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Crete 1941

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Creforce (HQ British Troops in Crete) - 20th May 1941
                    
1. Suda Bay Sector
       

Mobile Naval Base Defence Organization 1, Royal Marines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 

 

  

Artillery

Coast Batteries

'Z' Coast Battery, Royal Marines :

Coast Regiments

15th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery : Suda-Canea sector attached, 'Y' Battery, 2 X 4inch guns.  Later acted as infantry

Heavy Antiaircraft Batteries

'C' Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines :

Heavy Antiaircraft Regiments

'S' Group : Suda-Canea sector

Artillery

Heavy Antiaircraft Batteries

'A' Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines : 8 X 3inch guns

Suda-Canea sector

'C' Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines : 2 X 3inch guns

Suda-Canea sector

234th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, RA : Suda-Canea 6 X 3.7inch guns

sector

Heavy Antiaircraft Regiments

2nd Heavy Antiaircraft Regiment, Royal Marines : HQ

Suda-Canea sector

Light Antiaircraft Batteries

23rd Light Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines : 1 X 2pounder

Suda-Canea sector

Searchlight Batteries

304th Searchlight Battery, RA : Suda-Canea sector 20 SL projectors

2nd Heavy Antiaircraft Regiment, Royal Marines :

Light Antiaircraft Batteries

23rd Light Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines :

Light Antiaircraft Regiments

'M' Group : Suda-Canea sector

Artillery

Heavy Antiaircraft Batteries

151st Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, RA : Suda-Canea attached (from 51st HAA Regt), one troop 6 X

sector 3.7inch guns

Light Antiaircraft Batteries

129th Light Antiaircraft Battery, RA : Suda-Canea from 15th LAA Regt, 11 X 40mm guns

156th Light Antiaircraft Battery, RA : Suda-Canea attached (of 52nd LAA Regt), less two troops,

? X 40mm guns

7th Light Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Australian attached, one section, 2 X 40mm guns

Artillery : Suda-Canea sector

Light Antiaircraft Regiments

52nd Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA : Suda-Canea HQ

sector

Engineers

Crete Composite Company, RE : Suda Bay sector attached

Field Companies

42nd Field Company, RE : Suda-Canea sector attached, less one section

Field Park Companies

5th Field Park Company, New Zealand Engineers : Suda attached

Bay sector

Infantry

1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment : Suda-Canea sector attached from 14 Infantry Bde, assigned

to Force Reserve

9th Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps (The Rangers) : attached

S of Canea

106th (Lancashire Hussars) Light Antiaircraft Regiment, attached, as infantry

Royal Horse Artillery : Suda-Canea sector

102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-tank Regiment, RA : attached, as infantry

Suda-Canea sector

11th Searchlight Regiment, Royal Marines : Suda-Canea HQ and 'S' Battery, as infantry

sector

211st Medium Battery, RA : Suda-Canea sector attached, as infantry

122nd Light Antiaircraft Battery, RA : Suda-Canea sector attached, as infantry

16th Australian Composite Battalion (2/2nd and 2/3rd Bns) :

Suda-Canea sector

17th Australian Composite Battalion (2/5th and 2/6th Bns) :

Suda-Canea sector

2/3rd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery : attached, part of regiment, as infantry

Suda-Canea sector

2/2nd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery : attached, as infantry

Suda-Canea sector

'The Royal Perivolians' (miscellaneous British units) :

2nd Greek Regiment (battalion) : S of Canea attached
        
                 
2. Maleme Sector (including Galatas)
           

2 New Zealand Infantry Division : Near Canea

Artillery

Coast Batteries

'Z' Coast Battery, Royal Marines : Maleme area attached from MNBDO 1, 2 X 4inch guns

Field Regiments

5th New Zealand Field Regiment : Maleme area 27th (in support 5 NZ Bde) and 28th (in

support 10th NZ Bde) batteries, nine

Italian or French field guns. Attached

from 2 NZ Division

Heavy Antiaircraft Batteries

'C' Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines : Maleme area section attached from MNBDO 1, 2 X

3inch guns

Light Antiaircraft Batteries

23rd Light Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines : Maleme attached from MNBDO 1, one troop ? X

40mm guns

156th Light Antiaircraft Battery, RA : Maleme area attached, two troops, 8 X40mm guns

7th Light Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Australian Artillery : attached, part, 4 X 40mm guns

Maleme-Galatas sector

RAC

B Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment : Maleme area attached, 2 infantry tanks

3rd The King's Own Hussars : Maleme-Galatas sector attached, a detachment of 10 light tanks

