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Battle of Crete

Battle of Crete was a battle fought on 20 May 1941 at Crete, in what is now Greece; it lasted 12 days. It was part of World War II, which ran from 1939 to 1945. The recorded result: Axis victory.

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Battle of Crete
United States Military Academy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought20 May 1941lasted 12 days
WhereCrete, Greece35.500N, 24.061E
OutcomeAxis victory
BelligerentsAllies: United Kingdom; Kingdom of Greece; Dominion of New Zealand; AustraliaagainstAxis: Germany; Fascist Italy (1922-1943)
Part ofWorld War IIWorld War II in the Balkans

Where it sits in World War II

Battle of Pochonbo, 1937Battle of Wizna, 1939Bombing of Warsaw in World War II, 1939Baltic Sea campaigns, 1939Battle of Lwów, 1939Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski, 1939Battle of Łódź, 1939Battle of Cześniki, 1939Battle of Mikołów, 1939Battle of Pszczyna, 1939Battles of Parczew, Jabłoń and Milanów, 1939Adriatic Campaign of World War II, 1939Battle of Durrës, 19391939 Invasion of Poland, 1939Battle of Westerplatte, 1939Operation Tannenberg, 1939Defense of the Polish Post Office in Danzig, 1939Bombing of Wieluń, 1939Battle of Mława, 1939Charge at Krojanty, 1939Defense of the Coast of Poland in the September Campaign, 1939Battle of Mokra, 1939Battle of the Border, 1939Battle of Chojnice, 1939Battle of Lasy Królewskie, 1939Battle of Węgierska Górka, 1939Battle of Grudziądz, 1939Battle of Jordanów, 1939Battle of Częstochowa, 1939Battle of Borowa Góra, 1939Raid on Fraustadt, 1939Bombing of the railway station in Koło, 1939Battle of the Atlantic, 1939Defense of Katowice, 1939Battle of Piotrków 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Elverum 1940, 1940Battle of Dombås, 1940Battle of Hegra Fortress, 1940the battle of Bjørnefjell 1940, 1940Battle of Gratangen, 1940Battle of Høljarast Bridge, 1940Battle for Kvam, 1940Battle of Eiunna Bridge, 1940Bombing of Kristiansund, 1940Bombardment Sint-Niklaas, 1940Battle of Vinjesvingen, 1940Siege of Fort Hegra, 1940Battle of France, 1940German invasion of Belgium, 1940Battle of Fort Eben-Emael, 1940German invasion of Luxembourg, 1940Battle for The Hague, 1940Battle of Maastricht, 1940Battle of Bree and Bocholt, 1940Battle of the Grebbeberg, 1940Battle of Mill, 1940Battle of Hannut, 1940Battle of the Afsluitdijk, 1940Battle of Sedan, 1940German invasion of the Netherlands, 1940Rotterdam Blitz, 1940Battle of Gembloux, 1940Battle of La Horgne, 1940Battle of Leuven, 1940Battle of Montcornet, 1940Battle of Arras, 1940Battle of Boulogne, 1940Battle of the Lys, 1940Battle of Gijzenzele, 1940Battle of Stonne, 1940Battle of Dunkirk, 1940Battle of the Ypres-Comines Canal, 1940Belgian share in the evacuation of Dunkirk, 1940Siege of Lille, 1940Bombing of Genoa in World War II, 1940Actions in Nordland, 1940Dunkirk evacuation, 1940Battle of Abbeville, 1940Bombing of Ingøy, 1940Operation Juno, 1940Battle of Amiens, 1940Battle of Pont-de-l'Arche, 1940North African campaign, 1940Italian invasion of France, 1940Battle of the Mediterranean, 1940Siege of Malta, 1940Western Desert campaign, 1940Psilander Affair, 1940Operation Collar, 1940Battle of the Espero Convoy, 1940Battle of Pont Saint-Louis, 