battle of crete casualties

The Battle of Crete is considered one of the most sensational events os t he Second World War ( in 1941 ) .. Attacks by German planes, mainly Ju-87 and Ju-88, destroyed three British cruisers (Gloucester, Fiji and Calcutta) and six destroyers (Kelly, Greyhound, Kashmir, Hereward, Imperial and Juno). Naval History Homepage list during the period of 20 May to 2 June, 4 CAs, 8 DDs, 1 Sloop (Grimsby Class) , 1 Motor launch , 2 LCs and 5 PTs as sunk; total 21 ships sunk. Davin has calculated an estimate of … The Battle of Crete began on 20 May 1941, with the airborne invasion of the island of Crete by German forces. Crete, 1941: Germany's Lightning Airborne Assault; Find More Information on the Internet Estimates of the exact losses vary greatly – there were around 4,000 German graves on Crete. They were helped, at great personal risk, by the Cretan people. All they had was a trench in the ground, dug in on the outside, the edge of the camp. The Battle of Crete took place on the Greek island of Crete. Although Germany was able to capture the island and secure their oil fields in the East, the amount of casualties and equipment lost in the process was extreme. There are four mountain ranges (that almost seem to form a continuous spine along the island) that all come together in the central mass of Mount Ida. The Battle for Crete in May 1941 is the most dramatic battle in which New Zealand forces have participated. More than 50 British and Australian warships were caught up in the maelstrom of Crete. Of the 7700 New Zealanders involved in the battle, 671 were killed – a fatality rate of nearly 9% – while another 2180 were taken prisoner. By Pierre Kosmidis. 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. Prominent among the German dead were a trio of brothers, relatives of the Prussian general Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher of Waterloo fame. Cretan civillians played a crucial role in the Battle for Crete accounting for a third of German casualties. During the battle of Crete Germans used 22,750 soldiers, 1370 airplanes, 70 gliders and 70 ships German casualties mounted quickly. There were also 1,828 dead and 183 wounded among the Royal Navy. Some soldiers roamed Crete for several years trying to find a way off the island. In the fighting for Crete, the Allies suffered around 4,000 killed, 1,900 wounded, and 17,000 captured. The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur ("Operation Mercury"). German losses were very heavy. Battle of Crete , World War 2 , Maleme 1941 . The Crete campaign resulted in the capture of 3,102 Australian troops, the deaths of more than 6,000 civilians and Allied casualties totalling 15,335. Casualties were shocking on both sides of the Battle of Crete and the German airborne division in particular was decimated. They were never again used in a large-scale airborne offensive. On 20 May 1941 the German attack began, focusing on the airfield at Maleme and the Canea area. The next day, 24-year-old Wolfgang was killed with his whole platoon, followed by the youngest brother, 17-year-old Hans-Joachim, who was reported killed in action a few days later but whose body was never recovered. Bewildered and angry, they now faced the prospect of captivity. The first to fall was Count Leberecht von Blücher, who was attempting to resupply his brother, Lieutenant Wolfgang von Blücher, with ammunition when the latter and his platoon were surrounded by members of the Black Watch. The campaign also cost the Royal Navy 9 ships sunk and 18 damaged. Conditions at the overcrowded camp were poor; food shortages, lack of medical supplies and primitive sanitation added to the depression of the POWs. Despite this, a breach was made in the defenses set up by the 14th Infantry Brigade, the 2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion and the Greek 3rd, 7th, and Garrison battalions. The battle took place at the Crête-à-Pierrot fort (in Haitian Creole Lakrèt-a-Pyewo), east of Saint-Marc on the valley of the Artibonite River.The French colonial army, consisting of 2,000 men led by General Charles Leclerc, blockaded the fort, which was defended by Jean-Jacques Dessalines's Haitian rebels, who included the soldier, Marie-Jeanne Lamartiniére, a woman dressed in men's clothing. Other escapees became involved in the guerilla war waged by Cretan resistance groups against the German–Italian occupation force. Second World War The cost of battle. Because of the occupacion of Crete ( Kriti ) was considered an unrealistic military obsective , no significand defense preparationshad been made of the island . Official German casualty figures are hard to determine with exactitude due to minor variations between different documents produced by the various German commands on various dates. In naval operations around Crete the Royal Navy lost three cruisers, six destroyers and the lives of more than 2000 sailors. In naval operations around Crete the Royal Navy lost three cruisers, six destroyers and the lives of more than 2000 sailors. Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. The Battle of Crete is considered one of the most sensational events os t he Second World War ( in 1941 ) .. These exaggerated reports of German casualties began to appear almost immediately after the battle had ended. The island of Crete is just over 160 miles long and varies from seven to thirty-six miles in width. Page 7. Though losing the Battle of Crete, the Allies went on to win the war. The Argylls landed on Crete a couple of days before the Germans decided to attack with Para Troopers. Davin concludes that this total would have included a sizeable number of deaths during the German occupation due to sickness, accidents or fighting with partisan forces. Official German casualty figures are hard to determine with exactitude due to minor variations between different documents produced by the various German commands on various dates. Battle of Crete , World War 2 , Maleme 1941 . German losses were very heavy. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of Crete. Many men took advantage of the relatively lax security at the transit camp near Galatas and took to the hills. The original photo: New Zealand at War In the course of the world, over 17,000 Australian soldiers, airmen and sailors served, with 1,001 being wounded, 5,174 taken prisoners and 646 now resting in the Commonwealth War Graves at Phaleron (Athens), Rhodes and Suda Bay, Crete. The cost of the Battle for Crete was high for both sides. The Allies lost 3,500 soldiers: 1,742 dead, with an equal number wounded, as well as 12,254 Commonwealth and 5,255 Greek captured. Crete is … Others were not content to sit out the war in captivity. Private Colin Burn, 18th Battalion, described how the lack of basic facilities at the Galatas camp contributed to an outbreak of disease amongst prisoners: The conditions in the camp were shocking. By 1 June the effective Mediterranean strength of the Royal Navy had been reduced to two battleships and three cruisers to oppose the four battleships and eleven cruisers of the Italian Navy. Out in the open. She was later wrecked by demolition charges and abandoned when Crete was evacuated in May. The Battle of Crete was the first occasion where Fallschirmjäger (German paratroops) were used en masse, the first mainly airborne invasion in military history, the first time the Allies made significant use of intelligence from decrypted German messages from the Enigma machine, and the first time German troops encountered mass resistance from a civilian population. From here they were taken north by train. The Luftwaffe lost more than 350 aircraft. The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was fought during World War II on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code name Unternehmen Merkur (Operation Mercury). It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of Crete. Further reading. This total excludes the 8 Fliegerkorps as well as any casualties suffered by the Kriegsmarine in the aborted seaborne landings. The battle of Crete was a costly battle for both sides, and for the people of Crete. Only a few weeks before the invasion, New Zealand officer Major General Bernard Freyberg VC has been appointed commander of the Allied forces on Crete. The Battle of Greece (also known as Operation Marita, German: Unternehmen Marita) is the common name for the invasion of Allied Greece by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany in April 1941 during World War II.The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Greco-Italian War, was followed by the German invasion in April 1941. Many villagers were executed for the part they played in the battle and for helping the Allied soldiers left behind after the evacuation. It was dusty and dirty and there was only sandy ground, with a few tufts of grass. Evacuated across the Aegean Sea to the island of Crete, they fought again in the Battle of Crete in May 1941. Maori troops line up on the quayside at Alexandria in Egypt following their evacuation from Crete. Despite this, a breach was made in the defenses set up by the 14th Infantry Brigade, the 2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion and the Greek 3rd, 7th, and Garrison battalions. The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, also Unternehmen Merkur, 'Operation Mercury,' Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was fought during the Second World War on the Greek island of Crete. The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur ("Operation Mercury"). Defensive units were waiting for the Germans, who suffered heavy casualties. It was nothing to see a hundred all lined up along the trench, and more waiting to get there. Crete is a very contentious battle for many historians and, to an extent, leaders in the past. The German casualties included a lengthy list of commissioned officers. A large number of civilians were killed in the crossfire or died fighting as partisans. More than 6000 Germans were killed or wounded. Photo: Argus Newspaper Collection of Photographs/State Library of Victoria. The cost of the Battle for Crete was high for both sides. To the southwest is the Sphakia (White) mountain range, which literally falls into the sea at certain points and make access to the area very difficult. On the mainland, the POWs joined those captured in Greece in transit camps at Corinth or Salonika. The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was fought during World War II on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code name Unternehmen Merkur (Operation Mercury). Read more about this topic:  Battle Of Crete, Operation Geronimo Strike III - See Also -. There was no food or drink and the Germans robbed us of watches and rings on the march to the POW camp. Those captured on Crete