Day-by-Day Timeline of Events
Friday, April 25th, 1941
Fuhrer Directive No.28 is issued by Adolf Hitler, calling for the invasion of the island of Crete through Operation Mercury led by General Kurt Student.
Saturday, April 26th, 1941
Allied codebreakers intercept word of the impending German invasion of Crete.
Wednesday, April 30th, 1941
Allied forces based on Crete receive a new leader in the form of Major-General Bernard Freyberg.
Monday, May 19th, 1941
In advance of the Crete invasion, RAF fighters are relocated to Egypt for safe-keeping.
Monday, May 19th, 1941
Allied codebreakers intercept word that Operation Mercury will commence the very next day. The Allies begin preparations.
Tuesday, May 20th, 1941
Allied flak teams destroy as many as 50% of the invading German transport planes in the first few hours of the operation.
Tuesday, May 20th, 1941
Operation Mercury is officially launched.
Tuesday, May 20th, 1941
At approximately 7:00 AM, the first German airborne troops land at locations near Maleme and Khania.
Tuesday, May 20th, 1941
At least 500 Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft are utilized in the first wave of airdrops over Crete.
Tuesday, May 20th, 1941
Between 1:30 and 2:00 PM, the second wave of German airborne troops take off from Greece towards drop zones in Crete.
Tuesday, May 20th, 1941
In-air losses for the second wave of German paratroopers is nearly equal to the first thanks to the stellar Allied flak defenses on Crete.
Tuesday, May 20th, 1941
At about 2:00 PM, the second wave of German paratroops land around Heraklion and Rethymnon.
Tuesday, May 20th, 1941
The first day of the German invasion of Crete sees little progress as many strategic positions are not under German control yet.
Wednesday, May 21st, 1941
A German offensive against Heraklion is pushed away by at least 8,000 dug-in Allied soldiers.
Wednesday, May 21st, 1941
German Army troops making their way to Crete via the sea are intercepted and pummeled by elements of the Royal Navy. Just 60 of these German soldiers live to see another day.
Thursday, May 22nd, 1941
New Zealand troops are repelled from an attempt to retake the airfield at Maleme from the Germans.
Tuesday, May 27th, 1941
The German Army takes Heraklion and her all-important airfield.
Tuesday, May 27th, 1941
Allied forces retreat to defensive positions at Galatas.
Wednesday, May 28th, 1941
Heraklion in the north and Sphakia in the south of Crete will serve as major evacuation junctions for the Allies.
Wednesday, May 28th, 1941
The evacuation order is given by Major-General Freyberg for the gradual withdrawel of Allied troops from the island of Crete.
Friday, May 30th, 1941
The brave defense of Rethymnon by Australian soldiers finally falters under intense pressure from the German Army.
Saturday, May 31st, 1941
By this date, Crete is firmly entrenched under German rule.
