Battle of Crete order of battle
(Redirected from Creforce)
This is the complete order of battle for the Battle of Crete and related operations in 1941.
Allied
[edit]Land forces
[edit]Commonwealth & Allied forces, Crete - "Creforce"
[edit]- Headquarters Creforce - (Eastern Zone, east of Chania)
- Major-general Bernard Freyberg, VC, Colonel Stewart[1]
- C Squadron, 3rd The King's Own Hussars (seven light tanks)[1]
- Major G.W.Peck
- 10 Light Tank Mk VIs
- B Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment
- Lieutenant George Simpson
- Two Matilda tanks, crewed in part by two officers and five gunners of the 2/3rd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA).
- 1st Battalion, the Welch Regiment
- Lieutenant Colonel A. Duncan, MC (force reserve)
2nd New Zealand Division
[edit]- Headquarters New Zealand Division[2] - Brigadier, Acting Major General[1] Edward Puttick - (Western Zone, west of Chania)
- 27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion (Lt. Col. FJ Gwilliam) (179 personnel)
- 5th New Zealand Field Artillery Regiment (less infantry detachment) (256 personnel)
- 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Brig. Lindsay Inglis) between Chania and Galatas
- 18th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (677 personnel)
- 19th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (565 personnel)
- 20th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (637 personnel)
- 1st Light Troop, RA (87 personnel)
- 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Brig. James Hargest) (Maleme and Platanias)
- 21st New Zealand Infantry Battalion (376 personnel)
- 22nd New Zealand Infantry Battalion (644 personnel)
- 23rd New Zealand Infantry Battalion (571 personnel)
- 28th (Maori) Infantry Battalion (619 personnel)
- 7th Field Company New Zealand Engineers (148 personnel)
- 19th Army Field Corps Company (216 personnel)
- New Zealand Field Punishment Centre (FPC)[3] Prisoners were released to fight the enemy.
- 1st Greek Regiment (1,030 personnel), (Col. IP Papadimitropoulos)
- Evelpidon Officers' Academy (17 officers, 300 cadets), (Lt. Col. Loukas Kitsos)
- 10th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Lt. Col. Howard Kippenberger) (Galatas)
- New Zealand Divisional Cavalry (194 personnel)
- New Zealand Composite Battalion (1,007 personnel)
- 6th Greek Regiment (Lt. Col. M Grigoriou)(1,485 personnel)
- 8th Greek Regiment (Lt. Col. Pan Karkoulas)(1,013 personnel)
British 14th Infantry Brigade
[edit]- Headquarters, 14 Bde (Brig. Brian Herbert Chappel) – at Heraklion
- 2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment (Lt. Col. CHV Cox, DSO, MC) (637 personnel)
- 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment (Lt. Col. A Gilroy) (742 personnel)
- 2nd Battalion, Black Watch (Major AA Pitcairn, temporary commander[a][b]) (867 personnel)
- 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Lt. Col. RCB Anderson, DSO, MC) (655 personnel) – Tymbaki sector
- 7th Medium Regiment, RA (Maj. R.J.B. Snook, DSO (wounded - 20 May 1941). No artillery weapons; equipped and served at Crete as infantry. (450 personnel)
Attached to 14 Bde:
- Australian 2/4th Battalion (Lt. Col. Ivan Dougherty)[c] (550 personnel)
- Greek 3rd Regiment (Lt. Col Ant[vague] Betinakis) (656 personnel)
- Greek 7th Regiment (Col. E Cheretis) (877 personnel)
- Greek Garrison Battalion (commander unknown; ex-Greek 5th "Crete" Division, left behind as a garrison when their division was summoned to defend the mainland) 830 personnel)
19th Australian Infantry Brigade
[edit]| Unit | Commander | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| HQ 19 Brigade | Brig. George Vasey | At Georgioupolis |
| 2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion | Lt. Col. Ian R. Campbell | 620 personnel; Rethymno; Campbell commanded all Allied forces in the Rethymno area |
| 2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion | Lt. Col. Ray Sandover | 650 personnel; Rethymno |
