#410520_05 Retimo - Olive Oil and Wadis - North Africa 1941

Retimo, Central Crete, Greece: May 20th, 1941. (Scenario Size: Regiment Head to Head or Human vs AI for either side) Oberst Alfred Sturm was in command of the 2nd Fallschirmjaeger Regiment - at 53, he was four years older than General Major Eugen Meindl who jumped in command of the Sturm Regiment. Both men were to be out of the battle by the end of the day. Sturm's troops were part of the second drop of the day. Insufficient transports, heavy casualties among the Ju-52's in the first wave and dust rendering visibility to nil all delayed the planned afternoon assault. At both Retimo and Heraklion arrivals were piecemeal - delayed by over three hours. Despite the assault on Western Crete raging from early in the morning, no word had reached the Australian/Greek force defending Retimo. Transports had been spotted at lunch time, but the Luftwaffe only launched its suppressive raids late in the afternoon. Unfortunately for Sturm the defenders were well prepared by the time his force arrived. The 2nd Fallschirmjaeger was decimated in the landing and were to play little part for the remainder of the battle.