Crete: The Battle and the Resistance (56 page)

Para 4. A sharp attack by bomber and heavy fighter units to deal with the allied air forces on the ground as well as with their anti-aircraft defences and military camps, will precede the operation.

Para 5. The following operations will be carried out as from day one. The 7th Air Division will make a parachute landing and seize Maleme, Candia, and Retimo. Secondly. Dive bombers and fighters (about 100 aircraft of each type) will move by air to Maleme and Candia. Thirdly. Air landing of 11th Air Corps, including corps headquarters and elements of the Army placed under its command probably including the 22nd Division. Fourthly. Arrival of the seaborne contingent consisting of anti-aircraft batteries as well as of more troops and supplies.

Para 6. In addition the 12th Army will allot three Mountain Regiments as instructed. Further elements consisting of motor-cyclists, armoured units, anti-tank units, anti-aircraft units will also be allotted.

Para 7. Depending on the intelligence which is now awaited, also as the result of air reconnaissance, the aerodrome at Kastclli [Pediados] south east of Candia and the district west and south west of Canea will be specially dealt with, in which case separate instructions will be included in detailed operation orders.

Para 8. Transport aircraft, of which a sufficient number — about 600 — will be allotted for this operation, will be assembled on aerodromes in the Athens area. The first sortie will probably carry parachute troops only. Further sorties will be concerned with the transport of the air landing contingent, equipment and supplies, and will probably include aircraft towing gliders.

Para 9. With a view to providing fighter protection for the operations, the possibility of establishing a fighter base on Skarpanto will be examined.

Para 10. The Quartermaster General's branch will ensure that adequate fuel supplies for the whole operation are available in the Athens area in good time, and an Italian tanker will be arriving at the Piraeus before May 17th. This tanker will probably also be available to transport fuel supplies to Crete. In assembling supplies and equipment for invading force it will be borne in mind that it will consist of some 30 to 35,000 thousand men, of which some 12,000 will be the parachute landing contingent, and 10,000 will be transported by sea. The strength of the long range bomber and heavy fighter force which will prepare the invasion by attacking before day one will be of approximately 150 long range bombers and 100 heavy fighters.

Para 11. Orders have been issued that Suda Bay is not to be mined, nor will Cretan aerodromes be destroyed, so as not to interfere with the operations intended.

Para 12. Plottings prepared from air photographs of Crete on one over ten thousand scale will be issued to units participating in this operation.

[Note: The single-figure prefix to OL 302 has been defaced in the Public Record Office copy, but it is almost certainly the figure 2. The accumulation of misreadings reaches its peak in this signal, with inaccurately estimated figures taken as confirmed.]

OL 5/313

0420

hours

14.5.41

If reconnaissance fails to reveal shipping targets on 14th May Junkers 88 dive bombers gruppe 1 LG1 will attack Suda Bay.

[Note: The Junkers 88 was not a dive-bomber. Presumably the originator meant the Junkers 87, or Stuka.]

OL 6/314

1015

hours

14.5.41

In future the word Colorado will be used instead of the word Crete in all messages this series.

OL 8/337

0500

hours

16.5.41

On 16th May attacks by heavy fighters on British aircraft at Heraklion aerodrome intended also transfer to Scarpanto — aerodrome probably south point of island — of about 20 Junkers 87 aircraft to close Kaso strait.

OL 9/339

0805

hours

16.5.41

Further evidence indicates that day one for operation against Colorado [Crete] is 17th May but postponement by 48 hours appears likely.

OL 10/341

1410

hours

16.5.41

From further information postponement day one for operation against Colorado confirmed. 19th May seems earliest date.

OL 12/370

0155

hours

19.5.41

On May 19th at 0800 hours GMT conference of officers commanding air force units will take place at Eleusis aerodrome. Discussions concern operation against Colorado, particularly Malemes, Canea Retimo and Iraklion. Sorties by all units in spite of this conference. Single-engined fighters for Molaoi — in strength of about one flight at a time — will repeatedly attack aircraft on Malemes aerodrome on 19th. Dive bombers on Scarpanto also expected to operate probably on shipping. It seems today Monday may be day minus one.

Appendix D: Greek Political Organizations

Communist-Dominated

KKE

Communist Party of Greece.

EAM

National Liberation Front. A left and centre-left political coalition at first skilfully, then crudely, manipulated by the Communists. It managed to attract many with good democratic credentials, until the Communist Party's single-minded interest in power for itself alone became apparent.