were initially held at a transit camp near Galatas before being transported to mainland Greece. Perkins, known as ‘Vasili’ to Cretan partisans, went on to earn the moniker ‘Lion of Crete’ for his exploits with resistance groups. Total casualties among Commonwealth forces were 15,743, of whom 1751 were killed or died of wounds. Battle of Crete summary. The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, also Unternehmen Merkur, "Operation Mercury", Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was fought during the Second World War on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of Crete. Casualties were shocking on both sides of the Battle of Crete and the German airborne division in particular was decimated. More than 1700 British, Commonwealth and Greek soldiers were killed and 15,000 captured during the Battle for Crete. One of these men was Second Lieutenant Walter ‘Sandy’ Thomas. There were 671 New Zealanders among the dead, and 2180 Kiwi prisoners of war. The Battle of Crete German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης, also Unternehmen Merkur (Operation Mercury), was fought during World War II on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of Crete. Because of the occupacion of Crete ( Kriti ) was considered an unrealistic military obsective , no significand defense preparationshad been made of the island . The Maori preferred to fight in the manner if their ancestors, and with bare steel they inflicted severe casualties and every evening on the Hun invading parties”. The Battle for Crete in May 1941 is the most dramatic battle in which New Zealand forces have participated. The British Royal Navy was able to evacuate 16,000 troops to Egypt, but had to leave many others behind, including 9000 Australian and New Zealand troops, and thousands of Greek soldiers. During the battle of Crete the Maoris were well known to be deadly with bayonet and were one of the best hand-to-hand fighters amount the soldering in the battle. Music = Steve Jablonsky - We Have to GoYoutube Channel Steve Jablonsky = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkfU7GtZtI4ud3DNq1hJi0g We reached some caves at Sfakia and hid in these caves. Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. More than 6000 Germans were killed or wounded. LATEST ARTICLES. German losses totaled 4,041 dead/missing, 2,640 wounded, 17 captured, and 370 aircraft destroyed. Rain falling on this range irrigates the northern strip of coastal land around Suda Bay and supports the town of Canea. The 2nd New Zealand Division – part of a Commonwealth force hastily deployed to help the Greeks – was soon in the thick of the action. The Germans ultimately prevailed on Crete but at great cost. Others managed to escape on boats or submarines. All non-text content is subject to specific conditions. On the morning of 1 June 1941, the 5000 Allied troops left at Sfakia realised that they had been abandoned. The Battle of Crete was fought during the Second World War on the Greek island of Crete. There were 671 New Zealanders among the dead, and 2180 Kiwi prisoners of war. If you soiled your clothes, all you could do was go down to the beach and get in the tide. During the last week of April more than 50,000 Allied troops … Commercial re-use may be allowed on request. Greek forces and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. A valuable reprint of one of the classic accounts of the German invasion of Crete. The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur ("Operation Mercury"). Crete, 1941: Germany's Lightning Airborne Assault; Find More Information on the Internet German forces had surged into the Balkans, quickly defeating Yugoslavia and outflanking Greek border defences. It highlights the final act of the German - Greek war . As a result, Germany did not continue their interest in airborne assaults. The Battle of Crete (German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur ("Operation Mercury"). More than 1700 British, Commonwealth and Greek soldiers were killed and 15,000 captured during the Battle for Crete. The Battle of Greece (also known as Operation Marita, German: Unternehmen Marita) is the common name for the invasion of Allied Greece by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany in April 1941 during World War II.The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Greco-Italian War, was followed by the German invasion in April 1941. The following ships all lost men during the battle. Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island Many Cretans were shot by the Germans in reprisals, both during the battle and in the occupation that followed. We have 10 biographies, 16 articles, related to The Battle for Crete. Davin also notes that his estimate might exclude several hundred lightly wounded soldiers. Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. Davin has calculated an estimate of 6,698 based upon an examination of various sources. Recommended Book about the 1941 German assault on Crete. Outgunned and outnumbered, it was forced to conduct a fighting withdrawal south through Greece. Both campaigns proved costly with 83% of the Australians taken prisoner by the Germans and Italians, coming from the Greek and Crete campaigns. But British naval commanders believed they had accounted for thousands more when they sunk troop transports … Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. For 12 days, with British, Australian and Greek troops and Cretan Page 3 – The battle: days 1-3. Battle for Crete, John Hall Spencer. There was only one well, and the water used to get muddy in that. The Australian Graves Commission counted a combined total of roughly 5,000 German graves in the Maleme-Suda Bay area, at Rethymno and at Heraklion. Allied PowersOfficial figuresBritish:791 dead268 wounded6,576 capturedAustralian:274 dead507 wounded3,079 capturedNew Zealand:671 dead967 wounded2,180 capturedGreek:Military:426 dead800–850 wounded5,255 capturedCivilian:3,000 deadRoyal Navy:1,828 dead183 wounded9 ships sunk and 18 damagedTotal:23,8303,990 dead2,750 wounded17,090 capturedAxis PowersOfficial German figures:2,124 dead1,917 missing, presumed dead4,041 total dead and missing2,640 wounded17 captur… For many in Britain, the resulting battle remains the most painful and infamous episode of the First World War. Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. Total casualties among Commonwealth forces were 15,743, of whom 1751 were killed or died of wounds. Defensive units were waiting for the Germans, who suffered heavy casualties. This site is produced by the History Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Meet the NZHistory.net.nz team. David A. Thomas, Crete 1941: The Battle at Sea list 3 CAs, 8 DDs and 2 LCs as sunk, 3 BBs, 1 CV, 7 CAs, 9 DDs and 2 assault ships as damaged; total 13 ships sunk, 22 damaged. Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. Greek and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. Among them were New Zealanders Staff Sergeant Tom Moir and Sergeant Dudley Perkins – escaped POWs who returned to Crete with the Special Operations Executive. One Cretan source puts the number of Cretans killed by German action during the war at 6,593 men, 1,113 women and 869 children. The Battle of Crete German: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης, also Unternehmen Merkur (Operation Mercury), was fought during World War II on the Greek island of Crete.It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of Crete. With others captured elsewhere on the island, 6500 Commonwealth troops went ‘into the bag’. The Battle for Crete On 20 May 1941 the German attack began, focusing on the airfield at Maleme and the Canea area. Official casualty figures necessarily include estimates, and probably under-estimate the numbers involved. Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island The toilet facilities were shocking. Winston Churchill claimed that the Germans must have suffered well over 15,000 casualties, while Admiral Cunningham felt that the figure was more like 22,000. The Luftwaffe lost more than 350 aircraft. … Then the Germans arrived and started marching us back over the mountains. After the war, the Allied graves from the four burial grounds that had been established by the German forces were moved to Suda Bay War Cemetery. Everyone had dysentery. Greek and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. Casualties. ‘A unique sort of battle’: New Zealanders remember Crete, 2001, p. 202. The Battle of the Somme (1 July - 18 November 1916) was a joint operation between British and French forces intended to achieve a decisive victory over the Germans on the Western Front. Crete became a German target following their rapid occupation of the Greek mainland in April 1941. Signalman Peter Cosgrave, Divisional Signals, in M. Hutching (ed.) While at anchor in Suda Bay, northern Crete, heavy cruiser HMS York (90) had been badly damaged by Italian explosive motor boats and beached on 26 March 1941. Taylor cites a report published in the New Zealand newspaper Press on 12 June 1941 that: The Germans lost at least 12,000 killed and wounded, and about 5,000 drowned. About 23000 Allied casualties (1500 dead and 21500 POW) – About 5000 Dead German troops – The end of the paratroopers’ days. Greek figures are not known, although the German Air Corps recorded taking 5255 Greek prisoners. Nobody wants to waste vacation time waiting outside an attraction, especially in high temperatures. Greek and Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. It highlights the final act of the German - Greek war . Photo: Argus Newspaper Collection of Photographs/State Library of Victoria. Battle of Crete summary. Damage to the aircraft carrier Formidable, battleships Warspite and Barham, destroyers Kelvin and Nubian, and cruisers Ajax, Dido, Orion, and Perth kept these ships out of action for months. Jun 1, 2015 - My father who was with the NZ Army was taken prisoner of war in Crete...He spent four years as a POW in Stalag 8B Poland... See more ideas about Battle of crete, Crete, Prisoners of war. Greek and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. © IWM (E 3373) Crete was a humiliating defeat for the British. Though losing the Battle of Crete, the Allies went on to win the war. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur (Operation Mercury). Leading this list is Major General Wilhelm Süssman, commander of the 7th Flieger Division and Group Centre in the assault, who died when his glider detached and crashed in an accident on 20 May whilst en route to Crete. 3373 ) Crete was high for both sides of the First World war the Battle for Crete was for! More waiting to get muddy in that, they now faced the prospect of captivity the camp in reprisals both... 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