Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Crete

Appendix IV — SUMMARY OF STRENGTHS OF ALL BRITISH AND GREEK FORCES IN CRETE, 20 MAY 1941*

page 480

Appendix IV
SUMMARY OF STRENGTHS OF ALL BRITISH AND GREEK FORCES IN CRETE, 20 MAY 1941*

Officers Other Ranks Total
Royal Navy 25 400 425
British Army 666 14397 15063
Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation (Royal Marines) 92 1849 1941
Royal Air Force 61 557 618
Australian Imperial Forces 327 6213 6540
Greek Army and Gendarmerie 268 9990 10258
NZ Division 381 7321 7702
Total 1820 40727 42547
*
CREFORCE ORDER OF BATTLE, 20 MAY 1941
Officers Other Ranks Total
Force HQ 28 90 118*
Force HQ Signals 3 86 89
CRA, CE, ADST, ADOS, ADMS 20 60 80*
Naval Staff 3 20 23*
HQ RAF and Signals 20 75 95
Total 74 331 405
Heraklion Sector
Sector HQ
HQ 14 Inf Bde 10 100 110*
14 Inf Bde Sigs Sec and Misc dets 3 60 63*
Naval staff 2 20 22*
RAC
Det 3 Hussars (six light tanks) 3 34 37
Det B Sqn 7 RTR (two I tanks at Heraklion; three at Tymbaki) 3 30 33
Artillery
234 Med Bty RA (13 field guns, Italian or French 75- and 100-mm) 10 190 200*
7 Aust LAA Bty (less one tp and one sec—6 Bofors) 5 100 105*
One Tp 156 LAA Bty RA (4 Bofors) 3 60 63*
One Sec 15 Coast Regt RA (two 4″ guns) 5 80 85*
Two Secs C Hy AA Bty RM (four 3″ guns) 5 118 123
One Tp 23 LAA Bty RM (LMGs only) 2 60 62
Engineers
CRE 3 20 23*
One Sec 42 Fd Coy RE 1 70 71*
Dets 1017 Docks Op Coy and 1038 Arab Stevedore Coy 2 94 96page 481
Infantry
2 Leicesters 23 614 637
2 Yorks and Lancs 20 722 742
2 Black Watch 34 833 867
2 Argyll and Sutherland (at Tymbaki) 32 623 655
2/4 Aust Inf Bn 33 520 553
7 Med Regt RA, less one Bty 20 300 320*
3 Greek Regt 20 1080 1100
7 Greek Regt 20 780 800
Greek Garrison Battalion 20 780 800
Medical
Coy 189 Fd Amb RAMC 3 50 53*
RASC 10 150 160*
RAOC 2 50 52*
RAF
220 AMES 1 50 51
Airfield Det and 112 Sqn 16 125 141
sector total 311 7713 8024
Central Sector (retimo-georgeoupolis)
Sector HQ
HQ 19 Aust Inf Bde 7 60 67*
Signal Construction Sec 2 40 42*
Australian Signals Details 2 60 62*
RAC
Det 7 RTR (two I tanks) 1 11 12
Artillery
Sec 106 RHA (two 2-pdrs a-tk) 1 15 16
‘X’ CD Bty RM (two 4″ guns) 3 84 87
2/3 Field Regt RAA (14 field guns, Italian or French 75- and 100-mm) 15 175 190
Engineers
2/8 Field Coy RAE 6 145 151
Infantry
2/1 Aust Inf Bn 32 549 581
2/7 Aust Inf Bn 31 650 681
2/8 Aust Inf Bn 14 370 384
2/11 Aust Inf Bn 35 610 645
2/1 Aust MG Coy 6 164 170
Medical
B Coy 2/7 Fd Amb 2 50 52*
AASC Dets 5 100 105*
Ordnance
DADOS Retimo, 2/1 Aust Ord Store Coy and Misc dets 10 140 150*
Miscellaneous units
Provost 2 75 77*
Airfield Sigs Dets (Army, RN, RAF) 1 30 31*
Minor Australian units 7 120 127*page 482
Greek Units
4 Greek Regt 50 2250 2300
5 Greek Regt 50 2250 2300
