Gegen Kreta.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little complement from various sources................

Gegen Kreta.

At dawn on May 20, 1941 the transports Ju-52 and the gliders DFS 230 took off from airfields in Greece flying towards the island of Crete, "Rot scheint die sonne"

The German assault force consisted of the following groups:

West Group (1 st Wave) FschSturmRegt - Generalmajor Meindl being its target Malemes.
Command of the Regiment (Major Braun)
command of the I . / Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Major Koch)
Assault echelon "Bridge" (Oberleutnante Schächter and Trebes)
3./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Oberleutnant v. Plessen)
4./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Hauptmann Sarazin)
II./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Major Stenzler)
III./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Major Scherber)
IV./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Hauptmann Gericke)
3./Fallschirm Flak MG Bataillon (Oberleutnant Theuerling)
1./Fallschirm Artillerie Abteilung (Hauptmann Schramm)
1. Zug, Fallschirm Sanitäts Abteilung (Oberarzt Dr. Dietzel)

Center Group (1 st Wave) Generalleutnant Sussmann targeting Chania, Rethymno, the town of Suda and Suda Bay.
Command 7. Flieger-Division (Generalleutnant Sussmann)
1./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Oberleutnant Genz)
2./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Hauptmann Altmann)
Command / Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 3 (Oberst Heidrich)
I./Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 3 (Hauptmann Freiherr von der Heydte)
II.Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 3 (Major Derpa)
III./Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 3 (Major Heilmann)
3./Fallschirm MG Bataillon (Hauptmann Schmidt)
Fallschirm Pionier Bataillon (Major Liebach)
1./Fallschirm Sanitäts Abteilung (Stabsarzt Dr. Mallison)

(2 nd Wave) FschJgRegt 2 Generalmajor Alfred Sturm.
I./Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 2 (Major Kroh)
III./Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 2 (Hauptmann Wiedemann)

East Group (2 nd Wave) Command / Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 1 (Oberst Bräuer)
I./Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 1 (Major Walther)
II./Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 1 (Hauptmann Burckhardt)
III./Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 1 (Major K.-L. Schulz)
II./Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 2 (Hauptmann Schirmer)
1./Fallschirm Flak MG Bataillon (?)
2.Fallschirm Sanitäts Abteilung (Stabsarzt Dr. Langemeyer)

(3 rd Wave) Generalleutnant Ringel with forces transported by air and sea; depending on the situation conquer the eastern sector of the island.

Sources: Army Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album. Viernes, 26 de Junio de 2009, 17:28:02
Das III Reich – Sondersheft 07. Die Deutsche Fallschirmtruppe 1939-45.
Bildchronik der Fallschirmtruppe 1935-45. Dörfler.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows................

Gegen Kreta.

The first man in Crete ..........

Oberleutnant Alfred Genz commander of the 1. Company in the LL Sturm Rgt and in command of 90 men transported in 9 gliders DFS 230 had as his objective a British AA battery located south of the city of Chania; after completing the mission would meet with either the FJR 3 in Chania or the 2. / LL Sturm Rgt in Akrotiri.

On the evening of May 19, 1941 he brought together his Platoons Leaders and gave them their missions. Leutnant Toschka was to land directly on the position and neutralize the battery of anti-aircraft artillery. Mahrenbach was to land on the crossroads between the main road and the road running south and destroy the infantry positions detected by the aerial reconnaissance, then was to secure to the north. The Weapons Platoon (Kempke) was to land with a heavy mortar and a heavy machine gun with the company's squad around the olive grove south of the battery.

Sources: Army Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album. Viernes, 26 de Junio de 2009, 17:28:02
Das III Reich – Sondersheft 07. Die Deutsche Fallschirmtruppe 1939-45.
Bildchronik der Fallschirmtruppe 1935-45. Dörfler.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[John W. Howard]

I really like this thread, Raul

[tigre]

Hello to all ; thanks John. Now more follows................

Gegen Kreta.

The first man in Crete ..........

