 fortress Europe, for the coming war with Russia. Breaking the fortress walls were the Balkans. Opened to British invasion, a threat to the German flank. Romania was joined to the Axis, then Hungary. Bulgaria. Williams struck at Greece, were thrown back. Britain sent forces to bolster the Greeks, hoping to carry the war from Africa to Europe. In April of 41, Germans invaded Yugoslavia, smashing an obsolete army in 11 days, and entering Greece. Through terrain considered impossible, the Germans split the Greek army and the British forces, pushing the British back to Piraeus and Corinth. And evacuations, exhausted British troops, disorganized, partly disarmed, were moved to Egypt. And because of naval shortage, to the island of Crete. In a three week blitz, Germany had closed the Balkan door, except for Crete. From this island, the Luftwaffe could strike to the south, at the British sea routes, Egypt and Cyprus. With Rommel nearing Egypt, the Balkans conquered, a fifth column waiting in Syria, a drive for Suez was ready, except for Crete. Early in the Greek campaign, German plans for Crete went forward. In greatest secrecy, special air equipment, special air invasion troops were rushed from Germany. Back was coming. Crete prepared a defense. In five months preceding, under five different commanders, preparations had been spotty, because of indefinite plans for Crete. In April, command came to General Weston of the Marines, who planned a hurried defense. In the garrison with 3,500 men, from the 14th Infantry Brigade, with attached artillery, other units. Evacuation brought 14,000 British, New Zealand, Australian troops, and 10,000 irregular British Empire troops, Palestinians, Cypriots, various others, mostly unarmed, untrained, and a disciplined small force of Greeks. A total of 27,500 defenders left behind in Greece was nearly all the heavy equipment. Most troops had rifles, other small arms, some Bren guns, AT rifles, machine guns. There were in all 49 Italian field pieces with little ammunition, some without sights. 10 guns, 3.7 inches, 14 three-inch AA guns, 34 Bofors, a few AA machine guns and pom-poms, 24 three-foot search lights. The only armor, eight infantry eye tanks, 16 light tanks, a few troop carriers. For the air defense, only 15 planes against expected air invasion. Wavell sent the order. Crete is to be held. First of May, General Fryberg of New Zealand took command in Crete. He was warned of expected attack to begin with 3,000 paratroops and warned to look for no RAF increases. Fryberg protested lack of air support, suggested withdrawal, but Wavell reassured him. With hardly any tools or transport, Fryberg prepared. Units were organized, stragglers assembled, troops disposed to sectors. Crete is 160 miles long, 7 to 30 miles wide and very mountainous, up to 8,000 feet. The southern coast has barrier cliffs, few landing points. The northern side is low, with many miles of beaches open to rolling inland plains. On the long north coastline, Fryberg ordered four defensive sectors. Malami Airport, Kaniya, the capital, city of 30,000, and Suda Bay, the one good port. Retimo, town of 9,000, with its airport. Heraklion, city of 35,000, and the airport. All three airports were new, built for the RAF. Landings were also possible on beaches, near the roads, and on the plain. Linking the principal defenses ran the island's one good road. Three others not so good ran south. All other roads were donkey trails, too poor for motor transport. Lack of transport hindered movement, holding troops to original dispositions. Fryberg had less than 200 trucks, 41 needed for Suda alone. For wire communications, a primitive telephone system, easily vulnerable. Submarine cables, Kaniya, to Retimo, to Heraklion, to Citya. Suda and Heraklion, to Alexandria, Middle East headquarters. All commands on Crete had wireless. Food was a serious problem for everybody on the island. Crete has 440,000 people, and now it had the British, Greek soldiers, and Italian prisoners. Food was low, harvests were not in. Olives, oranges, lemons, grapes, the principal crops would not help the situation. Water, always scarce, taken from wells, was that unusual drought. Sanitation, medical aids were backward. The inhabitants, mainly cousins, were friendly allies. King George himself was on the island. Fryberg wired to Wavell. Roads poor, transportation inadequate. Civilian food supply