1940Brighton Blitz, 1940Attack on Mers-El-Kebir, 1940Plymouth Blitz, 1940Action off Calabria, 1940Operation Ambassador, 1940Battle of Cape Spada, 1940Operation Hurry, 1940Birmingham Blitz, 1940Adlertag, 1940Bombing of Milan in World War II, 1940Bombing of Chemnitz in World War II, 1940Italian invasion of Egypt, 1940Italian bombing of Mandatory Palestine in World War II, 1940Battle of Britain Day, 1940Battle of Dakar, 1940Battle of Graveney Marsh, 1940Battle of Cape Passero, 1940Italian air raid on Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, 1940Attack on Convoy BN 7, 1940Air attack on Pilsen on October 21, 1940., 1940World War II in the Balkans, 1940Air Attack on Pilsen on October 28, 1940, 1940Battle of Gabon, 1940Battle of Taranto, 1940Operation MB8, 1940Battle of the Strait of Otranto, 1940Bombardments of Crotone, 1940Air attack on Pilsen on November 20, 1940, 1940Battle of Cape Spartivento, 1940German attacks on Nauru, 1940Operation Compass, 1940Battle of Nibeiwa, 1940Battle of Sidi Barrani, 1940Bombing of Mannheim in World War II, 1940Siege of Giarabub, 1940Battle of Moscow, 1941Battle of Kiev, 1941Battle of Smolensk, 1941Battle of Rostov, 1941Battle of Thermopylae, 1941Battle of the Caribbean, 1941Summer War, 1941Battle of Vevi, 1941Soviet air strikes on Berlin, 1941Bombing of Wiener Neustadt in World War II, 1941Battle of Minsk, 1941Battle of Bardia, 1941Operation Excess, 1941Battle of Ko Chang, 1941British capture of Tobruk, 1941Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941, 1941Battle of Kufra, 1941Operation Sonnenblume, 1941Battle of Beda Fomm, 1941Operation Colossus, 1941Swansea Blitz, 1941Operation Abstention, 1941Clydebank Blitz, 1941Bombing of Eindhoven Gas Holder in World War II, 1941Operation Claymore, 1941Raid on Souda Bay, 1941Battle of Cape Matapan, 1941Battle of Greece, 1941Bombing of Sarajevo in World War II, 1941Action of 4 April 1941, 1941Bombing of Belgrade in 1941, 1941Kyustendil Air Raid, 1941Bombing of Høyanger, 1941Siege of Tobruk, 1941Battle of Ptolemaida, 1941Battle of Kleisoura Pass, 1941Battle of Olympus, 1941Battle of Lake Kastoria, 1941Battle of the Tarigo Convoy, 1941Invasion of Yugoslavia, 1941Battle of Tempe Gorge, 1941Bardia raid, 1941Battle of Athens, 1941Second Battle of Amba Alagi, 1941Greenock Blitz, 1941Action of 8 May 1941, 1941Nottingham Blitz, 1941Operation Brevity, 1941Operation Rheinübung, 1941Battle of Crete, 1941Battle of Heraklion, 1941Battle of Rethymno, 1941Battle of the Denmark Strait, 1941Last battle of the 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1944Operations Ginny I and II, 1944Battle of Lanzerath Ridge, 1944Battle of Murowana Oszmianka, 1944Bombing of Timisoara in WW2, 1944Battle of Ceber, 1944Bombing of Friedrichshafen in World War II, 1944Bombing of Brasov in WW2, 1944Bombing of Normandy, 1944Operation Baobab, 1944Battle of Graignes, 1944Bombing of Ludwigshafen and Oppau in World War II, 1944Action of 26 April 1944, 1944Valibona, 1944Operation Tempest, 1944Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive, 1944Battle of Monte Cassino, 1944Battle of Anzio, 1944Battle of Rapido River, 1944Battle of the Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket, 1944Nikopol–Krivoi Rog Offensive, 1944Battle of Cisterna, 1944Kingisepp–Gdov Offensive, 