CRETE WITHDRAWAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1941, Page 6

CRETE WITHDRAWAL

DIFFICULT AND PERILOUS OPERATION ROYAL MARINES REARGUARD AT SUDA BAY. SOME MEMBERS OF CORPS LEFT BEHIND. ißritish Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) , RUGBY, June. 9. A communique dealing with the loss in Crete of the anti-aircraft cruiser I Calcutta and the destroyers Hereward| and Imperial (reported in an earlier: message) says the withdrawal of the troops from Crete had to be carried out from places with inadequate port facilities. and which were within easy reach of enemy forces. The necessity tor carrying out the embarkations by night meant that each load of men had to be taken 360 miles to Egypt during the whole fourteen hours of daylight. These voyages were carried out in face cf extremely heavy enemy air attack. In. the circumstances, it was impossible to assess with accuracy the damage inflicted on enemy aircraft by anti-air-craft gunfire, but it is known that many enemy planes were destroyed and others damaged. Naval aircraft, during the operations, also shot down four enemy planes and probably destroyed others and damaged three. “During the withdrawal from Suda Bay,” the communique states, “the Ftoyal Marines formed the rearguard. These men, who had been carrying out various duties, as well as manning defences. were hastily formed into an infantry brigade, under Major-General C. Weston, of the Royal Marines. They fought with great gallantry and proved themselves worthy of the highest tradition of the Corps. It is known that a number of this brigade had to be left in Crete.”