is low. Present garrisons include three regular British battalions, six New Zealand battalions, one weak Australian battalion, two composite battalions. Greek forces are small and poorly armed. There is no artillery. Anti-aircraft defense is inadequate. There is no modern fighter aircraft. At Malami Airport, Fryberg placed three New Zealand brigades, 5th, 10th, and 4th. Two companies of engineers, a small cavalry force, with two eye tanks, 10 light tanks, 10 Italian 75s, six howitzers, AA and CD guns. The mission here, to defend the air drum, protect the beach, hold an east-west line, and be ready to counterattack, guarding the heights to the south and cannear from the west. Cannear was force headquarters, main base area. In this area, Fryberg disposed nine units, mainly improvised rifle battalions, five British, two Australian, two Greek. Defending against attack from the west, out of the olive groves, from the rocky peninsula, or from the east. Pseudo Bay was vital. Its loss would cut the supply line. Here were the only important docks. Around this vital bay were placed four 6-inch guns, 10 4-inch guns, and 30 other guns, AA's 3-inch and Bofors. Down the coast, in Retimo sector, Fryberg located six battalions, two Australian battalions at Georgeopolis, with three coast guns to protect the beach. In Retimo, to hold the harbor in the town, one Australian machine gun company, and a small Greek force. At Retimo Airport, east of the town, two Australian battalions, two Greek battalions, and two eye tanks to hold the airport, guard the beaches, and the approaches to the town. One other battalion was at Stylos. Fourth of Fryberg's sectors, centered on Heraklion, called Cannear, largest city of the island, 35,000. Defending were four Greek battalions around the city itself, and five British battalions between the city and the airport. Two eye tanks were posted at the field, six light tanks in reserve, with 17 field pieces, two 4-inch coast guns, four 3-inch AA, 10 Bofors, two pom-poms, to protect the field and harbor. Second port to Souda, Fryberg's second supply line. Even before the fall of Greece, the Germans were building airfields, brushing supplies for the battle of Greece. Flying Corps 11 and 8, secretly assembled in Bulgaria, Romania, moved down to the forward bases in the last days before invasion. At Tenagra, gliders and tow planes, at Moloj, Melos, Scarpanto, within 100 miles, dive bombers and fighters. Twin-engine fighters within 200 miles, bombers, transports, reconnaissance, all within 250 miles of Crete. Flying Corps 11 had three components, glider troops, 750. Parachuteists, 10,000. Air-landing troops, 5,000. Adding the troops to come by sea, 7,000, made just under 23,000, which with later additions, almost equaled the defenders. German aircraft, 280 bombers, 150 dive bombers, 90 twin-engine fighters, 90 single-engine fighters, 40 reconnaissance planes and 650 transport craft. German aircraft, 1,300. By the German Mercury plan, three groups were set up. A Western group, storm regiment of gliders. Aimed at Malmy. Central group, flying division of parachutists. A first wave at Kania, second wave later at Rotimo. And the Eastern group, parachute regiment, pointed for Heraklion. These forces were to join their lines, protect more landing by sea and air, and reinforced, subdue the defense. The fifth mountain division would garrison, while air troops left for Russia. In Middle East, the RAF was feeble. The Battle of Britain had barely ended. Wavell had only 43 fighters and 90 bombers. And Rommel was nearing Egypt. The German Air Force met the RAF, a squadron to a plane, shot them out of the sky or followed them back to Egypt and smashed them on the ground. May 1st to 10th. The Luftwaffe carefully photographed all Crete, spotting every new position. Troop strafing began. Dive bombing from pseudo-ducks. Then day bombing, probe defensiveness. May 13th, Crete's air drones were heavily bombed with crucial results. Only seven British planes remained. All this time shipping suffered air attack from Greece. Of 27,000 tons of supplies shipped out, only 2,700 tons arrived. May 16th, Suda Bay was blasted seven hours. May 17th, Suda was hit by 27 stucas. Ships were unloaded while they burned. The bay filled up with wrecks. On one of the ships arrived a military band. May 18th, planes came continuously to destroy the AA batteries. May 19th, under impossible