1944Battle for Narva Bridgehead, 1944Battle of Rivne, 1944Rovno–Lutsk Offensive, 1944Narva Offensive February 1944, 1944Bombing of Monte Cassino, 1944Operation Jericho, 1944Big Week, 1944Bombing of Nijmegen, 1944Battle of Kovel, 1944Battle of Ist, 1944Bereznegovatoye–Snigirevka offensive, 1944March 1944 Narva Offensive, 1944Narva Offensive, 1944Via Rasella attack, 1944Skirmish near Sadkówka, 1944Odesa offensive, 1944Ol′shanskiy amphibious landing, 1944Biarritz Bombing, 1944Operation "Ukrainian Committee", 1944Battle of Ternopil, 1944Bombing of Schaffhausen, 1944Operation Tungsten, 1944Bombing of Treviso in World War II, 1944Air strike on Darnitsa, 1944Crimean Offensive, 1944Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket, 1944First Battle of Târgu Frumos, 1944Battle of Gurby, 1944Bombing of April 21, 1944, 1944Raid on Santorini, 1944Air raid on Gerolzahn, 1944Air raid on Reisenbach, 1944Battle of 25 April 1944, 1944Exercise Tiger, 1944Landing of Turkestan legionnaires near Guryev, 1944Operation Höss, 1944Operation Diadem, 1944Operation Steinbock, 1944Operation Frantic, 1944Battle of Mont Mouchet, 1944Bombing of Cluj in WW2, 1944Bombing of Miskolc, 1944Operation Tonga, 1944Operation Dingson, 1944Normandy landings, 1944Operation Overlord, 1944Battle for Caen, 1944Battle of Cherbourg, 1944Invasion of Normandy, 1944Brécourt Manor Assault, 1944Operation Deadstick, 1944Battle of Merville Gun Battery, 1944American airborne landings in Normandy, 1944Operation Mallard, 1944Bombing of Caen, 1944Operation Perch, 1944Battle of Port-en-Bessin, 1944Bombing of La Riche, 1944Battle of Ushant, 1944Battle of Carentan, 1944Attack on Panzer Group West's headquarters at La Caine, 1944Operation Cooney, 1944Battle of Le Mesnil-Patry, 1944Battle of Villers-Bocage, 1944Battle of Bréville, 1944Battle of Bloody Gulch, 1944Mission Albany, 1944bombing of Angoulême in June 1944, 1944Invasion of Elba, 1944Battle of Douvres Radar Station, 1944Battle of Nerva Island, 1944Battle of la Truyère, 1944Mogilev Offensive, 1944Operation Martlet, 1944Operation Epsom, 1944Bobruysk Offensive, 1944Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive, 1944Battle of Cecina, 1944Battle of Ancona, 1944Vilnius Offensive, 1944Battle of Filottrano, 1944Battle of La Haye-du-Puits, 1944Minsk Offensive, 1944Operation Windsor, 1944Polotsk Offensive, 1944Šiauliai Offensive, 1944Belostock Offensive, 1944Battle of Pierres Noires, 1944Battle of Roquefixade, 1944Operation Ostra Brama, 1944Operation Charnwood, 1944Operation Jupiter, 1944Rezekne-Daugavpils offensive, 1944Battle of Foret de Mont Castre, 1944Battle of Amfilochia, 1944Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive, 1944Raid on Symi, 1944Battle of Brody, 1944Second Battle of the Odon, 1944Operation Goodwood, 1944Battle of Mount Gargan, 1944Battle of Verrières Ridge, 1944Battle of Chora - Agorelitsa, 194420 July plot, 1944Air raid on Walldürn, 1944Lwów Uprising, 1944Battle of Saint-Lô, 1944Narva Offensive, 1944Battle of Bizani Street, 1944Operation Bulbasket, 1944Operation Cobra, 1944Siegfried Line Campaign, 1944Battle of Tannenberg Line, 1944Operation Spring, 1944Battle of Montecarotto, 1944Battle of Daugavpils, 1944Bombing of Hildesheim in World War II, 1944Battle of Ljubno, 1944Battle of Młodzawy, 1944Battle of