At dawn on May 20, 1941 the Company took off from the aerodrome of Tanagra. Promptly at 07:15 hours was on the coast of Crete, the unit flew under intense antiaircraft fire. At 2200 meters the gliders flew over the island, Oberleutnant Genz pointed the objective to Oberleutnant Werner, pilot of the DFS 230: "das ist unser ziel Werner." After landing, Oberleutnant Genz left the glider with his machine gun in hand and went to the assault as the first German soldier in Crete.

The glider of Oberjäger Hahn was hit by anti-aircraft fire still in the air, but the pilot was able to direct it to the battery where it crashed against the gun located to the northwest. Out, out cried Hahn, then he left the machine and rushed toward the enemy position, Hahn fell mortally wounded by two pistol shots of an English officer. The Obergefr. Holzmann threw three, four hand grenades in the position and destroyed the antiaircraft site.

Leutnant Toschka's Platoon landed in Chania and after destroying two enemies trucks, proceeded towards the hostile battery, reached the trenches and reduced the crews in a hand to hand combat. Here Leutnant Toschka was severely wounded. Meanwhile also Oberleutnant Genz arrived there and so after a short struggle the important battery close to Chania was seized by the paratroop Company.

Sources: Army Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album. Viernes, 26 de Junio de 2009, 17:28:02
Das III Reich – Sondersheft 07. Die Deutsche Fallschirmtruppe 1939-45.
Bildchronik der Fallschirmtruppe 1935-45. Dörfler.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; last part................

Gegen Kreta.

The first man in Crete ..........

Meanwhile, Leutnant Mahrenbach shouted to the pilot: in front the cross road, land, land!. Even in the air the machine was hit by shrapnel, which killed Mahrenbach and left blind Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Buhl. Out of the crew of the glider of Obergefr. Alois Pfriemberger all were killed or seriously injured, he dragged the survivors to a cover and picked up rifles, machine guns, in total occupied five or six positions. Five truck loaded with British infantry had arrived meantime. Pfriemberger waited the first vehicle approached up to 50 meters and then unleashed bursts of submachine gun on the column, the Platoon of one man fired nine magazines and repelled the attack of a company. In that way the Platoon fulfilled its mission.

Shortly afterwards they saw the gliders of the 2. Company (Hauptmann Altmann) and also the first paratroopers of the FJR 3. Around 09:00 hours Oberleutnant Genz had under him 34 men able to fight.

Sources: Army Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album. Viernes, 26 de Junio de 2009, 17:28:02
Das III Reich – Sondersheft 07. Die Deutsche Fallschirmtruppe 1939-45.
Bildchronik der Fallschirmtruppe 1935-45. Dörfler.

It's all folks. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a new history..................

The 3./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Oberleutnant v. Plessen) in Malemes ..............

The Detachment of assault gliders under Oberleutnant Wulf von Plessen had as its objectives the Tavronitis river mouth and then attack the western edge of the airfield of Malemes. The 3. / LL.St.Rgt had a strenght of 107 men carried in 12 gliders for the assault, detailed as follows: 3 officers, 17 NCOs and 77 soldiers, the rest of the subunit was organized as a paratrooper company at disposal, commanded by Oberleutnant Osius. The plan of the detachment was as follows:

2nd Platoon under Ofw Arpke with 3 gliders was to neutralize light anti-aircraft position northwest and north of the airfield.

1st Platoon under Leutnant Musyal, with 3 gliders was to neutralize the heavy anti-aircraft placed about 800 meters from the western edge of the airfield.

The company squad commanded by Oberleutnant v. Plessen with 3 gliders was to reduce the enemy on the western edge of the airfield.

3rd Platoon under Ofw Scheel with 3 gliders was to reduce the enemy in the south of the southwest runway.

Sources: Deutsche Falschirmjager im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.
Private Sales List-Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album, Kreta Cufftitle & Award Document Group - 1. Fallschirmjaeger Div. - Top!!

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..................

The 3./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Oberleutnant v. Plessen) in Malemes ..............

Development of the operation.