bombardment, the RAF withdrew from Crete. One day before invasion, German air superiority was complete. An army without a single plane faced an airborne, air-supported army for the first time in history. May 20th, at dawn, it began. One hour of terrific bombing at Malami and Kanya, crushing the troops to ground, shattering AA gun crews, pounded into slit trenches the British could not observe. At eight o'clock, 50 German gliders appeared at Malami as the air barrage shifted aside, leaving a corridor to the west. Unseen and unopposed, they landed in a dried up riverbed. Six gliders came down south and east, were swiftly liquidated. From the riverbed crash landings came the nucleus of success. Over a hundred glider troops found a position. On high ground to the west, overlooking the airfield, they covered the parachute landings. 15 minutes later, bombings stopped. Parachutists began to descend. Many came down east of the riverbed, were rapidly wiped out. But those who landed west, protected by the glider troops, formed for attack. Troop transports followed. Junkers 52s. Crash landing on the field and beaches. Those on the east beach suffered disaster, coming into New Zealand fire. But the others joined the German strength. Supported by air power, the Germans fought for the airfield. With the eye tanks already erect, New Zealanders charged with bayonets, eight times clearing the field, and falling back under air attack. The New Zealand 22nd Battalion, still holding the airfield under fire, at length fell back, a half mile east. South of Kania, with the British bombed into trenches, glider troops surprised the AA gun crews. Killed all resistance. Covered the quick descent of parachutists. 1,800 glider and parachutes landed, captured the general hospital, and occupied a beach. But the fourth New Zealand brigade struck back, mopped up the entire force, except for isolated pockets. On the peninsula, the glider attack failed, through bad luck and landing, no air support, and changing of British positions. This force was killed off, except for one small pocket. In the afternoon, the second wave of parachutists came. At Retimo, 170 transports dropped 1,700 paratroops on and east of the airfield, capturing field guns and the eye tanks. Australians struck hard, recovered the situation, killed most of the attackers. A smaller landing, cut communications at a road fork between Retimo and the field. At Heraklion, near dusk, attack began with the softening up the rod, followed by parachutists. 200 transports dropped 2,000 troops, southwest of town and on the airfield. Trying to take the town, they fell to the Greeks. On the airfield, machine guns met them as they landed. Light tanks ran them down. Most of the paratroops were killed. In the first day, the Germans landed 750 glider troops and 7,200 parachutists. 80% were casualties, though Mercury plan had failed. Losses were so appalling that the high command was forced either to give up or launch a full-scale attack. They chose to hurl 35,000 airborne troops and their whole striking force against Crete. Second day, German attention concentrated on Malamie. Here they occupied half the airfield. Under constant New Zealand fire, they landed transports, finally building up three mountain battalions, dive bombers tore at defenses, clearing a wider and wider runway until three planes could land together. Transports came in steady stream, bringing motorcycles, guns and carriers. Directly crash landing under fire. 500 paratroops dropped behind the defense. During the night, a German convoy came by sea in native kayaks and two small steamers. Caught by the Royal Navy, of this force, 2,500 men were sunk. Another convoy was broken the next day. But the following day, the Royal Navy paid for this success. Caught in the straits by 1,200 German planes, with no fighter protection whatsoever, the fleet was barbed for eight hours, sinking two cruisers, redestroyers, crippling nearly every ship and driving the Royal Navy to Alexandria at a cost of very few German planes. Land-based planes, unopposed in the air, had shattered a naval force without an air arm. The Germans abandoned sea convoys, resorted to air transport alone. May 22nd, third day. The New Zealanders struck a dawn. Two battalions fought to the field, withdrew before the air attack. 