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Battle of Crete order of battle facts for kids

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This is the complete order of battle for the Battle of Crete and related operations in 1941.

Allied

Land forces

Commonwealth & Allied Forces, Crete - "Creforce"

Headquarters Creforce - (Eastern Zone, east of Chania)
Major-General Bernard Freyberg, VC, Colonel Stewart
  • C Squadron, 3rd The King's Own Hussars (seven light tanks)
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 Edward Puttick - (Western Zone, west of Chania)
  • 27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion (Lt. Col. FJ Gwilliam) (179 personnel)
  • 5th New Zealand Field Artillery Regiment (less infantry detachment) (256 personnel)
  • 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Brig. Lindsay Inglis) between Chania and Galatas
    • 18th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (677 personnel)
    • 19th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (565 personnel)
    • 20th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (637 personnel)
    • 1st Light Troop, RA (87 personnel)
  • 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Brig. James Hargest) (Maleme and Platanias)
    • 21st New Zealand Infantry Battalion (376 personnel)
    • 22nd New Zealand Infantry Battalion (644 personnel)
    • 23rd New Zealand Infantry Battalion (571 personnel)
    • 28th (Maori) Infantry Battalion (619 personnel)
    • 7th Field Company New Zealand Engineers (148 personnel)
    • 19th Army Field Corps Company (216 personnel)
    • New Zealand Field Punishment Centre (FPC) Prisoners were released to fight the enemy.
    • 1st Greek Regiment (1,030 personnel), (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 (194 personnel)
    • New Zealand Composite Battalion (1007 personnel)
    • 6th Greek Regiment (Lt. Col. M Grigoriou)(1485 personnel)
    • 8th Greek Regiment (Lt. Col. Pan Karkoulas)(1013 personnel)

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) (867 personnel)
    • 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Lt. Col. RCB Anderson, DSO, MC) (655 personnel) – 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) (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

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. 5 Battery, 2/3rd Field Regiment
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
  • "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))
  • 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery - no equipment, used as infantry
  • 106th (Lancashire Hussars) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - 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
    • HMS Valiant (02) - Capt. CE Morgan - damaged
  • 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
    • HMS Dido (37) - Capt. HWV McCall - damaged
  • 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
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
HMS Kandahar (F28) Cmdr. WGA Robson Destroyer
HMS Nubian (F36) Cmdr. RW Ravenhill Destroyer - damaged
HMS Kingston (F64) Lt. Cmdr. P Sommerville Destroyer - damaged
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
HMS Ajax (22) Capt. EDB McCarthy Light cruiser - damaged
HMS Janus (F53) Cmdr. JAW Tothill Destroyer
HMS Hasty (H24) Lt.Cmdr. LRK Tyrwhitt 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
  • 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
  • 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

Axis forces

Land, Airborne and Air forces

Fliegerkorps XI

Headquarters Fliegerkorps XI - Generalmajor Kurt Student, with Brig. Schlemm (Chief of Staff), Col. Trettner (Ops) and Maj. Reinhardt (Int)
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

Headquarters VIII. Fliegerkorps - General der Flieger Freiherr Wolfram von Richthofen
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 Schönborn-Wiesentheid Ju 87R
Zerstörergeschwader 26 Oberst Johann Schalk Bf 110C & Bf 110D

Luftflotte IV

Headquarters Luftflotte IV - General der Flieger Alexander Löhr
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
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

Headquarters, 7th Flieger Division - Generalleutnant Wilhelm Süssmann
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 1st Battalion (Major Kroh), 2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Erich Pietzonka), 3rd Battalion (Hauptmann Wiedemann) Retimno
3rd Fallschirmjäger Regiment Oberst Richard Heidrich, Lt. Heckel 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

Headquarters, 5th Gebirgs Division - Generalmajor Julius Ringel, Maj. Haidlen, Capt. Ferchl
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 Oberst Maximilian Jais 1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion

See also

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