This is the complete order of battle for the Battle of Crete and related operations in 1941.
Allied
Land forces
Commonwealth & Allied forces, Crete - "Creforce" Headquarters Creforce - (Eastern Zone, east of Chania) Major-general Bernard Freyberg, VC, Colonel Stewart
C Squadron, 3rd The King's Own Hussars (seven light tanks) Major G.W.Peck 10 Light Tank Mk VIs B Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment Lieutenant George Simpson Two Matilda tanks, crewed in part by two officers and five gunners of the 2/3rd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA). 1st Battalion, the Welch Regiment Lieutenant Colonel A. Duncan, MC (force reserve)
2nd New Zealand Division Headquarters New Zealand Division - Brigadier, Acting Major General Edward Puttick - (Western Zone, west of Chania) 27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion (Lt. Col. FJ Gwilliam) (179 personnel) 5th New Zealand Field Artillery Regiment (less infantry detachment) (256 personnel) 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Brig. Lindsay Inglis) between Chania and Galatas 18th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (677 personnel) 19th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (565 personnel) 20th New Zealand Infantry Battalion (637 personnel) 1st Light Troop, RA (87 personnel) 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Brig. James Hargest) (Maleme and Platanias) 21st New Zealand Infantry Battalion (376 personnel) 22nd New Zealand Infantry Battalion (644 personnel) 23rd New Zealand Infantry Battalion (571 personnel) 28th (Maori) Infantry Battalion (619 personnel) 7th Field Company New Zealand Engineers (148 personnel) 19th Army Field Corps Company (216 personnel) New Zealand Field Punishment Centre (FPC)New Zealand History Map of Maleme area, 20 May 1941 https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/map-maleme-area retrieved 20 Aug 2016 Prisoners were released to fight the enemy. 1st Greek Regiment (1,030 personnel), (Col. IP Papadimitropoulos) Evelpidon Officers' Academy (17 officers, 300 cadets), (Lt. Col. Loukas Kitsos) 10th New Zealand Infantry Brigade (Lt. Col. Howard Kippenberger) (Galatas) New Zealand Divisional Cavalry (194 personnel) New Zealand Composite Battalion (1,007 personnel) 6th Greek Regiment (Lt. Col. M Grigoriou)(1,485 personnel) 8th Greek Regiment (Lt. Col. Pan Karkoulas)(1,013 personnel)
British 14th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, 14 Bde (Brig. Brian Herbert Chappel) – at Heraklion 2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment (Lt. Col. CHV Cox, DSO, MC) (637 personnel) 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment (Lt. Col. A Gilroy) (742 personnel) 2nd Battalion, Black Watch (Major AA Pitcairn, temporary commander) (867 personnel) 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Lt. Col. RCB Anderson, DSO, MC) (655 personnel) – Tymbaki sector 7th Medium Regiment, RA (Maj. R.J.B. Snook, DSO (wounded - 20 May 1941). No artillery weapons; equipped and served at Crete as infantry. (450 personnel) Attached to 14 Bde: Australian 2/4th Battalion (Lt. Col. Ivan Dougherty) (550 personnel) Greek 3rd Regiment (Lt. Col Ant Betinakis) (656 personnel) Greek 7th Regiment (Col. E Cheretis) (877 personnel) Greek Garrison Battalion (commander unknown; ex-Greek 5th "Crete" Division, left behind as a garrison when their division was summoned to defend the mainland) 830 personnel)
19th Australian Infantry Brigade