The 3. the company took off from Eleusis on May 20, 1941 at 05:30 hours. The glider of Ofw Scheel lost its towing cable and landed on the island of Anticreta (he met again with the company on May 24). Two machines of the company squad were damaged on landing and its crews had bruises. The machines in the 1. Platoon, landed without problems at 300 meters from the goal, but Leutnant Musyal received a severe wound in one of the legs by machine gun bullet and died later, the leadership was assumed by Oberjäger Schulz.

The machines in the 2. Platoon descended rapidly in the appointed place, and the leader's glider was damaged; Ofw Arpke had a serious knee injury and lost consciousness for a short time. Oberjäger Schuster took over command.

The 2 machines of the 3. Platoon landed, one a 1000 meters west of the target (Objäger Ehm) and the other 400 meters away (Objäger Dudda); after landing both gliders were destroyed by hostile machine gun fire coming from the heights south of the airfield .

Sources: Deutsche Falschirmjager im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.
Private Sales List-Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album, Kreta Cufftitle & Award Document Group - 1. Fallschirmjaeger Div. - Top!!

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..................

The 3./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Oberleutnant v. Plessen) in Malemes ..............

Assault of the target.

The first element in reaching the edge of the airfield was Ofw Arpke with his 2nd Platoon and they received heavy fire from the east and south. In this attack fell the first paratroopers and Ofw Arpke ordered the retreat to the river bed where he established a defensive position facing south and east toward the airfiled. Later supported by machine guns and mortars some patrols approached the central sector of the western edge of the airfield. Objäger Schuster received the task of securing to the north.

Later the 2. Platoon was ordered to retreat south towards the bridge close to the 1st Platoon and Company's squad. As the company had discovered its flank and could be detected by the enemy from the north edge of the airfield it moved back to the intended position and Oberjäger Schuster received the task of establishing the liaison with the other fractions in the south.

The Company squad landed in three gliders behind the 2nd Platoon and from there a combat patrol under the command of Fw Galla launched an assault against the antiaircraft positions on the western edge of the airfield but was completely destroyed. Another patrol carried out an assault on another anti-aircraft position to the south and there fell Oberleutnant v. Plessen.

The 1st Platoon, now commanded by Feldwebel Ellersiek (Oberjäger Schulz took the 1st Group), attacked the assigned anti-aircraft position but it turned to be a simulated one; then raked the nearby houses and returned to the position.

The 3rd Platoon raked Tavronitis, captured 30 prisoners and returned to the western edge of the airfield where linked with the company.

At 09:30 hours the Oberarzt Dr. Weisel assumed command of the 3. Company; around 10:00 hours the 3. Company secured the ground from the southern edge of the airfield at the bridge to the western edge and north to the coast.


Sources: Deutsche Falschirmjager im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.
Private Sales List-Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album, Kreta Cufftitle & Award Document Group - 1. Fallschirmjaeger Div. - Top!!

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..................

The 3./Luftlande Sturm Regiment (Oberleutnant v. Plessen) in Malemes ..............

Glider of the LL Sturm Regiment in Malemes.

Sources: Deutsche Falschirmjager im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.
Private Sales List-Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album, Kreta Cufftitle & Award Document Group - 1. Fallschirmjaeger Div. - Top!!

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..................

Malemes airfield under artillery fire.................

Sources: Deutsche Falschirmjager im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.
Private Sales List-Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album, Kreta Cufftitle & Award Document Group - 1. Fallschirmjaeger Div. - Top!!

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..................

Malemes airfield.................

Sources: Deutsche Falschirmjager im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.
Private Sales List-Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album, Kreta Cufftitle & Award Document Group - 1. Fallschirmjaeger Div. - Top!!

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..................

120 meters above Crete!.................

Sources: Deutsche Falschirmjager im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.
Private Sales List-Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album, Kreta Cufftitle & Award Document Group - 1. Fallschirmjaeger Div. - Top!!

Saludos. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..................

Assault on Crete!.................

Sources: Deutsche Falschirmjager im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Volkmar Kühn.
Private Sales List-Fallschirmjaeger Photo Album, Kreta Cufftitle & Award Document Group - 1. Fallschirmjaeger Div. - Top!!

Saludos. Raúl M .