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Operation Mercury

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Title
Operation Mercury
Description
“Expecting a seaborne invasion, little did the defenders of Rethymnon concern themselves with an airborne invasion.”
Publisher
Date
1941-05-20
Scenario#
TBP09
Scenario Description
“Expecting a seaborne invasion, little did the defenders of Rethymnon concern themselves with an airborne invasion.”
Location
Rethymnon, Crete
Battle Name
Battle Narrative
The Battle of Crete 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. Greek and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. After one day of fighting, the Germans had suffered heavy casualties and the Allied troops were confident that they would defeat the invasion. The next day, through communication failures, Allied tactical hesitation and German offensive operations, Maleme Airfield in western Crete fell, enabling the Germans to land reinforcements and overwhelm the defensive positions on the north of the island. Allied forces withdrew to the south coast. More than half were evacuated by the British Royal Navy and the remainder surrendered or joined the Cretan Resistance. The defense of Crete evolved into a costly naval engagement; by the end of the campaign the Royal Navy's eastern Mediterranean strength had been reduced to only two battleships and three cruisers.
Narrative Source
Wikipedia: Battle of Crete
Combatants
German
British

Geolocation