Unit Commander RemarksHQ 19 Brigade Brig. George Vasey At Georgioupolis2/1st Australian Infantry BattalionLt. Col. Ian R. Campbell 620 personnel; Rethymno; Campbell commanded all Allied forces in the Rethymno area2/11th Australian Infantry BattalionLt. Col. Ray Sandover650 personnel; Rethymno2/7th Australian Infantry BattalionLt. Col. Theo Walker (par. 21)About 550 personnel. Based at Heraklion; redeployed to Maleme and saw action in the Souda-Chania area ("42nd Street") during the battle.2/8th Australian Infantry BattalionLt. Col. John W. MitchellAbout 400 personnel. Based at Chania; reinforced British forces around Perivolia and Mournies, and saw action in the Souda-Chania area ("42nd Street") during the battle. No. 5 Battery, 2/3rd Field Regiment No. 6 Battery, 2/3rd Field Regiment Maj. I. J. Bessell-Browne90 personnel, equipped with captured Italian weapons: four 100 mm guns and four 75 mm guns. 4th Greek RegimentCol. M. Trifon1,300 personnel; Rethymno5th Greek RegimentLt. Col. I Servos1,200 personnel; RethymnoGendarmerie Privates SchoolCol. Iak Chaniotis916 personnel; Rethymno
Mobile Base Defence Organization Headquarters Mobile Base Defence Organization - Maj.-Gen. CE Weston-Souda Bay 15th Coast Regiment, RA "S" Royal Marine Composite Battalion, Maj. R Garrett (Royal Marines) 1st Battalion, the Rangers, the King's Royal Rifle Corps - (later designated 9th Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps (the Rangers)) 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery - no equipment, used as infantry 106th (Lancashire Hussars) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - Lt. Col. AF Hely 16th Australian Brigade Composite Battalion - 350 officers and menFormed from the under strength 2/2nd and 2/3rd Australian infantry battalions 17th Australian Brigade Composite Battalion - 270 officers and menFormed from the understrength 2/5th and 2/6th Australian infantry battalions 2nd Greek Regiment - 930 officers and men 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Marines
Naval forces Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet - Admiral Sir Andrew B Cunningham
Forces A1 Force A1 - Rear Admiral H B Rawlings (R.A., 7th Cruiser Squadron) Queen Elizabeth-class battleships HMS Warspite (03) - Captain DB Fisher - damaged HMS Valiant (02) - Captain CE Morgan - damaged G and H-class destroyers - Cmdr. WR Marshall-A'Deane, sunk 22 May 1941 - Lt. KRC Letts - Lt. GRG Watkins - Cmdr. HW Briggs J-class destroyer - Lt. Cmdr. JFW Hine
Force B Force B - Capt. Henry A Rowley Light cruisers HMS Gloucester (62) - Capt. Henry A Rowley, sunk 22 May 1941 with the loss of 722 crew HMS Fiji (58) - Capt. PBRW William-Powlett, sunk 22 May 1941 HMS Orion (85) - Capt. GRB Back - damaged HMS Dido (37) - Capt. HWV McCall - damaged Destroyers HMS Decoy (H75) - Cmdr. EG McGregor HMS Hereward (H93) - Lt. WJ Munn, sunk by enemy aircraft 29 May 1941 HMS Hotspur (H01) - Lt.Cmdr. CPF Brown HMS Imperial (D09) - Lt. Cmdr. CA De W Kitcat, sunk 29 May 1941 off Crete HMS Jackal (F22) - Lt. Cmdr. MP Jonas HMS Kimberley (F50) - Lt. Cmdr. JSM Richardson
Force C Force C - Rear Admiral Edward Leigh Stuart King (C.O. 15th Cruiser Squadron) Ship Commander Armament Tonnage RemarksHMS Naiad (93)Capt. MHA Kelsey Light cruiser - damagedHMAS Perth (D29) Capt. Sir PW Bowyer-Smyth8x6 inch guns, 8x4 inch guns, 4x3-pdr guns, 8x21 inch torpedo tubes6,830 tonsLight cruiser - damagedHMS Kandahar (F28)Cmdr. WGA Robson DestroyerHMS Nubian (F36)Cmdr. RW Ravenhill8×4.7 inch guns, 4x2-pdr guns, 8x0.5 inch machineguns, 4x21 inch torpedo tubes Destroyer - damagedHMS Kingston (F64)Lt. Cmdr. P Sommerville Destroyer - damagedHMS Juno (F46)Cmdr. St John TyrwhittDestroyerSunk 21 May 1941HMS Calcutta (D82)Capt. DM LeesAnti-aircraft cruiserSunk 1 June 1941 within one hundred miles of Alexandria
Force D Force D - Rear-Admiral Irvine GlennieDestruction of Lupo Convoy (21–22 May 1941) Ship Commander RemarksHMS Dido (37) Capt. HW McCallLight cruiser- damagedHMS Orion (85)Capt. PBRW William-PowlettLight cruiser - damagedHMS Ajax (22) Capt. EDB McCarthyLight cruiser - damagedHMS Janus (F53)Cmdr. JAW TothillDestroyerHMS Hasty (H24)Lt.Cmdr. LRK TyrwhittDestroyerHMS Hereward (H93)Lt. WJ MunnDestroyer - sunk by enemy aircraft 29 May 1941HMS KimberleyLt. Cmdr. JSM RichardsonDestroyer
Force E Force E - Captain JP Mack (CO 14th Destroyer Flotilla) - Capt. (D2) H St L Nicholson - Capt. (D14) P J Mack - Lt. Cmdr. Max Joshua Clark - Capt. TC Hampton - damaged
