The Battle of Crete by Albert Palazzo

Author:Albert Palazzo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Big Sky Publishing

THE AUSTRALIANS DEFEND RETIMO

Vasey’s Command

Geography divided Brigadier George Vasey’s command into two separate zones, united only by the formation he commanded: 19 Australian Brigade. One zone covered the Georgeoupolis beach, a potential landing site for a German seaborne assault. The formation’s other responsibility was the defence of the coastal plain around the harbour city of Retimo and its nearby airfield. Vasey sited his headquarters at Georgeoupolis since it was closer to Canea. Wire diagram 10 illustrates the organisation of Vasey’s formation.

At Georgeoupolis, Vasey’s task was to prevent an enemy landing on the beach. This was an immense job for what was effectively half a brigade. The beach was almost ten kilometres long with the coast road running parallel to it. A few kilometres to the south the hills began their rise, isolating the coastal zone from the rugged interior. Vasey positioned his two battalions and supporting arms at the western end of the beach near Georgeoupolis. Behind their positions rose a towering mass of rock that ran down into the water, sealing the beach’s exit to the west. Through separate gaps ran two roads leading to Canea, one via Vamos and the other through Vrises. Vasey accepted that he could not prevent a landing. Instead he would hold the exits and await reinforcements.

Neither of Vasey’s battalions was at full strength and almost all of his units suffered from obsolete equipment and a lack of mobility. Vasey had no anti-aircraft guns and 2/3 Australian Field Regiment had received Cairo’s cast-offs. The guns were so old that when Lieutenant Michael Clark conducted a trial shoot of one particular gun he took the precaution of using an extra long lanyard out of fear that the barrel might rupture. Communication to Creforce Headquarters was, again, via the local phone exchange. The only unit with its proper establishment of equipment was the Royal Marine coastal gun detachment. Its guns pointed out to sea and would play no role in the battle.

On the morning of 20 May the Georgeoupolis garrison witnessed the arrival of the German air armada and heard the sounds of battle coming from the west. Throughout the day German planes prowled above, but no paratroopers landed. At about noon Vasey received orders to send 2/8 Australian Battalion to Mournies near Canea. The battalion was needed to help block the exit from Prison Valley.

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