Radzymin, 1944Lorient pocket, 1944Battle of Kopaonik, 1944Battle of Karoutes, 1944Battle of Skalbmierz, 1944Battle of Jaksicami, 1944Osovets Offensive, 1944Battle for Brest, 1944Operation Bluecoat, 1944Vyronas bloko, 1944Operation Totalize, 1944Battle for Hill 140, 1944Tartu Offensive, 1944Falaise Pocket, 1944Operation Loyton, 1944Bombing of Hajdúböszörmény in the WWII, 1944Operation Lüttich, 1944Skirmish near Baranów, 1944bombing of Angoulême in August 1944, 1944Battle of Port Cros, 1944Operation Doppelkopf, 1944Battle of La Ciotat, 1944Executions of Kokkinia, 1944Battle of Chambois, 1944Operation Bagration, 1944Liberation of Paris, 1944Liberation of Martigues, 1944Operation Tractable, 1944Battle of Marseille, 1944Battle of Montélimar, 1944Operation Madelaine, 1944Battle of Audierne Bay, 1944Bombing of Brno in World War II, 1944Kaunas Offensive, 1944Battle of Toulon, 1944Battle of Nice, 1944Kallithea bloko, 1944Operation Goodwood, 1944Koukaki roundup, 1944Operation Rübezahl, 1944Battle of Meximieux, 1944Operation Nordlicht, 1944Allied Siege of La Rochelle, 1944Battle for Kraljevo Bridgehead, 1944Operation Waldfest, 1944Bombing of Le Havre, 1944Liberation of Belgium, 1944Liberation of Lyon, 1944Battle of Gemmano, 1944Battle of Merksem, 1944Battle of Nancy, 1944Battle of Turda, 1944Operation Houndsworth, 1944Battle of the Dukla Pass, 1944Battle of Moerbrugge, 1944Air battle over the Ore Mountains, 1944Operation Astonia, 1944Royan pocket, 1944Battle of Gravellona Toce, 1944Battle of Rimini, 1944Battle of Meligalas, 1944Operation Dragoon, 1944Battle of Hürtgen Forest, 1944Battle of Păuliş, 1944Siege of Dunkirk, 1944Operation Paravane, 1944Operation Market Garden, 1944Battle of Arnhem, 1944Battle of Nijmegen, 1944Allied bombing of Belgrade (1944), 1944Battle of Arracourt, 1944Battle of San Marino, 1944Battle of Porkuni, 1944Tallinn Offensive, 1944Battle of Metz, 1944Moonsund Landing Operation, 1944Battle of Overloon, 1944Operation Undergo, 1944Battle of Aachen, 1944Battle of the Scheldt, 1944Battle of Übach – Palenberg, 1944Operation Pistol, 1944Battle of Opheusden, 1944Bombing of Laksevåg, 1944Battle of Memel, 1944Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive, 1944Battle of Tehumardi, 1944Stracin-Kumanovo Operation, 1944Battle of Crucifix Hill, 1944Courland Pocket, 1944Battle of Purocielo, 1944Amphibious Operation at Liinahamari, 1944Battle of Vukov Klanac, 1944Bombing of Braunschweig in World War II, 1944Operation Hurricane, 1944Aerial Bombing of Gorla, 1944Battle of the University, 1944Battle of Carei, 1944Operation Pegasus, 1944Riga Offensive, 1944Battle of Leszczawa Górna, 1944Lost Battalion, 1944Battle of Debrecen, 1944Budapest offensive, 1944Operation Obviate, 1944Gumbinnen Operation, 1944Bataille de Bruyères, 1944Battle of Walcheren Causeway, 1944Aarhus Air Raid, 1944Battle of Kilkis, 1944Niš incident, 1944Battle of Porta Lame, 1944Operation Infatuate, 1944Operation Clipper, 1944Operation Catechism, 1944Bregalnitsa-Strumica operation, 1944Battle of Vianden, 1944Battle of Našice, 1944Kosovo Operation, 1944Liberation of Strasbourg, 1944Belgrade offensive, 1944Baltic Offensive, 1944Battle of Monte Castello, 1944Battle of Broekhuizen, 1944Battle of Batina, 1944Dekemvriana, 1944Battle of Haalderen, 1944Operation Caesar, 1944Battle of the