| 2/7th Australian Infantry Battalion | Lt. Col. Theo Walker (par. 21) | About 550 personnel. Based at Heraklion; redeployed to Maleme and saw action in the Souda-Chania area ("42nd Street") during the battle. |
| 2/8th Australian Infantry Battalion | Lt. Col. John W. Mitchell | About 400 personnel. Based at Chania; reinforced British forces around Perivolia and Mournies, and saw action in the Souda-Chania area ("42nd Street") during the battle. |
| No. 5 Battery, 2/3rd Field Regiment | ||
| No. 6 Battery, 2/3rd Field Regiment | Maj. I. J. Bessell-Browne | 90 personnel, equipped with captured Italian weapons: four 100 mm guns and four 75 mm guns. |
| 4th Greek Regiment | Col. M. Trifon | 1,300 personnel; Rethymno |
| 5th Greek Regiment | Lt. Col. I Servos | 1,200 personnel; Rethymno |
| Gendarmerie Privates School | Col. Iak Chaniotis | 916 personnel; Rethymno |
Mobile Base Defence Organization
[edit]- Headquarters Mobile Base Defence Organization - Maj.-Gen. CE Weston-Souda Bay
- 15th Coast Regiment, RA[4]
- "S" Royal Marine Composite Battalion, Maj. R Garrett (Royal Marines)
- 1st Battalion, the Rangers, the King's Royal Rifle Corps - (later designated 9th Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps (the Rangers))[5]
- 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery - no equipment, used as infantry[6][7]
- 106th (Lancashire Hussars) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery[8] - Lt. Col. AF Hely
- 16th Australian Brigade Composite Battalion - 350 officers and men
Formed from the under strength 2/2nd and 2/3rd Australian infantry battalions - 17th Australian Brigade Composite Battalion - 270 officers and men
Formed from the understrength 2/5th and 2/6th Australian infantry battalions - 2nd Greek Regiment - 930 officers and men
- 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Marines
Naval forces
[edit]- Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet - Admiral Sir Andrew B Cunningham
Forces A1
[edit]- Force A1 - Rear Admiral H B Rawlings (R.A., 7th Cruiser Squadron)
- Queen Elizabeth-class battleships
- HMS Warspite (03) - Captain DB Fisher - damaged[9]
- HMS Valiant (02) - Captain CE Morgan - damaged[9]
- G and H-class destroyers
- HMS Greyhound (H05) - Cmdr. WR Marshall-A'Deane, sunk 22 May 1941
- HMS Griffin (H31) - Lt. KRC Letts
- HMS Havock (H43) - Lt. GRG Watkins
- HMS Hero (H99) - Cmdr. HW Briggs
- J-class destroyer
- HMS Jaguar (F34) - Lt. Cmdr. JFW Hine
Force B
[edit]Force B - Capt. Henry A Rowley
- Light cruisers
- HMS Gloucester (62) - Capt. Henry A Rowley, sunk 22 May 1941 with the loss of 722 crew
- HMS Fiji (58) - Capt. PBRW William-Powlett, sunk 22 May 1941
- HMS Orion (85) - Capt. GRB Back - damaged[9]
- HMS Dido (37) - Capt. HWV McCall - damaged[9]
- Destroyers
- HMS Decoy (H75) - Cmdr. EG McGregor
- HMS Hereward (H93) - Lt. WJ Munn, sunk by enemy aircraft 29 May 1941
- HMS Hotspur (H01) - Lt.Cmdr. CPF Brown
- HMS Imperial (D09) - Lt. Cmdr. CA De W Kitcat, sunk 29 May 1941 off Crete
- HMS Jackal (F22) - Lt. Cmdr. MP Jonas
- HMS Kimberley (F50) - Lt. Cmdr. JSM Richardson
Force C
[edit]| Force C - Rear Admiral Edward Leigh Stuart King (C.O. 15th Cruiser Squadron) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship | Commander | Armament | Tonnage | Remarks | |||||||||
| HMS Naiad (93) | Capt. MHA Kelsey | Light cruiser - damaged[9] | |||||||||||
| HMAS Perth (D29) | Capt. Sir PW Bowyer-Smyth | 8x6 inch guns,
8x4 inch guns, 4x3 pdr guns, 8x21 inch torpedo tubes |
6,830 tons | Light cruiser - damaged[9] | |||||||||
| HMS Kandahar (F28) | Cmdr. WGA Robson | Destroyer | |||||||||||
| HMS Nubian (F36) | Cmdr. RW Ravenhill | Destroyer - damaged[9] | |||||||||||
| HMS Kingston (F64) | Lt. Cmdr. P Sommerville | Destroyer - damaged[9] | |||||||||||
| HMS Juno (F46) | Cmdr. St John Tyrwhitt | Destroyer Sunk 21 May 1941 | |||||||||||
