The Battle for Crete: 20 May-1 June 1941

This is part two of the Special on the Battle for Crete. You can read the first part, about the history of the German 7th Airborne Division, here. British intelligence knew of an impending German airborne assault on Crete. Churchill was determined to hold the island for both strategic and political reasons, and he appointed General Freyberg to overall command of what came to be called ‘Creforce’. This was an unfortunate choice. Freyberg was a brave soldier, popular with his men, and an old friend of Churchill’s. But appointment to the supreme command came as both a surprise and a disappointment. He wanted to return to Egypt to train and re-equip his division, and he had no confid