ju 52 |
| KGzbV 2 | Oberst Rüdiger von Heyking | Ju 52 |
| KGzbV 3 | Oberst U. Bucholz | Ju 52 |
| 22nd Luftlande Division | General Hans Graf von Sponeck | Force Reserve (in Romania) |
Fliegerkorps VIII
| Unit | Commander | Equipment/Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Kampfgeschwader 2 | General-Major Herbert Rieckhoff | Do 17Z |
| Jadgeschwader 77 | Major Bernhard Woldenga | Bf 109E |
| Lehrgeschwader 1 | Oberst F-K Knust | Ju 88A & He 111H |
| Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 | Oberst-Leutnant W. Hagen | Ju 87R |
| Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 | Oberst-Lt O. Dinort | Ju 87R |
| Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 | Major Clemens von Schonborn-Wiesentheid | Ju 87R |
| Zerstörergeschwader 26 | Oberst Johann Schalk | Bf 110C & Bf 110D |
Luftflotte IV
| Unit | Commander | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 5th Panzer Division | Gustav Fehn | |
| 6th Gebirgs Division | Ferdinand Schörner |
Luftlande Sturmregiment
| Headquarters Luftlande Sturmregiment - Generalmajor Eugen Meindl, then Col. Ramcke, Maj. Braun[11] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Unit | Commander | Remarks |
| 1st Battalion | Major Walter Koch | glider battalion |
| 2nd Battalion | Major Edgar Stentzler | |
| 3rd Battalion | Major Otto Scherber | |
| 4th Battalion | Hauptmann (Captain) Walter Gericke | |
Two glider companies were detached and seconded to 7th Flieger Division, below
7th Flieger Division
| Unit | Commander | Subunits | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7th Engineer Battalion | Major Liebach | ||
| 7th Artillery Battalion | Major Bode | ||
| 7th Machine Gun Battalion | Hauptmann Schulz | ||
| 7th Anti-tank Battalion | Hauptmann Schmitz | ||
| 1st Fallschirmjäger Regiment | Oberst Bruno Bräuer | 1st Battalion (Major Erich Walther), 2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Burckhardt), 3rd Battalion (Major Karl-Lothar Schulz) | Heraklion |
| 2nd Fallschirmjäger Regiment | Oberst Alfred Sturm, Maj, Schulz, Captain Paul[11] | 1st Battalion (Major Kroh), 2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Erich Pietzonka), 3rd Battalion (Hauptmann Wiedemann) | Retimno |
| 3rd Fallschirmjäger Regiment | Oberst Richard Heidrich, Lt. Heckel[12] | 1st Battalion (Hauptmann Friedrich von der Heydte), 2nd Battalion (Major Derpa), 3rd Battalion (Major Ludwig Heilmann) | Hania |
The 2nd Battalion of the 2nd FJ Rgt was used with the 1st FJ Rgt
5th Gebirgs Division
| Unit | Commander | Sub units |
|---|---|---|
| 95th Artillery Battalion | Oberstleutnant Wittmann | |
| 95th Anti-tank Battalion | Major Bindermann | |
| 95th Reconnaissance Battalion | Major Count Castell zu Castell | |
| 95th Engineer Battalion | Major Schaette | |
| 95th Signal Battalion | Major Nolte | |
| 85th Gebirgsjäger Regiment | Oberst August Krakau | 1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion |
| 100th Gebirgsjäger Regiment | Oberst Willibald Utz | 1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion |
| 141st Gebirgsjäger Regiment[lower-alpha 5] | Oberst Maximilian Jais | 1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion |
See also
Notes
- Killed in Action - 20/21 November 1941 at Tobruk.
- Pitcairn was replacing Lt. Col. AK Hamilton, who was ill.
- All Australian units are prefixed "2/" to denote that they are part of the 2nd AIF, not Militia.
- Author Roald Dahl was flying with this squadron at the time.
- The 141st Gebirgsjäger Regiment was a reinforcement from the 6th Gebirgs Division.
References
- Beevor 1991, p. 345
- New Zealand History Map of Maleme area, 20 May 1941 http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/map-maleme-area retrieved 20 Aug 2016
- Second World War Official Histories Volume II – Greece, Crete and Syria (1st edition, 1953) Chapter 11 – The Loss of Maleme Airfield available at https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070149/
- Barton, Derek. "15 Coast Regiment RA". The Royal Artillery 1939-45. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- "The Rangers 1860-1950 at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
- "Artillery Regiments That Served With The 7th Armoured Division by Ian a Paterson". Archived from the original on 2007-08-14. Retrieved 2012-07-20.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "The Northumberland Hussars at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2007-12-19.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
- Beevor 1991, p. 346
- "Lionel Rupert Knyvet Tyrwhitt DSO, DSC, RN". Allied Warship Commanders. uboat.net. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- Beevor 1991, p. 347
- Beevor 1991, p. 348
Sources
- Antill, Peter D. (2005). Crete 1941. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-844-8.
- Beevor, Antony (1991). Crete: The Battle and the Resistance (pbk. ed.). Great Britain: John Murray. ISBN 0-7195-6831-5.
- Buckley, Christopher (1984) [1952]. Greece and Crete 1941 (Greek pbk edition (in English) ed.). London: P. Efstathiadis & Sons S.A. ISBN 960-226-041-6.
- "Naval action against the German Flotillas". Battle of Crete. Archived from the original on 18 August 2005. Retrieved August 24, 2005.
External links
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.