Probing Layforce

On Crete, once again the British forces had suffered defeat and were in retreat, streaming towards the beaches at Sfakia and evacuation by the Royal Navy. The pursuing German mountain troops were pressing hard, and had to be checked. The commandos of Layforce were ordered to stop and …

1941-05-28

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A043

On Crete, once again the British forces had suffered defeat and were in retreat, streaming towards the beaches at Sfakia and evacuation by the Royal Navy. The pursuing German mountain troops were pressing hard, and had to be checked. The commandos of Layforce were ordered to stop and act as a rearguard, even though too lightly equipped to operate as regular infantry. They made a stand where the only road over the White Mountains passed through a narrow valley thickly covered in olive groves. They had been promised armor support but the Germans arrived first. .

Babali Hani, Crete

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 defence 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.

German

British

Scenario Type = Standard