Why Gebirgs in Crete instead of 22.Luftlande?

Discussions on WW2 in Africa & the Mediterranean. Hosted by Andy H
Post Reply
Dili
Member
Posts: 2201
Joined: 24 Jun 2007, 23:54
Location: Lusitania

Why Gebirgs in Crete instead of 22.Luftlande?

#1

Post by Dili » 14 Jun 2018, 05:07

22 Luftlande Division was available for Crete but wasn't employed, it was preferred to use Gebirgs 5 Div. reinforced with an extra Gebirgs regiment to do the air landing. Was this a logistic decision - like Gebirgs were already in Greece - or something else?

Richard Anderson
Member
Posts: 6350
Joined: 01 Jan 2016, 22:21
Location: Bremerton, Washington

Re: Why Gebirgs in Crete instead of 22.Luftlande?

#2

Post by Richard Anderson » 14 Jun 2018, 05:32

It was in Romania guarding Ploesti, along with 72. Inf.-Div. and 239. Inf.-Div. When 72. Inf.-Div. was committed to the campaign against Greece it left just the two divisions securing German interest in Romania...especially the oil. I suspect Hitler and OKH were too nervous about leaving it exposed.
Richard C. Anderson Jr.

American Thunder: U.S. Army Tank Design, Development, and Doctrine in World War II
Cracking Hitler's Atlantic Wall
Hitler's Last Gamble
Artillery Hell


User avatar
Leo Niehorster
Member
Posts: 1462
Joined: 21 Jan 2004, 23:07
Location: Hangover, Germany
Contact:

Re: Why Gebirgs in Crete instead of 22.Luftlande?

#3

Post by Leo Niehorster » 14 Jun 2018, 09:31

Furthermore, the 22. Luftlande-Division, when it was to be employed as an airlanding division, had special equipment, including mountain ponies, which was sitting in its depots back in Germany. Transporting it to Rumania would have added an additional logistics burden on the alrady overloaded system.
Information not passed on is lost.
URL: World War II Armed Forces

Dili
Member
Posts: 2201
Joined: 24 Jun 2007, 23:54
Location: Lusitania

Re: Why Gebirgs in Crete instead of 22.Luftlande?

#4

Post by Dili » 14 Jun 2018, 19:41

Thank you both.

Post Reply

Return to “WW2 in Africa & the Mediterranean”