THE INVASION OF CRETE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23364, 25 June 1941, Page 7

THE INVASION OF CRETE

N.Z. BRIGADIER’S ACCOUNT GREAT DIFFICULTIES OF SUPPLY ' (8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 23. Brigadier L. M. Inglis, one of the New Zealand commanders in Crete, who is now in England, has given an account of the fighting on the island. He explained that the bulk of the defenders of the island had been evacuated from Greece. Many of them were non-combatants and unarmed, ana therefore were unable adequately to contribute to the defence of the island. It had been impossible to evacuate them to Egypt for the same reason that it was impossible to make good the losses in equipment of the troops evacuated from Greece to Crete, namely, the overwhelming difficulties imposed on shipping by the control of the aii; by the enemy. Further, the ports and beaches on Crete had been heavily dive-bombed for some time before the actual invasion of the island took place. Describing the first day of the invasion, Brigadier Inglis said: “A terrific circus of aircraft of all types came in from the north. They carried out an hour’s heavy bombing and machinegunning. Then the parachutists were

BRIGADIER L. M. INGUS dropped. At Heraclion they mostly fell among our troops, and they were soon dealt with. At Malemi they actually captured the aerodrome for a short time, but were driven out by Australians and New Zealanders. The air-borne troops had large quantities of weapons, which were landed next day by aircraft carrying out a continuous bus service between the island and the Greek mainland. These played a more important part than the parachutists. “The German parachutist,” said Brigadier Inglis, “was young and fit, but he was not particularly tough, and was; fairly easy to dispose of.” Brigadier Inglis said that no air force, sufficient to deal with the huge masses of German aircraft could have been operated from the three Cretan airfields, while Egypt was too far away as a base for fighter aircraft. German bases on the Greek mainland were so close as to have rendered it hopeless to maintain fighter aeroplanes on Cretan airfields. The Cretan operation was dominated by German air superiority. Referring to certain reports that the bayonet charge had become obsolete, Brigadier Inglis said: “That is far from the truth. Crete proved the enormous power of a bayonet charge by well-trained, determined troops. It was the thing the Germans feared most” Brigadier Inglis, in an interview with the Associated Press, said: “The-three aerodromes in Crete were not large and not elaborate. They were situated' at Heraclion, Rethymno. and Canea. A narrow coast road, badly surfaced and running along the edges of ravines on which "transport was most difficult, joined the three towns. Most of the country was mountainous; barren and waterless. For this reason each of the three areas had to fight independently. Shortage of Equipment

“The bulk of our troops who were evacuated from Greece three weeks , before the ‘blitz’ in Crete were under strength and had suffered heavy losses, of equipment, including tanks, artillery and motor transport. Ships carrying heavy transport took a long time to unload and were particularly vpl- w nerable from the air. The Suda Bay area was heavily bombed long before the ‘blitz’ started, and for this reason vehicles were not easily landed and, when they were landed, they were not in the best of condition. Many were affected by sea water because they came from half sunken ships.

“The Greeks, who included many recent recruits, and members of noncombatant services, suffered from greater deficiency of equipment than, us.”

Brigadier Inglis, referring to the morale of the troops, said; "They did fight in Crete. The Germans suffered heavy losses and we know it. In one instance a New Zealand officer and 18 men took prisoners 27 Germans and killed 140. Our men were not beaten or cowed when they came off Crete, but they left with absolute cohesion and were full of fight,”