Gendarmerie 20 780 800
sector total 252 6478 6730
Maleme Sector (incl galatas)
HQ NZ Div 12 84 96
NZ Div Sigs 2 42 44
CRE 2 28 30
RAC
Det 3 Hussars (ten light tanks) 5 70 75
Det B Sqn 7 RTR (two I tanks) 1 12 13
Artillery
1 Light Tp RA (four 3.7″ hows) 4 83 87
5 NZ Field Regt (less Inf Det) 17 239 256
[27 Bty in support of 5 Bde (seven field guns, French and Italian 75-mm; two 3.7″ hows) RHQ and 28 Bty in support 10 Bde (two Italian 75-mm, one German 77-mm)]
One Tp and Sec 156 LAA Bty RA (6 Bofors) 4 90 94*
One Tp 7 Aust LAA Bty (4 Bofors) 3 80 83*
One Sec ‘C’ Hy AA Bty RM (two 3″ guns) 2 60 62
‘Z’ CD Bty RM (two 4″ guns) 3 82 85
One Tp 23 LAA Bty RM (LMGs only) 2 60 62
Infantry
4 NZ Infantry Brigade
HQ and Sigs Sec 10 114 124
18 NZ Inf Bn 27 650 677
19 NZ Inf Bn 25 540 565
20 NZ Inf Bn 27 610 637
One Pl 27 NZ (MG) Bn 1 34 35
5 NZ Infantry Brigade
HQ and Sigs Sec 10 115 125
7 NZ Fd Coy (as Inf) 3 145 148
19 A Tps Coy (as Inf) 6 210 216
21 NZ Bn 24 352 376
22 NZ Bn 24 620 644
23 NZ Bn 24 547 571
28 NZ (Maori) Bn 29 590 619
2 Pls 27 NZ (MG) Bn 4 107 111
1 Greek Regt (at Kastelli) 30 1000 1030
10 NZ Inf Bde
HQ and Sigs Sec 6 30 36
NZ Div Cav Det 19 175 194
NZ Composite Bn (Arty and ASC) 37 970 1007
4 NZ Fd Regt 18 Offrs 159 ORs
5 NZ Fd Regt 5 Offrs 100 ORs
NZ Div Sup Coln 3 Offrs 140 ORs
NZ Div Pet Coy 7 Offrs 301 ORs
NZ Res MT Coy 4 Offrs 270 ORs
One Pl 27 NZ (MG) Bn 1 32 33
6 Greek Regt 39 1446 1485
8 Greek Regt 39 974 1013page 483
Medical
5 NZ Fd Amb 8 146 154
6 NZ Fd Amb 8 179 187
4 NZ Fd Hyg Sec 1 30 31
7 Brit Gen Hosp (incl 2 NZ GH att) 21 162 183*
Patients 7 Gen Hosp 10 100 110*
NZ Dental Corps 2 7 9
HQ NZASC and DID 4 30 34
DADOS Maleme Sector 1 15 16
Miscellaneous
NZ att Greek units 9 27 36
NZ Provost Coy 72 72
NZ Entertainment Unit 2 28 24
NZE Postal 1 23 24
RAF
252 AMES 2 54 56
30 and 33 Sqns 19 210 229
Fleet Air Arm
805 Sqn 5 50 55*
Sector Total 535 11324 11859
Suda Bay Sector
Sector HQ (incl HQ MNBDO) 29 223 252*
Suda Sector Signals (Army) 2 40 42*
NOIC Suda and Naval Base Details 15 300 315*
MNBDO Signals Coy 6 220 226*
Artillery
‘M’ Group
HQ 52 LAA Regt RA 6 70 76*
151 Hy AA Bty RA (eight 3.7″ guns) 8 280 288*
129 LAA Bty RA (12 Bofors) 9 240 249*
156 LAA Bty, less two tps and one sec (2 Bofors) 3 60 63*
One Sec 7 Aust LAA Bty (2 Bofors) 2 40 42*
23 LAA Bty RM, less two tps (LMGs only) 4 100 104*
‘S' Group
HQ 2 Hy AA Regt RM 4 7 11
‘A’ Hy AA Bty RM (eight 3″ guns) 10 260 270
One Sec ‘C’ Hy AA Bty RM (two 3″ guns) 3 60 63
234 Hy AA Bty RA (eight 3.7″ guns) 8 280 288*
304 S/L Bty RA (20 lights) 10 300 310*
Sec 106 RHA (two 2-pdrs a-tk) 1 15 16
15 Coast Regt RA, less one sec (four 6″ guns, two 4″ guns, two 12-pdr guns, two lights) 25 440 465*
Engineers
CRE 2 30 32*
42 Fd Coy RE, less one sec 4 160 164*
