Thursday, November 02, 2023

Action at Retimo from 26 May

 On the morning of 26 May, the tank was moving towards the St. Georges Church. As it advanced, the tank turret was hit by a German shell. The turret was jammed and the tank commander was "stunned". That caused the church attack to be cancelled. 

The 2.1st Battalion had a captured German mortar. Using that mortar they fired on the house at the right and caused the thirty German occupants to leave. The nearby Greeks were happy to see the Germans leave and the Greeks moved into the house. The Germans near the olive oil factory were "well-arned" and kept firing on the Australians. 

Early on 26 May, Campbell sent a tank and a platoon out, as he heard the firing slow. He wanted themto scout in that area. The infantry reached the edge of Stavromenos. The men had support from the tank and from 75mm gun fire from Hill A. Captain Embrey decided to attack the factory, since he had so easily moved forward. The Australians captured some 42 wounded and 40 unwounded Germans. From the prisoners, they heard that three German officers along with 30 men had moved to the east. 

This is based on the account in "Greece, Crete, and Syria" by Gavin Long

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