Brigades

4 New Zealand Infantry Brigade : area between Galatas

and Canea

18th New Zealand Battalion : area between Galatas

and Canea

19th New Zealand Battalion : area between Galatas

and Canea

20th New Zealand Battalion : area between Galatas

and Canea

Infantry

Machine Gun

27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion : area platoon attached

between Galatas and Canea

5 New Zealand Infantry Brigade : Maleme area

21st New Zealand Battalion : Maleme area

22nd New Zealand Battalion : Maleme area

23rd New Zealand Battalion : Maleme area

28th New Zealand (Maori) Battalion : Maleme area

Artillery

Coast Regiments

15th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery : Maleme area attached, 2 X 4inch guns

Heavy Antiaircraft Batteries

151st Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, RA : Maleme area attached, one troop 4 X 3.7inch guns

Infantry

19th Army Troops Company, New Zealand Engineers attached as infantry

: Maleme sector

7th Field Company, New Zealand Engineers : Maleme attached as infantry

sector

1st Greek Regiment (battalion) : Maleme area attached

Machine Gun

27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion : Maleme two platoons attached

sector

10 New Zealand Infantry Brigade : area west and south

west of Canea area

Composite Battalion, New Zealand Artillery and Army 4th NZ Field Regt and part of 5th NZ Field Regt,

Service Corps : coast, W of Canea Service Corps (as infantry)

6th Greek Regiment (battalion) : SW of Canea attached

8th Greek Regiment (battalion) : SW of Canea attached

Infantry

Machine Gun

27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion : W-SW of platoon attached

Canea

Recce

Cav

New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment : SW of detachment

Canea
         
       
3. Heraklion Sector
          

14 Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment :

2nd Battalion, The York & Lancaster Regiment : Heraklion

sector

2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) :

Heraklion sector

2nd Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment : Heraklion

1st Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (Princess

Louise's) : Mesara plain

Artillery

Coast Regiments

15th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery : Heraklion sector attached?, 10 X 4inch guns

Heavy Antiaircraft Batteries

'C' Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines : Heraklion one troop attached, 4 X 3.7inch guns

Light Antiaircraft Batteries

7th Light Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Australian Artillery : attached, less one troop and one section ,

Heraklion sector 6 X 40mm guns

156th Light Antiaircraft Battery, RA : Heraklion sector attached, one troop, 4 X 40mm guns

23rd Light Antiaircraft Battery, Royal Marines : Heraklion attached, one section 2 X 40mm guns

sector

Medium Batteries

234th Medium Battery, RA : Heraklion sector attached, 13 X Italian field guns

Engineers

Field Companies

42nd Field Company, RE : Heraklion sector one section attached

Infantry

Greek Garrison Battalion : Heraklion sector attached

7th Medium Regiment, RA : Heraklion sector attached, less one battery, acting as

3rd Greek Regiment (battalion) : Heraklion sector attached

7th Greek Regiment (battalion) : Heraklion sector attached

2/4th Australian Battalion : Heraklion sector attached

RAC

B Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment : Heraklion sector attached, 5 infantry tanks

3rd The King's Own Hussars : Heraklion sector attached, a detachment of 5 light tanks
       
             
4. Central Sector (Retimo-Georgeoupolis)
   

19 Australian Infantry Brigade

2/8th Australian Battalion : Georgeopolis area

2/7th Australian Battalion : Georgeopolis area

2/11th Australian Battalion : Retimo area

2/1st Australian Battalion : Retimo area

Artillery

Coast Batteries

'X' Coast Battery, Royal Marines : Georgeopolis area attached, 2 X 4inch guns

Field Regiments

2/3rd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery : attached, one battery, 6 X Italian field

Georgeopolis area

2/3rd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery : Retimo attached, 8 X Italian field guns

Light Antiaircraft Regiments

106th (Lancashire Hussars) Light Antiaircraft Regiment, attached, 2 X 2pounder atk guns

Royal Horse Artillery : Georgeopolis area

Engineers

Field Companies

2/8th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers : attached

Georgeopolis sector

Infantry

4th Greek Regiment (battalion) : Retimo area attached

5th Greek Regiment (battalion) : Retimo area attached

Greek Gendarmerie : Retimo-Georgeoupolis area attached

Machine Gun

2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion : Retimo area attached, approx one company in strength

RAC

B Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment : Retimo area attached, 2 infantry tanks

 

         
            
5. Force Reserve
             

4 New Zealand Infantry Brigade : area between Galatas and Canea

1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment : Suda-Canea sector attached to MNBDO 1

 

6. Reinforcements
             
Two battalions of 'Layforce' Commandos were landed between 24 and 27-May-41 to protect the disembarkation point of Sphakia, on the southern coast of Crete.
                    

'Layforce'

'A' Battalion, Layforce Commando

'D' Battalion, Layforce Commando

 

 

Contact Steve Rothwell with comments and additional information