Crete order of battle

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

Contents 1 Allied Forces 1.1 Land forces 1.1.1 Commonwealth & Allied Forces, Crete - "Creforce" 1.1.2 2nd New Zealand Division 1.1.3 14th Infantry Brigade 1.1.4 19th Australian Infantry Brigade 1.1.5 Mobile Base Defence Organization 1.2 Naval forces 1.2.1 Forces A1 1.2.2 Force B 1.2.3 Force C 1.2.4 Force D 1.2.5 Force E 1.2.6 5th Destroyer Flotilla 1.2.7 Evacuation Fleet 1.3 Air forces 2 Axis forces 2.1 Land, Airborne & Air forces 2.1.1 Fliegerkorps XI 2.1.2 Fliegerkorps VIII 2.1.3 Luftflotte IV 2.1.4 Luftlande Sturmregiment 2.1.5 7th Flieger Division 2.1.6 5th Gebirgs Division 2.2 Naval forces 3 See also 4 External links 5 Sources

[edit] Allied Forces

[edit] Land forces

[edit] Commonwealth & Allied Forces, Crete - "Creforce"

Headquarters Creforce - (Eastern Zone, east of Chania) Major-General Bernard Freyberg, VC
Unit	Commander	Remarks
'C' Squadron, King's Own Hussars	Maj.G.W.Peck
'B' Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment	?
1st Battalion, Welch Regiment	?	(Force Reserve)

[edit] 2nd New Zealand Division

Headquarters New Zealand Division - Brigadier Edward Puttick - (Western Zone, west of Chania)
Unit	Commander	Subunits	Remarks
27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion	Lieutenant-Colonel F. J. Gwilliam
5th NZ Field Artillery Regiment	?
4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade	Brigadier Lindsay Inglis	18th New Zealand Infantry Battalion-19th New Zealand Infantry Battalion-20th New Zealand Infantry Battalion-1st Light Troop, Royal Artillery	(between Chania & Galatos)
5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade	Brigadier James Hargest	21st New Zealand Infantry Battalion-22nd New Zealand Infantry Battalion-23rd New Zealand Infantry Battalion-28th (Maori) Infantry Battalion-7th NZ Field Company-19th Army Field Corps Company-1st Greek Regiment	(Maleme & Platanias)
10th New Zealand Infantry Brigade	Lieutenant Colonel Howard Kippenberger	New Zealand Divisional Cavalry-New Zealand Composite Battalion-6th Greek Regiment-8th Greek Regiment	(Galatos)

[edit] 14th Infantry Brigade

Headquarters 14th Infantry Brigade - Brigadier Brian Herbert Chappel - (Heraklion)
Unit	Commander	Remarks
2nd Battalion, the Leceistershire Regiment	Lieut.Col.Cox
2nd Battalion, the York and Lancaster Regiment	Lieut.Col. A.Gilroy
2nd Battalion, the Black Watch	Major A.A.Pitcairn	Temporary CO, replacing Lt.Col A.K.Hamilton, (Ill health)
2/4 Australian Infantry Battalion	?	All Australian infantry battalions are prefixed "2/" to denote that the battalion is a Second AIF unit and not a Militia Battalion.
1st Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders	Lieut.Col.R.C.B.Anderson	(Tymbaki Sector)
7th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery	?	No equipment - used as infantry
3rd Greek Regiment	?
7th Greek Regiment	?
Greek Garrison Battalion	?	(ex-Greek 5th "Crete" Division, left behind as a garrison when their division was summoned to defend the mainaland)

[edit] 19th Australian Infantry Brigade

Headquarters 19th Australian Infantry Brigade - Brigadier George Vasey - Georgiopoulis (Lieutenant Colonel I.R. Campbell commanding at Rethymnon)
Unit	Commander	Remarks
2/3 Field Artillery Regiment, Australian Army	?
2/1 Australian Infantry Battalion	Lt.Col.Ian.R.Campbell	(Rethymnon)
2/11 Australian Infantry Battalion	Maj.Ray Sandover	(Rethymnon)
2/7 Australian Infantry Battalion	Lt.Col.Theo Walker
2/8 Australian Infantry Battalion	?
4th Greek Regmient	?	(Rethymnon)
5th Greek Regiment	?	(Rethymnon)
Cretan Gendarmerie	?	(Rethymnon)

