Unsung Heroes MTO (id:#60197)

(Kreta - Operation Merkur ID: AoC09)   [next]   [previous]

Alikianos, Crete 1941-05-21 (9 others)

Overview:

On May 20, 1941 the Nazi Air Division, popularly nicknamed the Herman Goering Division, launched its parachute attack on Crete. Contrary to British expectations, the Germans concluded that Alikianos was very important, and were going to take the village and the surrounding foothills. A German Engineer Battalion was to push aside the Greek resistance and take the position. The Germans suffered a rude awakening. As expected, within a couple of hours the 8th Greek Regiment ran out of ammunition. The brave men of the 8th Regiment, mostly local Cretan recruits, solved their ammunition problem with several fearless bayonet charges against withering fire. The Greeks captured enough German firearms and ammunitions to continue the fight for several days. Additionally, the brave people of Alikianos fell on the German invaders with anything that could be construed as a weapon. The Greek battle cry was “The German Will Not Pass.” After the end of the first day of fighting at Alikianos, the shell-shocked Germans retreated. In frantically asking for reinforcement, Nazi Major Liebach wired the German Command that Alikianos “…was strongly held by at least 4,000 Greeks, partisans, and British.” The ferocity and bravery of the 850 Greeks at Alikianos made the Nazis believe they were confronting a force five times its actual size. In spite of their spectacular success, by the second day the Greek Regiment at Alikianos had been completely cut off from any British or Greek military unit — as far as the defenders of Alikianos were concerned it didn’t matter they would stop the Germans. The reinforcements that the Germans brought to take Alikianos were elements of the Mountain Division that a month and a half earlier had breached the toughest Greek defenses in Macedonia (the Metaxas Line) in conquering the Greek mainland. When these units of the Mountain Division launched concerted attacks against the Greeks at Alikianos, they were also beaten back. Though totally cut from supplies and reinforcements the Greeks at Alikianos held their lines. After seven days of epic resistance, the Greek forces at Alikianos were finally dispersed by an overwhelming assault that included the support from the German Air Force. It was not until May 27, 1941 that German forces could advance into positions that had been held by the 8th Greek Regiment.

Defender: Greek (Elements of the 8th Regiment)  

Errata (source)