Topic: Airbourne invasion of Crete, could it have been avoided?

KJ · April 6th, 2009

I submit that even a company from the 19:th Bde Inf (Rathymnon sector) placed on/around Maleme field in wellmade positions could have faltered the entire german operation.

At times during the fight the Scene commander said that even an extra platoon would have made an inpact on the fighting.

The single greatest error were the strength of reasources earmarked to repell an amphibious assault, an assault that was really a resupply convoy to the troops already on the Island with a Btn of mountainrangers.

I believe that Freyberg should not have been put in charge of the defence as his actions and decisions showed again and again his indecicivness and unability to think outside of the box when engaging the fallshirmjaegers.

But it is sure easy to be an armchair general some 60-70 years after the fact.

April 6th, 2009
KJ Primus Pilus	I submit that even a company from the 19:th Bde Inf (Rathymnon sector) placed on/around Maleme field in wellmade positions could have faltered the entire german operation. At times during the fight the Scene commander said that even an extra platoon would have made an inpact on the fighting. The single greatest error were the strength of reasources earmarked to repell an amphibious assault, an assault that was really a resupply convoy to the troops already on the Island with a Btn of mountainrangers. I believe that Freyberg should not have been put in charge of the defence as his actions and decisions showed again and again his indecicivness and unability to think outside of the box when engaging the fallshirmjaegers. But it is sure easy to be an armchair general some 60-70 years after the fact. __________________ "We are the pilgrims, Master We shall go always a little further, it may be beyond the last blue mountain barred with snow, Across that angry or glimmering sea..."