Nkhondo ya Heraklion

Gulu la asilikali achijeremani akutuluka mu ndege ya Junkers Ju 52 kudutsa tawuni ya Heraklion panthawi ya nkhondo ya Germany kumpoto kwa Krete. Utsi wawukulu wa utsi (pakati) umasonyeza malo a German Ju 52, omwe anawomberedwa ndi moto wogwirizana.

Nkhondo ya Heraklion inali mbali ya nkhondo ya ku Krete, yomwe inamenyedwa pa nthawi ya nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse pa chilumba cha Greek cha Crete pakati pa 20 ndi 30 May 1941. British, Australia ndi Greek asilikali a 14 Infantry Brigade, olamulidwa ndi Brigadier Brian Chappel, adateteza doko la Heraklion. ndi bwalo la ndege polimbana ndi kuwukira kwa paratrooper waku Germany ndi 1st Parachute Regiment of the 7th Air Division, motsogozedwa ndi Colonel Bruno Bräuer.

Kuukira kwa Heraklion masana a 20 May kunali chimodzi mwa zigawenga zinayi za ndege ku Krete tsiku lomwelo, kutsatira kuukira kwa Germany motsutsana ndi Maleme airfield ndi doko lalikulu la Chania kumadzulo kwa Krete m'mawa. Ndege yomwe idagwetsa owukira m'mawa idayenera kusiya Gulu la 1st ku Heraklion pambuyo pake tsiku lomwelo. Chisokonezo ndi kuchedwa pa mabwalo a ndege ku mainland Greece kunatanthauza kuti chiwembucho chinayambika popanda thandizo lachindunji la mpweya, ndi maola angapo osati nthawi imodzi; mayunitsi ena anali akadali pabwalo la ndege kumapeto kwa tsiku. Magulu achijeremani omwe amagwera pafupi ndi Heraklion adavulala kwambiri, chifukwa cha moto wapansi komanso pakutera. Awo amene anatsikira kutali analepheretsedwa kwambiri ndi anthu wamba a ku Kerete okhala ndi zida. Kuukira koyamba kwa Germany kunalephera; pamene idakonzedwanso tsiku lotsatira idalepheranso. Kenako ndewuyo inathera pompo.

Gulu lankhondo la German 5th Mountain Division liyenera kulimbikitsa asilikali a paratroopers ku Heraklion panyanja, kubweretsa zida zankhondo ndi mfuti zotsutsana ndi ndege. Idachedwa panjira, idapatutsidwa ku Maleme, kenaka idalandidwa ndi gulu lankhondo lankhondo la Britain ndikubalalika. Mtsogoleri wamkulu wa ku Germany, Lieutenant-General Kurt Student, adaika ndalama zonse pankhondo ya Maleme airfield, yomwe Ajeremani adapambana. The Allied Commander-in-Chief Middle East, General Archibald Wavell, adalamula kuti achoke ku Crete pa 27 May ndipo 14th Brigade inachotsedwa ndi zombo zankhondo za Allied usiku wa 28/29 May. Pobwerera ku Alexandria owononga awiri adamizidwa, oyenda panyanja awiri adawonongeka kwambiri, opitilira 440 Allied servicemen adaphedwa, opitilira 250 adavulala ndipo 165 adatengedwa akaidi. Chifukwa cha kuwonongeka kwawo kwakukulu ku Krete, Ajeremani sanayesenso ntchito zazikulu za ndege pa nthawi ya nkhondo.