400 fighter planes, unopposed. Charged for the 20th time with bayonets, for the 20th time fell back. The main battle now was here. Freiburg planned a final assault. The fourth brigade was to move on Malami. At this point, German paratroop remnants south of the fourth brigade drove in a wedge, threatening to cut off the fifth brigade. Paratroops also threatened from the rear. The fifth was forced to withdraw by night to a new defense line, giving Malami Airport to the enemy for unrestricted use. May 23rd, fourth day of battle. The troop planes packed Malami, multiplying the German strength. A continuous swarm of transports coming to unload and going back for more flew low across the British lines to shake morale. New Zealand losses were 50%. The British were tiring. Equipment was being lost. Their supply was failing. Freiburg cabled to Waible. Send all available air helmets. Situation really serious. In reply came 12 fighters. The Germans drove back five. The British shot down two. Four landed with damage. One came through. Loan British flyers tried to bomb Malami with little effect. The German goal was Souda Bay, British lifeline. Under day and night bombardment, flaming with wreckage. Without air support, ships could only dock at night. Destroyers were used for speed. Reaching Souda at 11.30, unloading two at a time, and leaving at 3 a.m. In this time, 100 tons could be unloaded. But 600 tons a day were needed. And some nights, no ships came at all. In the night, a destroyer landed commandos at Souda. A battalion called the Laeforce. May 25th, the Germans broke the line, captured the village of Gallifers. Worn out New Zealanders, 18th and 20th battalions, came back with the bayonet and took back the town in the greatest effort of the defense. May 26th, Freiberg notified Wavell. I regret to have to report that in my opinion, limit of endurance has been reached by troops under my command in Souda Bay. No matter what decision is taken by commander-in-chief, from military point of view, our situation is hopeless. The enemy was filtering through the line. Units losing contact. Communications cracking up. The front was falling apart, breaking on Souda. Freiberg ordered up a British reserve from the peninsula to support the flank during the night unloading at Souda. But the Germans turned the flank and New Zealand troops retired. No messenger could get through to change the order. The reserve moved up at midnight. By morning, was behind the enemy lines and soon was lost. During the night, the 4th Brigade moved off to Stylos and then to Ascifio Plain, lest paratroops cut off retreat. A detachment at Vrises guarded the route from the east. May 27th, morning, Freiberg reported, fear we must recognize that Crete is no longer tenable. Withdrawal began towards Fakia on the southern coast. Western took over the rear guard with the lay force. At Retimo earlier, the Germans reinforced cut off all outside contact. The British tried to parachute supplies which dropped in the sea. Helpless, the garrison fell. At Heraklion, Greeks and British valiantly fought while German forces grew, crash landing along the beaches. On the 28th, the Germans were ready to strike, but not in time. Four destroyers arrived, took off the entire force. Dive bombers followed, did horrible damage at sea. On the retreat, Western lost control of the rear. The names Fakia got about. Troops broke for the coast, stealing all vehicles, ending all dispatches to Freiberg. Together, the 5th New Zealand and 19th Australian made up one rear guard. The lay force made another. They covered the retreat by leapfrogging units to the escarpment behind Fakia, seven miles from the beach over a narrow road. Runaway troops left trucks here, tipping off the retreat. Dive bombers set them afire. The beach was a chaos. Runaways forced their way. Discipline troops were held back. At night of the 28th, destroyers took off 1,000, wounded and administrative men. The next night, 7,000 more. Dawn of May 30th, the enemy reached the rear guard, which held them off. With the British at their mercy, German Enterprise had ended. Air attack fell off. Night of May 30th, 1,400 left, including Freiberg, the 5th New Zealand and Marines. The 4th night, Western and the remainder. Almost 15,000 had been saved. Double-enveloped by German mountain troops, the lay force surrendered. Crete was gone. 34,000 invaders had defeated almost the same number of defenders. Losses were almost equal. Victory went to air power.