Evening star., 1941-06-10

thing to take off 1900 men with
side arms and another to land 1900
with guns and vehicles. I think it
was a remarkable thing that so
many got away.
The battle of Crete attained a
severity and fierceness which Ger
mans have not previously en-
countered in their walk through
Europe In killed, wounded, pris-
oners and missing we have lost about
$4,000 men. This takes no account
of the loss of Greeks and Cretans
who fought with the utmost bravery.
From the most precise enquiries we
believe about 5000 Germans were
drowned in trying to cross the sea
at least 10000 were killed or wounded
on the island.
In addition, the air force the Ger
mans employed sustained extraor-
dinary losses-abova 80 fighter and
bomber aircraft and at least $50
troop carrying airplanes snd this
at a time when our air strength is
overtaking the enemy. IS important
I am sure it will be found that
this somber, ferocious battle which
was lost-and lost think by no
important margin-was battle well
worth fighting and it will pay an
extremely important part in The
whole defense of the Nile Valley
throughout the whole year.
I do not think there are any re-
sponsible for it who would not take
the same decision again although,
like our critics, we would be wiser
after the event.
Lessons Will Be Learned
From Officers Reports.
AS to lessons to be learned, re-
ports from officers who took rart in
the thickest of the fighting will be
examined by the general staff and
will also be placed before Sir Alan
Brooke, who commands several mil
lion men in this island and Great
Britain, including the home guard.
There are two things to hear in
mind IN comparing what happened
in Crete with what might happen
| here.
Firstly We rely on a strong su-
periority in air power and on much
greater air power both actually and
relatively than was proved sufficient
last autumn.
Secondly the scale of effort re-
quired of the Germans would have
to be many times greater than was
necessary in Crete and this might
be beyond their resources.
However, everything will be done
to meet an air-borne or sea borne
attack launched on vast scale and
maintained with a total disregard
of losses.
An attack by parachute troops
and gliders may be likened to an
attack by incendiary bombs, which
if not extinguished quickly one by
one may lead TO an enormous con-
f1agration.
We are making many improve
ments in the defense of our air
fields and in the mobility of forces
employed on that and other tasks.
Nothing will be stinted and not a
moment will be lost.
1t is not true that Germans
clothed their parachute troops who
attacked Crete in New Zealand uni
forms.
Used New Zealand Wounded
As Screen for Attack.
gave this report to the House
as it reached me from the COM
mander in chief for the Middle
East, but he now informs me a mis-
take arose from fact that para
chute troops after landing at one
point, drove number of New Zea-
land walking wounded with them
and before them in their attack
and therefore the cry arose that
they were in New Zealand uniform.
There is no objection to the use
of parachute troops in war so long
as they are properly dressed in the
uniform of their country and that
uniform is distinctive.
Hore-Belisha has associated him
self with a movement for much
greater development of the air force
! actively associated with. the army.
Last year when we were consid-
ering our forces. the great need
was to multiply fighters and bomb
ers. 1t became an enormously i'm
portant matter.
Army cooperation sQuadrons were
associated with military corps, but
not on the scale which was desirable
or to the extent which was desirable.
think 1t is of the utmost conse-
quence that every division, especial
ly every armored division, should
have chance to train in close rela-
tionship with the particular number
OF aircraft that it knows and that it
can call on at willard under its
own command for purposes of tacti-
cal operations.
But 1t was not possible last year
to provide it on large scale without
entrenching on other domains which
were even more vital to our safety.
Intends to Provide Army
With Suitable Airplanes.
1t is our intention to 20 forward
upon that object Immediately and to
provide the Army with considerable
numbers of airplanes suited entirely
to the work they have to do and,
above all, to develop all that wire
less connection between ground
forces and air and military which
Germans have carried out to such
an extraordinary point of perfection
If this had been done in Crete
it would not have made any differ
ence, because the numbers there
for the purpose of cooperating with
divisions could not have altered the
event.
Hore-Belisha asked how it was
decided that the air force should
be withdrawn.
1t was decided by the commander
in chief for the air force in the
Middle East on recommendation of
Gen. Freyberg and was concurred
in by Group Capt. Beamish, COM