| HMS Calcutta (D82) | Capt. DM Lees | Anti-aircraft cruiser Sunk 1 June 1941 within one hundred miles of Alexandria | |||||||||||
Force D
[edit]| Force D - Rear-Admiral Irvine Glennie Destruction of Lupo Convoy (21–22 May 1941) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ship | Commander | Remarks |
| HMS Dido (37) | Capt. HW McCall | Light cruiser- damaged |
| HMS Orion (85) | Capt. PBRW William-Powlett | Light cruiser - damaged[9] |
| HMS Ajax (22) | Capt. EDB McCarthy | Light cruiser - damaged |
| HMS Janus (F53) | Cmdr. JAW Tothill | Destroyer |
| HMS Hasty (H24) | Lt.Cmdr. LRK Tyrwhitt[10] | Destroyer |
| HMS Hereward (H93) | Lt. WJ Munn | Destroyer - sunk by enemy aircraft 29 May 1941 |
| HMS Kimberley | Lt. Cmdr. JSM Richardson | Destroyer |
Force E
[edit]- Force E - Captain JP Mack (CO 14th Destroyer Flotilla)
- HMS Ilex (D61) - Capt. (D2) H St L Nicholson
- HMS Jervis (F00) - Capt. (D14) P J Mack
- HMAS Nizam (G38) - Lt. Cmdr. Max Joshua Clark
- HMS Carlisle (D67) - Capt. TC Hampton - damaged
5th Destroyer Flotilla
[edit]5th Destroyer Flotilla - Captain Mountbatten
- HMS Kelly (F01) - Capt. Lord Louis Mountbatten, sunk 23 May 1941
- HMS Kashmir (F12) - Cmdr. HA King, sunk 23 May 1941
- HMS Kelvin (F37) - Cmdr. JH Alison - damaged[9]
- HMS Jackal (F22) - Lt.Cmdr. MP Jonas
- HMS Kipling (F91) - Cmdr. A St Clair-Ford
Evacuation Fleet
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008) |
Sphakia evacuation force - Rear-Admiral King
- HMS Phoebe - Capt. G Grantham, light cruiser
- HMAS Perth - Capt. Sir P.W. Bowyer-Smith, light cruiser - damaged[9]
- HMS Coventry - Capt. WP Carne, light cruiser
- HMS Calcutta - Capt. DM Lees, anti-aircraft cruiser, sunk 1 June 1941 with 255 survivors
- HMS Glengyle - Capt. CH Petrie, landing ship, infantry (large)
- HMAS Napier (G97) - Capt. Stephen Harry Tolson Arliss RN, N-class flotilla Leader.
- HMAS Nizam (G38) - Lt. Cmdr. Max Joshua Clark
- HMS Kelvin (F37) - Cmdr. JH Alison
- HMS Kandahar (F28) - Cmdr. WGA Robson
Air forces
[edit]- Air Officer Commander-in-Chief, Middle East - Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore
- No. 30 Squadron RAF (Squadron Leader RA Milward/Sqn. Ldr. Shannon) - Bristol Blenheim
- No. 33 Squadron RAF (Sqn. Ldr. MT StJ Prattle/Sqn.Ldr. Edward Howell, OBE, DFC) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane
- No. 80 Squadron RAF (Sqn. Ldr. EG Jones) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane
- No. 112 Squadron RAF (Sqn. Ldr. LG Schwab) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane[d]
- No. 203 Squadron RAF - Bristol Blenheim
Axis forces
[edit]Land, airborne and air forces
[edit]Fliegerkorps XI
[edit]| Unit | Commander | Equipment/remarks |
|---|---|---|
| KGzbV 1 | Oberst Fritz Morzik | Junkers Ju 52 |
| KGzbV 2 | Oberst Rüdiger von Heyking | Ju 52 |
| KGzbV 3 | Oberst U. Bucholz | Ju 52 |
| 22nd Luftlande Division | General Hans Graf von Sponeck | Force reserve (in Romania) |
Fliegerkorps VIII
[edit]| Unit | Commander | Equipment/remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Kampfgeschwader 2 | General-Major Herbert Rieckhoff | Do 17Z |
| Jadgeschwader 77 | Major Bernhard Woldenga | Bf 109E |
| Lehrgeschwader 1 | [Oberst F-K Knust | Ju 88A & He 111H |
| Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 | Oberst-Leutnant W. Hagen | Ju 87R |
| Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 | Oberst-Lt O. Dinort | Ju 87R |
| Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 | Major Clemens von Schönborn-Wiesentheid | Ju 87R |
| Zerstörergeschwader 26 | Oberst Johann Schalk | Bf 110C & Bf 110D |
Luftflotte IV
[edit]| Unit | Commander | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 5th Panzer Division | Gustav Fehn | |
| 6th Gebirgs Division | Ferdinand Schörner |
Luftlande Sturmregiment
[edit]| Headquarters Luftlande Sturmregiment - Generalmajor Eugen Meindl, then Col. Ramcke, Maj. Braun[11] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Unit | Commander | Remarks |
