Crete

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

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– 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	96

– 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^*

– 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	1013

– 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	52

– 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
	—	—	—

– 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.

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Crete

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

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

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