5 NZ Fd Pk Coy 4 116 120
Crete Composite Coy RE 10 200 210*
1003 Docks Op Coy 5 121 126
RE Stores Depot 4 80 84*
Aust Engrs and AASC Stevedores 10 350 360*
NZE Stevedores 2 50 52page 484
Infantry
1 Welch (Force Reserve) 23 831 854
1 Rangers (9 Bn KRRC) 16 401 417
Northumberland Hussars 11 268 279
106 RHA 16 291 307
2/2 Aust Fd Regt 34 520 554
Det 2/3 Aust Fd Regt 11 295 306
16 Aust Inf Bde Comp Bn (2/2 and 2/3 Bns) 16 427 443
17 Aust Inf Bde Comp Bn (2/4 and 2/5 Bns) 20 367 387
HQ 11 S/L Regt and ‘S' S/L Bty RM 14 350 364
‘Royal Perivolians’ (Dets misc British units) 30 670 700*
1 Echelon NZ Div Supply Coln 5 140 145
2 Greek Regiment (500 rifles only) 30 900 930
RASC
231 MT Coy 10 450 460*
101 Pet Coy 7 250 257*
1 Pet Depot 2 50 52*
Two Supply Depots 10 200 210*
One Base Supply Depot 5 65 70*
37 DID 2 30 32*
Dets 1 and 26 Fd Bakery 2 65 67*
Misc RASC 10 100 110*
Det EFI 2 50 52*
Ordnance
5 Ind Bde Workshops 4 100 104*
2 Hy AA Workshops RM 1 25 26
52 LAA Workshops 1 50 51*
DADOS 30 600 630*
Ord Offr Docks 30 600 630*
Ordnance Depot 30 600 630*
Amn Depot 30 600 630*
Misc Ord Dets 30 600 630*
Medical
4 Lt Fd Amb RAMC 4 100 104*
168 Fd Amb RAMC 2 100 102*
189 Fd Amb RAMC, less one coy 6 100 106*
2 Armd Div and 48 Fd Hyg Secs 2 50 52*
1 Tented Hospital RN 12 52 64
Dets 2/1, 2/2, 2/7 Aust Fd Ambs 8 210 218
Miscellaneous Units
MNBDO Landing and Maintenance Unit 12 288 300
MNBDO Pioneer and Labour Group 12 288 300
270 FSS 1 20 21*
Base Pay and Field Cash Office 5 30 35*
CMP 4 60 64*
Suda Island Det 1 28 29
RAF Details 3 33 36
Misc Aust minor units 10 130 140*
Misc British minor units 25 150 175*
Pioneer and Labour Units
606 Palestine Pioneer Coy 3 439 442
1004, 1005, 1007, 1008 Cypriot Pioneer Coys 11 688 699
Misc Pioneers 200 200
Sector Total 607 14215 14822
Layforce (landed 24–27 May) 40 760 800*
Grand Total 1819 40821 42640
page 485
British Army Total known, and figures for infantry and some other units are accurate. Remainder of figures compiled from establishments and any other available information.
Royal Navy No strengths known. All are estimated.
RAF Strengths accurate, based on detailed RAF statements.
Royal Marines Strengths reliable, based on exact disembarkation returns on arrival in Crete.
AIF As for the British Army except that more units are known more or less exactly.
Greek Army Strengths as recorded in Crete but these were were probably in most cases estimates.
NZ Strengths almost exactly accurate.

Information as to British and Australian units was kindly supplied by British and Australian Historical Sections. Estimates are marked with an asterisk.

* Includes also Layforce which arrived during operations.

4 NZ Bde, less 20 Bn, in Force Reserve; 20 Bn under command 10 NZ Bde but acting NZ Div Reserve.