5th Destroyer Flotilla 5th Destroyer Flotilla - Captain Mountbatten HMS Kelly (F01) - Capt. Lord Louis Mountbatten, sunk 23 May 1941 HMS Kashmir (F12) - Cmdr. HA King, sunk 23 May 1941 HMS Kelvin (F37) - Cmdr. JH Alison - damaged HMS Jackal (F22) - Lt.Cmdr. MP Jonas HMS Kipling (F91) - Cmdr. A St Clair-Ford
Evacuation Fleet HMS Ajax
Sphakia evacuation force - Rear-Admiral King HMS Phoebe - Capt. Guy Grantham, light cruiser HMAS Perth - Capt. Sir P.W. Bowyer-Smith, light cruiser - damaged HMS Coventry - Capt. WP Carne, light cruiser HMS Calcutta - Capt. DM Lees, anti-aircraft cruiser, sunk 1 June 1941 with 255 survivors HMS Glengyle - Capt. CH Petrie, landing ship, infantry (large) HMAS Napier (G97) - Capt. Stephen Harry Tolson Arliss RN, N-class flotilla Leader. HMAS Nizam (G38) - Lt. Cmdr. Max Joshua Clark HMS Kelvin (F37) - Cmdr. JH Alison HMS Kandahar (F28) - Cmdr. WGA Robson
Air forces Air Officer Commander-in-Chief, Middle East - Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore Senior RAF Officer, Crete - Group Captain George Beamish No. 30 Squadron RAF (Squadron Leader RA Milward/Sqn. Ldr. Shannon) - Bristol Blenheim No. 33 Squadron RAF (Squadron Leader Edward Howell, OBE, DFC) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane No. 80 Squadron RAF (Sqn. Ldr. EG Jones) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane No. 112 Squadron RAF (Sqn. Ldr. LG Schwab) - Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hurricane No. 203 Squadron RAF - Bristol Blenheim
Axis forces
Land, airborne and air forces
Fliegerkorps XI +Headquarters Fliegerkorps XI - Generalmajor Kurt Student, with Brig. Schlemm (chief of staff), Col. Trettner (Ops) and Maj. Reinhardt (Int) Unit Commander Equipment/remarksKGzbV 1Oberst Fritz MorzikJunkers Ju 52KGzbV 2Oberst Rüdiger von HeykingJu 52KGzbV 3Oberst U. BucholzJu 5222nd Luftlande DivisionGeneral Hans Graf von SponeckForce reserve (in Romania)
Fliegerkorps VIII +Headquarters VIII. Fliegerkorps - General der Flieger Freiherr Wolfram von Richthofen Unit Commander Equipment/remarksKampfgeschwader 2General-Major Herbert RieckhoffDo 17ZJadgeschwader 77Major Bernhard WoldengaBf 109ELehrgeschwader 1[Oberst F-K KnustJu 88A & He 111HSturzkampfgeschwader 1Oberst-Leutnant W. HagenJu 87RSturzkampfgeschwader 2Oberst-Lt O. DinortJu 87RSturzkampfgeschwader 77Major Clemens von Schönborn-WiesentheidJu 87RZerstörergeschwader 26Oberst Johann SchalkBf 110C & Bf 110D
Luftflotte IV +Headquarters Luftflotte IV - General der Flieger Alexander Löhr Unit Commander Remarks5th Panzer DivisionGustav Fehn6th Gebirgs DivisionFerdinand Schörner
Luftlande Sturmregiment Headquarters Luftlande Sturmregiment - Generalmajor Eugen Meindl, then Col. Ramcke, Maj. Braun Unit Commander Remarks1st BattalionMajor Walter KochGlider battalion2nd BattalionMajor Edgar Stentzler3rd BattalionMajor Otto Scherber4th BattalionHauptmann (Captain) Walter Gericke Two glider companies were detached and seconded to 7th Flieger Division, below
7th Flieger Division +Headquarters, 7th Flieger Division - Generalleutnant Wilhelm Süssmann Unit Commander Subunits Remarks7th Engineer BattalionMajor Liebach7th Artillery BattalionMajor Bode7th Machine Gun BattalionHauptmann Schulz7th Anti-tank BattalionHauptmann Schmitz1st Fallschirmjäger RegimentOberst Bruno Bräuer, Capt. Rau, Capt. Count von der Schulenburg1st Battalion (Major Erich Walther), 2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Burckhardt), 3rd Battalion (Major Karl-Lothar Schulz)Heraklion2nd Fallschirmjäger RegimentOberst Alfred Sturm, Maj. Schulz, Capt. Paul1st Battalion (Major Kroh), 2nd Battalion (Hauptmann Erich Pietzonka), 3rd Battalion (Hauptmann Wiedemann)Rethymno3rd Fallschirmjäger RegimentOberst Richard Heidrich, Lt. Heckel1st Battalion (Hauptmann Friedrich von der Heydte), 2nd Battalion (Major Derpa), 3rd Battalion (Major Ludwig Heilmann)Chania The 2nd Battalion of the 2nd FJ Rgt was used with the 1st FJ Rgt in Heraklion
5th Gebirgs Division