NAZI INVASION OF CRETE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24869, 8 May 1946, Page 7

NAZI INVASION OF CRETE

PARATROOP GENERAL . CHARGED LONDON, May 6. The trial opened at Luneburg today of Colonel-General Kurt Student, regarded as Germany's leading paratroop general, who was captured in Crete in May. 1941, He was charged with being responsible for the use of British prisoners as screens for his advancing troops, also for forcing prisoners to unload ammunition from German aeroplanes, and killing one for refusing, and for bombing a hospital Student pleaded not guilty. Colonel Lester Warren, opening the case for the prosecution, said that German ' parachutists who were dropped around the military hospital in Crete during the invasion forced 200 wounded troops from their beds at the point of tommy-guns and used them as a screen when attacking a position held by New Zealand troops. Colonel Warren added that Goering had been undecided whether to launch the first big air-borne operation of the war against Malta or Crete. Creta was selected after a conference with the Air-borne Command. Twelve Germans accused of murdering four British women members of the WAAF and FANY who parachuted into Germany territory were charged before a war crimes court held at the Wuppertal Zoo, states Reuter’s correspondent at Iserlohn. The men were also charged with murdering six British and four American airmen, three