| 1st Battalion | Major Walter Koch | Glider battalion |
| 2nd Battalion | Major Edgar Stentzler | |
| 3rd Battalion | Major Otto Scherber | |
| 4th Battalion | Hauptmann (Captain) Walter Gericke | |
Two glider companies were detached and seconded to 7th Flieger Division, below
7th Flieger Division
[edit]| 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 Erich Walther), 2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Burckhardt), 3rd Battalion (Major Karl-Lothar Schulz) | Heraklion |
| 2nd Fallschirmjäger Regiment | Oberst Alfred Sturm, Maj, Schulz, Captain Paul[11] | 1st Battalion (Major Kroh), 2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Erich Pietzonka), 3rd Battalion (Hauptmann Wiedemann) | Retimno |
| 3rd Fallschirmjäger Regiment | Oberst Richard Heidrich, Lt. Heckel[12] | 1st Battalion (Hauptmann Friedrich von der Heydte), 2nd Battalion (Major Derpa), 3rd Battalion (Major Ludwig Heilmann) | Hania |
The 2nd Battalion of the 2nd FJ Rgt was used with the 1st FJ Rgt
5th Gebirgs Division
[edit]| Unit | Commander | Sub units |
|---|---|---|
| 95th Artillery Battalion | Oberstleutnant Wittmann | |
| 95th Anti-tank Battalion | Major Bindermann | |
| 95th Reconnaissance Battalion | Major Count Castell zu Castell | |
| 95th Engineer Battalion | Major Schaette | |
| 95th Signal Battalion | Major Nolte | |
| 85th Gebirgsjäger Regiment | Oberst August Krakau | 1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion |
| 100th Gebirgsjäger Regiment | Oberst Willibald Utz | 1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion |
| 141st Gebirgsjäger Regiment[e] | Oberst Maximilian Jais | 1st Battalion - 2nd Battalion - 3rd Battalion |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Killed in action - 20/21 November 1941 at Tobruk.
- ^ Pitcairn was replacing Lt. Col. AK Hamilton, who was ill.
- ^ All Australian units are prefixed "2/" to denote that they are part of the 2nd AIF, not militia.
- ^ Author Roald Dahl was flying with this squadron at the time.
- ^ The 141st Gebirgsjäger Regiment was a reinforcement from the 6th Gebirgs Division.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Beevor 1991, p. 345
- ^ Davin 1953, pp. 480–484
- ^ New Zealand History Map of Maleme area, 20 May 1941 http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/map-maleme-area retrieved 20 Aug 2016
- ^ Barton, Derek. "15 Coast Regiment RA". The Royal Artillery 1939-45. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ^ "The Rangers 1860-1950 at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
- ^ "Artillery Regiments That Served With The 7th Armoured Division by Ian a Paterson". Archived from the original on 2007-08-14. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "The Northumberland Hussars at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Beevor 1991, p. 346
- ^ "Lionel Rupert Knyvet Tyrwhitt DSO, DSC, RN". Allied Warship Commanders. uboat.net. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ^ a b c Beevor 1991, p. 347
- ^ a b Beevor 1991, p. 348
Sources
[edit]- Antill, Peter D. (2005). Crete 1941. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-844-8.
- Davin, D. M. (1953). Crete. Wellington: Historical Publications Branch.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - Beevor, Antony (1991). Crete: The Battle and the Resistance (pbk. ed.). Great Britain: John Murray. ISBN 0-7195-6831-5.
- Buckley, Christopher (1984) [1952]. Greece and Crete 1941 (Greek pbk edition (in English) ed.). London: P. Efstathiadis & Sons S.A. ISBN 960-226-041-6.
- "Naval action against the German Flotillas". Battle of Crete. Archived from the original on 18 August 2005. Retrieved August 24, 2005.
External links
[edit]- Crete Order of Battle
- Battle of Crete Naval Order of Battles
- Order of Battle Site - Battle of Crete
- Matilda Tanks at Retimo on the Island of Crete