[edit] Mobile Base Defence Organization

Headquarters Mobile Base Defence Organization-Major General C.E. Weston-Souda Bay
Unit	Commander	Remarks
15th Coastal Defense Regiment, Royal Artillery	?
Royal Marine Composite Battalion	?
1st Ranger Battalion	?	(9th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps)
Northumberland Hussars	?
102nd Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Horse Artillery	?	No equipment - used as infantry
106th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Horse Artillery	?
16th Australian Brigade Composite Battalion	?	Formed from under strength 2nd/2nd and 2nd/3rd Australian Infantry Battalions
17th Australian Brigade Composite Battalion	?	Formed from under strength 2nd/5th and 2nd/6th Australian Infantry Battalions
1st "Royal Perivolian" Composite Battalion	?	A collection of misc. British units, or remanants thereof.
2nd Greek Regiment	?
2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regt. Royal Marines	?

[edit] Naval forces

• Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet - Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham

[edit] Forces A1

Force A1- Admiral Rawlings(C.O. 17th Cruiser Squadron)
Ship	Commander	Armament	Tonnage	Remarks
HMS Warspite	Captain D.B.Fisher	8 × 15 in (381 mm) guns, 12 × 6 in (152 mm) guns, 2 × 3 in (76 mm) guns 4 × 47 mm guns, 4 × 21 in (533 mm) submerged torpedo tubes	27,500 standard, 33,400 full load
HMS Valiant	Captain C.E.Morgan	8 × 15 inch (381 mm) guns, 14 × 6 inch (152 mm) guns, 2 × 3 inch (76 mm) guns 4 × 47 mm guns, 4 × 21 inch (533 mm) submerged torpedo tubes	27,500 standard, 33,400 full load
HMS Greyhound	Cmdr.W.R.Marshall-A'Deane	?	?	Sunk 21 May 1941
HMS Griffin (H31)	?	?	?	?
HMS Havock (H43)	?	?	?	?
HMS Hero (H99)	?	?	?	?
HMS Jaguar	?	?	?	?

[edit] Force B

Force B - Admiral Rawlings
Ship	Commander	Armament	Tonnage	Remarks
HMS Gloucester (C62)	Captain Henry A.Rowley (KIA 22 May 1941)	?	?	Sunk 22 May 1941 722 crew lost their lives
HMS Fiji (C58)	Captain P.B.R.W.William-Powlett	?	?	Sunk 22 May 1941
HMS Orion (85)	Captain G.R.B.Back	?	?
HMS Dido (37)	Captain H.W.V.McCall	?	?
HMS Decoy	Commander E.G.McGregor	?	?
HMS Hereward (H93)	Lt.W.J.Munn	?	?	Sunk by enemy aircraft 29 May 1941
HMS Hotspur (H01)	Lt.Cmdr.P.F.Brown	?	?
HMS Imperial (D09)	Lt.Cmdr.C.A.De W.Kitcat	?	?	Sunk - 29 May 1941 off Crete
HMS Jackal (F22)	Lt.Cmdr.M.P.Jonas	?	?
HMS Kimberley	Lt.Cmdr.J.S.M.Richardson	?	?

