| Original caption: “German paratroops and their equipment descend from transport aircraft. Following the occupation of the Greek mainland, the Germans invaded Crete on 20 May 1941 in a massive airborne assault. German paratroops attacked the airfields of Maleme, Rethimnon and Heraklion, but were met by stiff resistance from Allied soldiers and the Cretan population. The numerically superior Germans eventually overwhelmed the defenders and the Allies evacuated the island.” Maleme was defended by the Royal New Zealand Army’s 22nd Infantry Battalion, 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, led by Brigadier Leslie Andrew (March 24, 1897 – January 8, 1969). Fallschirmjäger (literally parachute hunters; “Nazi German paratroopers”) landed by glider and parachute on May 20, 1941. Initially Andrews’s men were able to inflict severe casualties; some estimates state the Fallschirmjäger lost 80 percent of their units during the Crete operation. Andrews was plagued by his inability to control his entire battalion, due to wired communications cut by shelling, and runners were gunned down by aircraft. The nearby 23rd and 28th Battalions were either never committed or were engaged and couldn’t come to his aid. 22nd Infantry was driven from Hill 107 overlooking Maleme Aerdrome, allowing the Nazi Germans to bring in reinforcements; albeit at a high cost. A 3rd of their Junkers Ju-52 trimotor transports were destroyed. Repeated counterattacks were driven off; Maleme became the primary operational base for the Nazi Germans. Crete would fall June 1, with 18,000 of the 32,000 Commonwealth soldiers recovered in United Kingdom Royal Navy evacuations. 1 of 17 German official photographs, showing paratroops training, the occupation of Greece and the invasion of Crete. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0689.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.65 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 3994 x 2867 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Kriegsberichter |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | May 22, 1941 |
| Location | |
| City | Maleme |
| State or Province | Crete |
| Country | Greece |
| Archive | National Army Museum |
| Record Number | NAM. 1992-04-220-7 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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