20 May in military history: the Battle of Crete, 1941

Quick answer

The German invasion of Crete began on 20 May 1941. Paratroops and glider troops attacked the island, and after thirteen days of fighting the Axis occupied Crete, while around 14,500 Allied troops were evacuated by the Royal Navy.

A mainly airborne invasion

According to HistoryOfWar.org, the German assault force of paratroopers and mountain troops numbered just over 22,000 men, flown in by Ju 52 transport aircraft and gliders. The Allied forces on the island, under Major General Bernard Freyberg, numbered some 32,000 Commonwealth troops, among them British, New Zealand and Australian units, and 10,000 Greek soldiers.¹

Peter Antill of HistoryOfWar.org calls it the first strategic use of airborne forces in history.²

Axis victory

The Axis occupied Crete. Around 14,500 Allied troops were evacuated by the Royal Navy, almost 12,000 were taken prisoner, and the remaining troops were ordered to surrender on 1 June. The Royal Navy lost three cruisers and six destroyers sunk.³

The sources below cover the invasion in full.

Also on this day

1756: Battle of Minorca. Admiral John Byng's British fleet fought a French squadron off Minorca, trying to relieve the besieged British garrison, in the first naval battle of the Seven Years' War in Europe.

Frequently asked questions

When and where was the Battle of Crete?

It was fought from 20 May to 1 June 1941 on the Greek island of Crete.

Who won the Battle of Crete?

The Axis won. The Germans occupied the island after the Allied forces, under Major General Bernard Freyberg, were defeated or evacuated.

Why was Crete important?

It was the first strategic use of airborne forces in history. The British also had advance warning from Ultra intelligence decrypted at Bletchley Park, although Freyberg was not told its true source.