German Units at Crete 1941-42

[Ebusitanus]

I would need the German unit set up at occupied Crete for around 1941-42. Where could I get it?

[Peter H]

This has something about the German occupation of Crete:

http://www.wargamesdirectory.com/html/a ... efault.asp

The German 5th Mountain Division was on Crete until August 1941 and then moved to Norway,finally the Leningrad front.

The 164th Infantry Division was at Salonika until early 1942 and was transferred to Crete in the spring.It received the 125th Infantry Regiment(from frontier duties at Sarrbrucken) in lieu of its 440th Regiment that ended up in Rhodes.It moved to north Africa in July 1942,known by the nickname there as "the rape and pillage" division.It was destroyed at El Alamein.

The 22nd Infantry Division(former Air Landing),after action in Russia,notably the siege of Sebastopol,was moved to Crete in the autumn of 1942.Part of this division,the 47th Grenadier Regiment,went to Tunisia in late 1942.Manstein on the 22nd to Crete---"though one of our best formations-it was to lie more or less idle for the rest of the war".

Some pics from Crete 1941-43:
http://home.online.no/~vestil/crete/kreta1/index.htm


http://home.online.no/~vestil/crete/kre ... 0befal.jpg

[Ebusitanus]

Thank you for that excellent information and even better photos. It seems that the Germans used the Africa type of tunic all across the Mediterranean in contrast to what I would have thought it being the normal field grey light summer drillich tunic that was also available. Anyone to comment on this?

Interesting is it also that going thorugh some links I found this:

http://home.freeuk.com/johndillon/kidnap.htm#landing

Which relates the succesful kidnap of General Kreiper, chief of the Creta stationed 22 Luft-lande Div. Yet, the information we have at hand at:

http://www.skalman.nu/third-reich/heer- ... div-22.htm

Place this General still in command of his outfit in March 1945. Someone has to have it wrong.

[Peter H]

My source says that Helmut Friebe commanded the 22nd Infantry Division after Kreipe.


http://www.thirdreichforum.com/files/friebe__1.jpg

Here's also a German OOB of forces in the Aegean August 1944.This was after the 22nd Division had withdrawn to the mainland(with its new reconstituted 47th Grenadier Regiment that rejoined it on Crete in the summer of 1944).

http://www.geocities.com/kumbayaaa/gero ... i1944.html

[Kaiser]

Moulded-

great picture - just curious, why is the chap on the right not saluting? is this something to do with rank?

thanks,
K

[Peter H]

Looks like the old 'Present ranks'.Commanding officers salute while other ranks are at attention.

[Ebusitanus]

I would like to go back to the uniform issue:

Germans set out besides the typical DAK look Tropical uniform set, that we can also see on the photos of Creta, a normal field grey colored HBT (Drillich) light weight uniform that we see in action in many photographs.
Now, were would you send what? Both sets are for hot summer days so what is the decision point to send, say, Tropical sets to the Creta garrison and summer HBT to Crimea?

[Ebusitanus]

I found a sad aftermath to Maj. Gen. Kreipe´s kidnap. As it seems a nearby village, called Anógia, from where the General was taken and his driver found dead was burned down and all male population shot. As it seems this village had been known even before the German´s arrival for its freedom fighter spirit and communist simpathies even against the Greek Goverment.
After the war this town was rebuild by the Americans.

[PF]

Postscript
related links
http://www.google.com/cse?cx=partner-pu ... gsc.page=1