[edit] Force C

Force C - Admiral King (C.O. 15th Cruiser Squadron)
Ship	Commander	Armament	Tonnage	Remarks
HMS Naiad (?)	Captain M.H.A.Kelsey	?	?
HMAS Perth (?)	Captain Sir P.W.Bowyer-Smith	?	?
HMS Kandahar (F28)	Commander W.G.A.Robson	?	?
HMS Nubian (F36)	Commander R.W.Ravenhill	?	?
HMS Kingston (F64)	Lt.Cmdr.P.Sommerville	?	?
HMS Juno (F46)	Captain St.John Tyrwhitt	?	?	Sunk 21 May 1941
HMS Calcutta (1918)	Captain D.M.Lees	?	?	Anti-Aircraft cruiser Sunk 1st June 1941 within one hundred miles of Alexandria

[edit] Force D

Force D - Rear-Admiral I.G.Glennie Destruction of Lupo Convoy (21st-22 May 1941)
Ship	Commander	Armament	Tonnage	Remarks
HMS Dido (37)	Captain H.W.McCall	?	?
HMS Orion (85)	Captain P.B.R.W.William-Powlett	?	?
HMS Ajax (22)	Captain E.D.B.McCarthy	?	?	Damaged
HMS Janus	Commander.J.A.W.Tothill	?	?
HMS Hasty	Lt.Cmdr.L.R.K.Tyrwhitt	?	?
HMS Hereward (H93)	Lt.W.J.Munn	?	?	Sunk by enemy aircraft 29 May 1941
HMS Kimberley	Lt.Cmdr.J.S.M.Richardson	?	?

[edit] Force E

Force E - Captain J.P.Mack (C.O. 14th Destroyer Flotilla)
Ship	Commander	Armament	Tonnage	Remarks
HMS Ilex	?	?	?	?
HMS Jervis	?	?	?	?
HMS Nizam	?	?	?	?
HMS Carlisle	?	?	?	?

[edit] 5th Destroyer Flotilla

5th Destroyer Flotilla - Captain Mountbatten
Ship	Commander	Armament	Tonnage	Remarks
HMS Kelly (F01)	Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten	?	?	Sunk 23 May 1941
HMS Kashmir (F12)	Cmdr.H.A.King	?	?	Sunk 23 May 1941
HMS Kelvin (F37)	Cmdr.J.H.Alison	?	?
HMS Jackal (F22)	Lt.Cmdr.M.P.Jonas	?	?
HMS Kipling (F91)	Cmdr.A.St.Clair-Ford	?	?

[edit] Evacuation Fleet

Sphakia evacuation force - Rear-Admiral King
Ship	Commander	Armament	Tonnage	Remarks
HMS Phoebe	Captain G.Grantham	?	?	?
HMAS Perth	Captain Sir P.W.Bowyer-Smith	?	?	?
HMS Coventry	Captain W.P.Carne	?	?	?
HMS Calcutta	Captain D.M.Lees	?	?	Anti-aircraft cruiser Sunk 1st June 1941
HMS Glengyle	Captain C.H.Petrie	?	?	Commando Troopship

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

[edit] Air forces

• Air Officer Commander-in-Chief, Middle East - Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur Longmore

-Heraklion and Maleme airfields-Air Commodore Beamish
Unit	Commander	Equipment/Remarks
No. 30 Squadron RAF	Sqn.Ldr.R.A.Milward/Sqn.Ldr.Shannon	Bristol Blenheim
No. 33 Squadron RAF	Sqn.Ldr.M.T.StJ Prattle/Sqn.Ldr. Edward Howell, OBE, DFC	Gloster Gladiator, Hurricane
No. 80 Squadron RAF	Sqn.Ldr.E.G.Jones	Gloster Gladiator, Hurricane
No. 112 Squadron RAF	Sqn.Ldr.L.G.Schwab	Gloster Gladiator, Hurricane,Hurricane Author Roald Dahl was flying with this squadron at the time.
No. 203 Squadron RAF	?	Bristol Blenheim

[edit] Axis forces

[edit] Land, Airborne & Air forces

[edit] Fliegerkorps XI

Headquarters Fliegerkorps XI - Generalmajor Kurt Student
Unit	Commander	Equipment/Remarks
KGzbV 1	Oberst Fritz Morzik	(Ju 52)
KGzbV 2	Oberst R. von Heyking	(Ju 52)
KGzbV 3	Oberst U.Bucholz	(Ju 52)
22nd Luftlande Division	General Hans Graf von Sponeck	(Force Reserve - in Romania)