Bulge, 1944Operation Queen, 1944Battle of Kesternich, 1944Bombing of Siegen in World War II, 1944Operation Stösser, 1944Losheim Gap, 1944Bloody Sunday, 1944Battle of Clervaux, 1944Siege of Bastogne, 1944Battle of St. Vith, 1944Siege of Budapest, 1944Elsenborn Ridge, 1944Battle of Garfagnana, 1944Battle of Heartbreak Crossroads, 1944Operation Nordwind, 1944Operation Bodenplatte, 1945Final operations in Slovenia, 1945Battle of Bautzen, 19451945 Bombing of Prague, 1945Battle of Kolberg, 1945Battle of Groningen, 1945Mostar Operation, 1945Siege of Danzig, 1945Battles for Wilhelmshaven, 1945Battle of Aschaffenburg, 1945Action of 28 January 1945, 1945Battle of Bydgoszcz, 1945Battle of Mława, 1945Air Raids on Paderborn, 1945Battle of Mortirolo, 1945Battle of Bure, 1945Operation Solstice (Alsace), 1945Vistula–Oder Offensive, 1945East Prussian Offensive, 1945World War II destructions in Magdeburg, 1945Liberation of Warsaw, 1945Operation Konrad III, 1945Battle of Tarnova, 1945Liberation of Łódź, 1945Battle of Koło, 1945Battle of Opole, 1945Battle of Jebsheim, 1945Siege of Breslau, 1945Battle of Poznań, 1945Heiligenbeil Pocket, 1945Battle for the Kapelsche Veer, 1945Operation Blackhawk, 1945Battle of Żory (1945), 1945Battle of Kosmach, 1945Operation Solstice, 1945Operation Veritable, 1945Colmar Pocket, 1945Black Friday, 1945East Pomeranian Offensive, 1945Siege of Glogau, 1945Bombing of Dresden, 1945Operation Encore, 1945Battle of Riva Ridge, 1945Bombing of Salzwedel in World War II, 1945Luftangriff auf Wallhausen, 1945Operation Grenade, 1945Bombing of Pforzheim in World War II, 1945Lower Silesian Offensive, 1945Operation Blockbuster, 1945Operation Plunder, 1945Battle of Schoenfeld, 1945Bombing of the Bezuidenhout, 1945Battle of the Transdanubian Hills, 1945Battle of Remagen, 1945Operation Lumberjack, 1945Bombing of Ljubljana in World War II, 1945Moravia–Ostrava offensive, 1945bombing of Swinemünde, 1945Battle of Prudnik, 1945Battle of the Ligurian Sea, 1945Lika-Primorje operation, 1945Operation Carthage, 1945Operation Bowler, 1945Air raid on Neckargerach, 1945Battle of Zhovkva, 1945Bombing of České Budějovice in World War II, 1945Operation Varsity, 194525th March 1945 Bombing of Prague, 1945Battle of Frankfurt, 1945The Long Fight, 1945Operation Sarajevo, 1945Battle of Lijevče Field, 1945Upper Silesian Offensive, 1945Battle of Würzburg, 1945Operation Teardrop, 1945Battle of the Oder–Neisse, 1945Operation Tombola, 1945Operation Herring, 1945Battle of the Argenta Gap, 1945Battle of Kassel, 1945Operation Roast, 1945Bombing of Turin in World War II, 1945Bombing of Bologna in World War II, 1945Battle of Ořechov, 1945Battle of Königshofen, 1945Battle of Heilbronn, 1945Battle of Königsberg, 1945Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, 1945Operation Amherst, 1945Battle of Bologna, 1945Battaglia del Senio, 1945Samland Offensive, 1945Battle of Mołomotkami, 1945Bombing of Potsdam, 1945Battle of Montese, 1945Operation Spring Awakening, 1945Battle of Berlin, 1945Battle of the Seelow Heights, 1945Battle of Nuremberg, 1945Battle of Gaiana, 1945Ruhr Pocket, 1945Battle of Hamburg, 1945Battle for Merkendorf, 1945Battle of Odžak, 1945Battle in Berlin, 1945Race to Berlin, 1945Battle of Halbe, 1945Bombing of Obersalzberg, 1945Bombing of Vallø, 1945Battle of