The Olive Oil Factory MTO (id:#60191)

(Kreta - Operation Merkur ID: AoC03)   [next]   [previous]

Retimo, Crete 1941-05-22 (3 others)

Overview:

The attack on Retimo airfield had failed and the surviving Fallshirmjäger split into two groups. Major Kroh with 90 men, many of whom were wounded, occupied an olive oil factory outside the nearby village of Stavromenos. From here they were able to interdict a large area with heavy machinegun and mortar fire, and effectively cut the road east to Heraklion. The Australians had planned to attack early on the 22nd, but delayed after one of the company commanders was killed. A new attack was planned, supported by some 200 Greek soldiers, but without the artillery, which had already fired the ammunition it could spare.

Defender: German (Kompanie 1, 2 and 4 with 13th and 14th Heavy Weapons Kompanies, 2nd Bataillon, 2nd Fallschirmjäger Regiment)  

Errata (source)