Navy’s Success at Crete Evacuation Cost Heavy Price

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26780, 25 May 1948, Page 5

Navy’s Success at Crete Evacuation Cost Heavy Price

From E. G. Webber, N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, May 24

The heavy losses sustained by the Royal Navy in the battle for Crete and the difficulties it confronted in maintaining communications and evacuating 17,000 British, Australian and New Zealand troops from the island under continuous German air attack, and without air protection, are stressed by Admiral of the Fleet, Viscount Cunningham, in despatches now released by the Admiralty.

The despatches were prepared in August 1941, when Admiral Cunning-ham,-then Sir Andrew. Cunningham. was Naval Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean. In protecting the_ lines of communication of the island garrison and dispersing German sea-borne forces which attempted to support a parachute landing, the despatches state that the Mediterranean Fleet lost two cruisers and four destroyers, and had an aircraft carrier, two battleships, one cruiser and one destroyer virtually put out of action Weakened by these losses the fleet then had to undertake the evacuation of the island garrison, embarking them mostly from open beaches and carrying them 360 miles to Alexandria along routes continually exposed to German air attacks from bases on the Greek mainland. During the many naval and air encounters which preceded the evacuation, the fleet operated almost entirely without air protection with the exception of four naval fighters, which were then the only aircraft still serviceable on the carrier Formidable This force was later increased to 12, but on May 26 when aircraft from the carrier were attacking Scarpanto airfield, two German bombs struck the Formidable, severely damaging her on her starboard side, and forcing her to withdraw to Alexandria. During the preliminary stages of the evacuation, three more cruisers and a destroyer were damaged, but Admiral Cunningham nevertheless expressed his willingness to carry on so long as a single ship remained. When the evacuation was finally called off, 17,000 of the 22,000 Imperial and Commonwealth troops on the island had been safely taken off. but the effective strength of the Mediterranean Fleet had been reduced to two battleships, two cruisers and nine destroyers. “ The navy succeeded in its objects,” says Admiral Cunningham, “ but it paid a very heavy price. Losses and damage were sustained which normally would occurr only in a major fleet action in which the enemy fleet might be expected to sustain heavier losses than our own.

Discussing the early stages of the battle for the island, during which the navy effectively dispersed enemy sea-boi’rie reinforcements. Admiral Cunningham says: “ That the fleet suffered disastrously in these encounters with an unhampered German air force is evident, but it "must be remembered on the credit side that the navy’s duty was achieved and that no enemy ship succeeded in reaching Crete or intervening in the battle durthese difficult days.” Admiral Cunningham continued: “ Nor stoould the losses sustained blind one to the magnificent courage and endurance displayed throughout. I never felt prouder of the Mediterranean Fleet than at the close of these particular operations, except perhaps at the fashion in which it faced up to the even greater strain which was soon to be imposed upon it.” Commenting upon Admiral Cunningham’s references to the lack of air support in these operations, the Air Ministry adds this footnote to the naval commander-in-chief’s despatches: "The R.A.F. in the Middle East had suffered severe losses in the GreSk campaign and in Cyrenaica, and fighter strength was so reduced as to be barely sufficient for the defence of the Middle East base itself. Though every possible effort was made by aircraft based in Africa and Malta to attack enemy airfields, they could make little impression upon the overwhelming strength of the German Air Force. Shorerbased fighter cover to our ships operating to the north of Crete was clearly out of the question.” Admiral Cunningham pays tribute to the bearing and discipline of the officers and men of all services during the ordeal of the evacuation, and.also to the gallant rearguard action fought by the 5000 men who had to be left behind on the island. “ There is little credit or glory to be expected in these operations of retreat,” he said, “ but I feel that the spirit of tenacity shown by those who took part should not go unrecorded. "More than once I felt that no more could be asked of the officers or men, physically and mentally exhausted by their efforts and the events of those fateful weeks. It is not perhaps even now realised how nearly breaking point was reached, but that these men struggled through is a measure of their achievement. I trust that , that will not lightly be forgotten.”

“In this case, though it had many favourable opportunities for doing so, the enemy fleet did not appear and the battle was fought between ships and aircraft.”