I .R . 1736(2)

RESTRICTED

N A V A L STAFF H I S T O R Y SECOND WORLD WAR

NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE BATTLE OF CRETE 20th May—1st June 1941 (Battle Summary No.

4)

This book is the property o f Her Majesty’* Government and is intended for the use o f persons in Her Majesty’s Service only. it must not be shown o r made available to the Press o r to any member o f the public.

IC T E D

Attention is called, to the penalties attaching to any infraction o f the Official Secrets Acts

B.R . 1736 (2)

NAVAL

STAFF

HISTORY

S E C O N D W O R L D WAR

NAVAL

OPERATIONS

BATTLE

OF

IN

THE

CRETE

20th May— 1st June 1941

(Battle Summary N o.

4)

C O N D IT IO N S O F R E L E A SE This inform ation is disclosed only ior official use by the recipient G o vernm ent an d such o f its contractors, u n d er seal o f secrecy, as m ay be engaged on a defence project. Disclosure to any o th er G overnm ent or release to th e Press or disclosure in any o th er way w ould be a breach o f these conditions. T h e inform ation should be safeguarded u n d er rules designed to give the sam e stan d a rd o f security as th a t m a in ta in ed by H er M ajesty’s G overnm ent in the U n ited K ingdom . T h e recipient is w arned th a t inform ation contained in this book m ay be subject to privately ow ned rights.

HISTORICAL

SECTION

A D M IR A L T Y

C o n te n ts Page vi vii viii

A b b r e v ia t io n s

A dm iralty, S .W .l

S ources

6th M ay 1960

F orew ord

CHAPTER I

H.S./ 16/57 B .R .1736 (2) N aval Staff History, Second W orld W ar, Battle Sum m ary No. 4 , Naval Operations in the Battle o f Crete, 1941, 1960, having been approved by M y Lords Commis­ sioners of the Adm iralty, is hereby promulgated.

Events leading up to the Battle, October 1940— M ay 1941 1 2 3

B.R . 1736 (2 ) dated 1942 is hereby superseded, and should be disposed of in accordance with the instructions in B .R .l.

4 5

By Command o f Their Lordships,

Introduction A ir facilities in C rete O rganisation of Suda as a supply base for the A rm y A rm y dispositions and defence p lan T h e air situation and G erm an plan, A pril— M ay i9 4 i

1 2 2 3

3

CHAPTER II N aval dispositions to meet the expected attack, 14 t h — 19 t h M a y 1941 6 7 8 9 10

G eneral considerations T h e naval a ir situation N aval plan o f operations N aval operations, 15 th — 19 th M ay Final reinforcem ents before the attack, 14 th— ig th M ay

5 5 6 6 7

CH APTER III The Germ an attack on Crete, 20t h — 27 t h M a y 1941 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

ig 20 21 22 23

O pening of the airborne attack on C rete, 20 th M ay N aval situation a t daylight, 20 th M ay T h e C om m ander-in-C hief’s instructions N ight operations, 20 th— 2 1 st M ay N aval situation a t daylight, 2 1 st M ay O perations d u ring 2 1 st M ay: loss o f H .M .S . Juno Force “ D ” breaks up G erm an troop convoy, 2 1 st— 22 nd M ay N aval situation a t daylight, 22 nd M ay Force “ C ” encounters enem y troop convoy, a.m . 22 nd M ay Ju n ctio n of Force “ A .i ” w ith Force “ C ” , 22 nd M ay Loss of H .M . Ships Greyhound, Gloucester, Fiji, 22 nd M ay N ight operations 22 nd— 23 rd M ay T h e C om m ander-in-C hief orders w ithdraw al to A lexandria iii

A'

8 8 8 9

g g 10 11 11 12 13 14 16

CONTENTS C hapter

24 25 26 27 28 29

3° 3i 32 33 34 35 36

37 38 39

I I I (continued)

A >7 ■7

A B

18

>9 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 2