Collecchio, 1945Battle of Radekhiv, 1945Battle of Haglebu, 1945Operation Cowboy, 1945Storming of the Reichstag, 1945Battle of Opicina, 1945Race for Trieste, 1945Battle of Castle Itter, 1945Bratislava-Brno Offensive, 1945Prague offensive, 1945Battle of Kuryłówka, 1945Battle of Břest, 1945Western Allied invasion of Germany, 1945Operation Doomsday, 1945Battle of Slivice, 1945Attack on the NKVD Camp in Rembertów, 1945Attack on Variazh, 1945Raid on Stanislav, 1945Attack on Werbkowice Railway Station, 1946Attack on Hrubieszów, 1946Operation B, 1947Battle of Partizánska Ľupča, 1947Battle of Nezbudská Lúčka, 1947Battle of Sushky, 1955Battle of the Bozhykiv Forest, 196019371960Battle of Crete, 1941
1155 placed engagements of World War II in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date20 May 1941
to 1 June 1941
PlaceCrete, Greece
35.500N, 24.061E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Territorial changeAxis forces occupy Crete; Establishment of Fortress Crete
StrengthUnited Kingdom: 18,047; Greece: 10,258 – 11,451; New Zealand: 7,702; Australia: 6,540; Total: 42,547Germany: 22,000 paratroopers and mountain troops; 280 bombers; 150 dive bombers; 180 fighters; 500 transports; 80 troop gliders; Italy: 2,700
Casualties and lossesBritish Commonwealth: 3,579+ killed and missing; 1,918 wounded; 12,254 captured; Greece: 544+ killed and missing; 5,225 captured; Material: Royal Navy: 12 fleet and 7 auxiliary ships sunk, 22 damaged; Royal Air Force: 21 aircraft shot down; 12 aircraft destroyed on ground; Total: ~23,000 total casualties; 4,000 to 6,000 killed (4,000 ground troops, 2,000 sailors)Luftwaffe: 1,032 killed; 1,632 wounded; 2,097 missing (including aircrew losses); 5th Mountain Division: 321 killed; 488 wounded; 324 missing; Material: Luftwaffe: 284 aircraft lost, 125 damaged; Italy: 1 destroyer damaged; 1 torpedo boat damaged; Total: 5,894 casualties; Over 500 Greek civilians executed by Axis soldiers.
Commanders
  • Robert Laycock
  • Bernard Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg
Battle of CreteBattle of CreteSiege of SoudaBattle of 42nd StreetSiege of ChaniaSiege of ChaniaRaid on Souda BaySiege of SoudaSiege of ChaniaIraklio100 km35.500N, 24.061E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Crete
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 50 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Crete today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-09-11. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 2 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from -3 to 606 m, 610 m of relief, steep country and today it is 38% tree cover, 19% built-up, 19% water.

tree cover: 38%built-up: 19%water: 19%grassland: 14%shrubland: 8%tree cover 38%built-up 19%water 19%grassland 14%shrubland 8%
west to east, 10.0 km0 to 53 mnorth to south, 10.0 km0 to 462 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 5 times between 1645 and 1941.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1941

Battle of Crete is one of 4,429 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 529 in present-day Greece.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q153316, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Crete, revision 1385041091, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.