ELAS

National Popular Liberation Army, EAM's military wing. On the mainland it had over 50,000 men under arms organized regionally in divisions. In Crete its armed strength never exceeded 5,000 men, including reserves. The naval side using armed caiques was called ELAN.

Non-Communist and Anti-Communist

EDES

National Republican Greek League. Originally a left-of-centre organization, it swung to the right, largely as a result of relentless Communist pressure. The urban political side especially became tainted with collaboration. The military wing was led by General Napoleon Zervas. British support for Zervas and counter-pressure on EAM—ELAS organized by Monty Woodhouse saved EDES from an all-out Communist attack. (Mainland only.)

EKKA

National and Social Liberation. EKKA, another centrist group, was led by Colonel Dimitrios Psarros. Smaller than EDES, it was vulnerable, and ELAS

destroyed it in a treacherous massacre. (Mainland only.)

X

The X organization consisted of extreme right-wing nationalist groups led by Colonel George Grivas. Fanatically anti-Communist, and in many cases armed by the Germans, its members gave substance to the Communist epithet of

'monarcho-fascist'. (Mainland only.)

EOK

The National Organization of Crete. EOK was an informal alliance of non-Communist Cretans, mainly Venizelist in sympathy, and ranging from left of centre to republican right-wing. (Crete only.)

Notes

The Fall of Greece

1. Military Missions

'Every Sunday . . .', Hunt,
A Don at War,
p.20.

'You're off . . .', Wisdom,
Wings over Olympus,
p.58.

'close-up information . . .', Churchill,
Their Finest Hour,
p.424.

'intelligent but not very wise', Caccia, conversation, 14.3.90.

'an avatar of Byron', Woodhouse,
Something Ventured,
p.9.

astonishing repertoire . . .', Mott-Radclyffe,
Foreign Body in the Eye,
p.50.

"The Greeks were certainly brave . . .', Hollingworth,
Front Line,
p.97.

'The prize show . . .', Blunt, quoted Mott-Radclyffe, p.46.

'a second Scapa', PM to Gen. Ismay, 3 Nov., quoted Davin,
Crete,
p.6.

'We will look after Crete', Caccia, conversation, 21.3.90.

'clothing and footwear . . .', De Guingand,
Operation Victory,
p.59.

2. Diplomatic Missions

‘war of nerves . . .', Wavell to CIGS, quoted Connell,
Wavell,
p.310.

'to warn both . . .', Wavell to CIGS, quoted Connell, p.312.

'His Majesty's . . .', Chiefs of Staff to Cs-in-C, quoted Connell, p.310.

'it would be necessary . . .', Papagos,
The Battle of Greece,
p.312.

'all heaved a sigh of relief, Jacob, conversation, 10.4.90.

'Winston felt . . .',
ibid.

'in some ways . . .',
ibid.

'at whatever cost', Mack Smith,
Mussolini,
p.309.

'Do not consider . . .', Churchill,
The Grand Alliance,
p.63.

'in all matters . . .', Churchill,
The Grand Alliance,
p.60.

'formidable', De Guingand,
Operation Victory,
p.57.

'preened himself, De Guingand,
Generals at War,
p.29.

'normally a rather taciturn man . . .', Caccia, conversation, 14.3.90.

'War is an option...', De Guingand,
Operation Victory,
p.55.

'the haggling . . .', Coats,
Of Generals and Gardens,
p.88.

'Our representatives . . .', Blunt, quoted Mott-Radclyffe, p.66.

'full of Foreign Office . . .', De Guingand,
Generals at War,
p.33.

'the two weary soldiers . . .', Connell, p.354.

'MOST SECRET . . .', Wavell, quoted Connell, p.355.

3. Secret Missions

'It was the obsolete choice . . .', Leigh Fermor,
A Time of Gifts,
p.l.

'What a lot . . .', Hart-Davis,
Peter Fleming,
p.215.

"The whole thing . . .', Wilkinson, conversation, 20.3.90.

'Compton Mackenzie . . .', Household,
Against the Wind,
p.101.

'only one eye . . .', Fleming, quoted Hart-Davis, p.224.

'didn't have a clue . . .', Norman, conversation, 20.3.90.

'to stiffen Prince Paul's resolve,'
ibid.

'bristling . . .',
ibid.

'The most bogus . . .', Pendlebury, quoted Powell,
The Villa Ariadne,
p. 113.

