They subsequently took part in the fighting on Crete following the German invasion on 20 May. Allocated to the Chania region, the battalion – temporarily under the command of Major Arthur Key – reinforced the British around Perivolia and Mournies, before fighting to hold the line to the west Perivolia as the 19th Brigade was temporarily reorganised to include the &lt;a href="2/7th%20Battalion%20%28Australia%29"&gt;2/7th Battalion&lt;/a&gt; and the 2nd Greek Battalion, under the command of Brigadier George Vasey. The battalion was later involved in the fighting around 42nd Street, where the 2/7th and the Maori Battalion launched a ferocious bayonet assault against a German force. As the Allies withdrew towards Sphakia where the Royal Navy was attempting an evacuation, the battalion formed part of the rearguard along with the 2/7th and some Royal Marines and artillerymen, before they were temporarily reassigned to the New Zealand 5th Infantry Brigade and with them had taken up positions around the Sphakia Gorge at the end of May as the final stage of the evacuation began. A total of 203 personnel from the 2/8th subsequently embarked on the cruiser "Phoebe" and destroyer "Jackal" in the final lift on the morning of 1 June. The 2/7th was not so lucky, with all but handful being left behind to become prisoners of war.