It remains the most dramatic battle ever fought by New Zealand forces. Over 12 brutal days in May 1941, 70 years ago this year, the Allies opposed a massive German airborne assault on the Mediterranean island of Crete. They almost succeeded.
The Battle for Crete in May 1941 is the most dramatic battle in which New Zealand forces have participated. For 12 days, with British, Australian and Greek troops and Cretan civilians, they fought to repel a German airborne assault on a scale never before attempted.
On 20 May 1941 the German attack began, focusing on the airfield at Maleme and the Canea area. Landing among or near concealed Allied defensive positions, the German glider-borne troops and paratroops suffered heavy casualties but managed to establish a foothold on Crete.
On 23 May New Zealand forces retreated from Maleme to the new line at Platanias. Troops stationed in the Galatas-Canea area had a relatively quiet day. So did those at Retimo and Heraklion, although road supply routes into Retimo were cut off.
The Germans continued to advance eastwards across the island. British forces withdrew to a line east of Galatas. Freyberg realised that the loss of Crete was inevitable and decided to withdraw the bulk of Creforce to Sfakia in preparation for evacuation.
The first ships left Sfakia for Egypt. The Germans finally entered Retimo, leaving the Australian defenders stranded. The garrison at Heraklion was evacuated by sea. Evacuation plans had to be scaled back when some ships were forced back to Egypt. About 5000 troops – including 2100 New Zealanders – were left behind to face inevitable capture by the Germans.
In appreciation of the huge effort that the Royal Navy had made in the battle around Crete and in evacuating as many troops as possible from the island, the 2NZEF held a collection once they returned to Egypt.
The remnants of Creforce surrendered to the Germans. Those taken prisoner at Sfakia were marched back over the White Mountains to a prison camp near Galatas. Others escaped and took to the hills. A few made it off Crete and rejoined their units in Egypt. Others stayed on the island and joined Cretan resistance groups fighting the German and Italian occupation force.
The men taken prisoner by the Germans at Sfakia were marched back over the White Mountains to a prison camp near Canea. It was hot and they were suffering the effects of lack of food and water. Conditions at the camp were very poor.
The Battle for Crete is the most contested event in New Zealand's military history. The nature of the battle, with a relatively clear sequence of events leading to an unfavourable outcome, lends itself to disputation over who was responsible for the mistakes that allowed the Germans to gain control of the vital airfield at Maleme and to hold it against the subsequent counter-attack.
A statue in Amberley honours military hero and local farmer Charles Upham, the only man to receive the Victoria Cross twice for courage under fire in the Second World War.
This painting by Peter McIntyre, The Blitz, Canea area defended by NZers, depicts an attack by the Luftwaffe (German air force) on the town of Canea in Crete, May 1941.
New Zealand troops met Prime Minister Peter Fraser and Major-General Bernard Freyberg at Maadi Camp in Egypt following their evacuation from Crete, 1941.
Film clip in which New Zealand Prime Minister Peter Fraser honours the men of the 2nd New Zealand Division who took part in the Crete campaign, May-June 1941.
Film clip in which Lieutenant W. H. Ryan, 18th Battalion, describes his platoon's role in escorting King George II of Greece over the mountains to the south coast of Crete following the German invasion, 20 May 1941.