[edit] Fliegerkorps VIII

Headquarters Fliegerkorps VIII - General der Flieger Freiherr Wolfram von Richthofen (cousin to the "Red Baron")
Unit	Commander	Equipment/Remarks
Kampfgeschwader 2	General-Major H.Reickhoff	Do 17Z
Jadgeschwader 77	Major B.Woldenga	Me 109E
Lehrgeschwader 1	Oberst F-K.Knust	Ju 88A & He 111H
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1	Oberst-Lt.W.Hagen	Ju 87R
Sturzkampfgeschwader 2	Oberst-Lt. O.Dinort	Ju 87R
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77	Major Graf von Schonborn-Wiesentheid	Ju 87R
Zerstörergeschwader 26	Oberst J.Schalk	Bf 110C & Bf 110D

[edit] Luftflotte IV

Headquarters Luftflotte IV - General der Flieger Alexander Löhr
Unit	Commander	Remarks
5th Panzer Division	Gustav Fehn
6th Gebirgs Division	Ferdinand Schörner

[edit] Luftlande Sturmregiment

Headquarters Luftlande Sturmregiment - Generalmajor Eugen Meindl
Unit	Commander	Remarks
1st Battalion	Major Walter Koch	glider Battalion
2nd Battalion	Major Edgar Stentzler
3rd Battalion	Major Otto Scherber
4th Battalion	Hauptmann Walter Gericke

Two glider companies were detached and seconded to 7th Flieger Division, below

[edit] 7th Flieger Division

Headquarters, 7th Flieger Division - Generalleutnant Willhelm Süssman
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 Walther)- 2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Burckhardt)-3rd Battalion (Major Shulz)	Heraklion
2nd Fallschirmjäger Regiment	Oberst Alfred Sturm	1st Battalion (Major Kroh)-2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Pietzonka)-3rd Battalion (Hauptmann Wiedemann)	Retimno
3rd Fallschirmjäger Regiment	Oberst Richard Heidrich	1st Battalion (Hauptmann von der Heydte)-2nd Battalion (Major Derpa)-3rd Battalion (Major Heilman)	Hania

The 2nd Battalion of the 2nd FJ Rgt was used with the 1st FJ Rgt

[edit] 5th Gebirgs Division

Headquarters, 5th Gebirgs Division - Generalmajor Julius Ringel
Unit	Commander	Subunits	Remarks
95th Artillery Battalion	Oberstleutnant Wittmann
95th Anti-tank Battalion	Major Bindermann
95th Reconnaissance Battalion	Major Castell
95th Engineer Battalion	Major Schaette
95th Signal Battalion	Major Nolte
85th Gebirgsjäger Regiment	Oberst August Krabau	1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion
100th Gebirgsjäger Regiment	Oberst Willibald Utz	1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion
141st Gebirgsjäger Regiment	Obest Maximilian Jais	1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion

The 141st Geb. Rgt is a renforcement from the 6th Gebirgs Division.

[edit] Naval forces

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

[edit] See also

• Battle of Crete
• List of orders of battle

[edit] External links

• Crete Order of Battle
• Battle of Crete Naval Order of Battles
• Order of Battle Site - Battle of Crete

[edit] Sources

• Antill, Peter D. (2005). Crete 1941. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-844-8. 
• Buckley, Christopher. Greece and Crete 1941, London, 1952. Greek pbk edition (in English): P. Efstathiadis & Sons S.A., 1984. Pbk ISBN 960-226-041-6
• Naval action against the German Flotillas. Battle of Crete. Retrieved on August 24, 2005.
• Beevor, Antony. Crete The Battle and the Resistance,Great Britain, 1991. John Murray(Publishers). Pbk ISBN 0-7195-6831-5