'My best . . .', Hammond and Dunbabin,
John Pendlebury in Crete,
p.x.

'I have been carried shoulder high . . .',
ibid.

'Anglophily is rampant . . .', Powell, p.98.

'the island better than anyone . . .', Powell, p.113.

'not unlike a grown-up Cupid . . .',
Korero,
27 March 1944, p.5.

'How on earth . . .', quoted Smith-Hughes, conversation, 21.8.90.

4. The Double Invasion

'Half the time . . .', Fletcher, conversation, 20.5.90.

'additional risks', CIGS to S of S for War, 7.3.41, quoted Connell, p. 352.

'I felt . . .', Bright,
History of the Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry,
p.39.

'They were . . .', Hobson,
Army Quarterly and Defence Journal,
April 1990.

'gasping for revenge', Schmidt,
Hitler's Interpreter,
p.223.

'Thursday's events in Belgrade . . .', Churchill, 30.3.41 to Acting PM of Australia, Churchill,
The
Grand Alliance,
p. 143.

'repulsed in [the] Rupel Pass,' Ultra signal OL 51 PRO DEFE 3/891.

'adverse situation', Papagos, p.363.

'Facing which way?' Bright, p.41.

'havoc of a spectacular and enjoyable kind', Hart-Davis, p.243.

'I must say that . . .', Hobson, 'The Episode in Greece'.

'I have to . . .', letter, Hobson to the author, 19.10.90.

'just like a picture . . .', de Winton, conversation, 28.9.90.

'quite a nice . . .', Pumphrey, conversation, 19.3.90.

'a hole twenty yards long . . .', de Winton, conversation, 28.9.90.

'You stay out',
ibid.

'A hawk . . .', Norman, conversation, 20.3.90.

'Their great battle-cry . . .', Hunt, conversation, 11.4.90.

'Well, if the Boche . . .', Hobson, 'Episode in Greece'.

'fetishistic doctrine . . .', Wilson, p.80.

'On the Führer's birthday . . .', List,
Von Serbien bis Kreta,
p.96.

'fifth-column work', Wilson, p.95.

'standing in the centre . . .', Wisdom, p. 199.

'not an impressive sight,' Hollingworth, p.115.

'having driven . . .', Bright, p.64.

'Come back with good fortune!' Stephanides,
Climax in Crete,
p. 17.

5. Across the Aegean

'lorries were being . . .', Stephanides, p.16.

'Who do you . . .', Hobson, 'Episode in Greece'.

'I am going to do . . .', Leigh Fermor, conversation, 13.2.90.

'getting out of hand', Lee,
The Royal House of Greece,
p.90.

'grouped in two . . .', Stephanides, p.22.

'A sunny day . . .', Hadjipateras and Fafalios,
Crete 1941,
pp. 31—2.

‘we have paid . . .', Churchill, quoted Coats, p.102.

'Few realise . . .', Blunt's diary, quoted Mott-Radclyffe, p.86.

'I am proud . . .', Household,

The Battle of Crete

6. 'A Second Scapa'

'I am not surprised,' Cox,
A Tale of Two Battles,
pp.16—17.

'But we couldn't . . .', Smith-Hughes, conversation, 20.8.90.

'Good afternoon . . .', Wisdom, p.197.

'Carry on! Rule Britannia!', letter from Edward Hodgkin.

'the most essential . . .', Mott-Radclyffe, conversation, 5.4.90.

'Hey! What've you done . . .?' Cox, p.31.

'I think they . . .', Pumphrey, conversation, 19.2.90.

'one of the most . . .', Caccia, conversation, 21.3.90.

'We'd been there . . .',
ibid.

'some extremely bolshie . . .', Wilkinson, conversation, 20.2.90.

'a great chap for . . .', Hammond, conversation, 1.3.90.

'speechless with . . .', Cox, conversation, 25.4.90.

'made that blighter . . .',
Korero,
27 March 1944, p.5.

'No good RAF . . .', Cox, p.63.

'Every effort should . . .', Churchill,
Their Finest Hour,
p.476.

'The Greek General Staff, Report by Inter-Services Committee on Operations in Crete, PRO WO

106/3126.

'past the Venetian . . .', C.J. Hamson,
Liber in Vinculis,
p.26.

'In his house ...', Memorandum by the German Command Concerning the Attitudes of the Civilian Population in Crete towards the derman Armed Forces and the Reaction of These, para. 5, Canea, 18

December 1942.