Monday, May 30, 2022

Organising a Historical refight pt 2 : The New Zealand division on Crete 1941

 The first thing was to compile a correct OOB for both sides. In this part I will cover the forces involved from the 2nd New Zealand division.

I managed to find an OOB for the battle using the Command Decision ruleset. However comparing this document with the official historys revealed some inconsistancies and also "double counting" in places Another issue was that the New Zealand division had just escaped from the German conquest of Greece and lost all its heavy weapons. thus theres plenty of support weapons missing and the artillery is very thin on the ground (and yes, the guns are correct). The entire Division was not present as 6 brigade had taken a bit of a beating and were sent back to Egypt along with most of the specialist division support battalions. There were also a number of Greek units on Crete of dubious quality.

   NZ Division.     (Brig. Puttick)                                        DHQ stand
                                                                                          2 rifle stands
                    NZ Provost coy                                              2 rifle stands
                    Greek Gendarmerie                                        1 rifle stand
 
   4th Brigade       (Brig. Inglis)                                           Brig. HQ stand
                                                                                           2 rifle stands
             Attached Units
                    E/ 27MG                                                        1 MMG stand
                    C/ 3rd Hussars                                                2 Mk VI B lt tank
                    1 Light troop RA                                             1 3.7" how

             18th Battalion ( Lt. Col. Gray)                               BHQ stand
                                                                                            1 Engineer stand
                                                                                            1 3" mortar
                     A/18                                                               3 rifle stands
                     B/18                                                               3 rifle stands
                     C/18                                                               3 rifle stands
                     D/18                                                               3 rifle stands

               19th Battalion (Maj Blackburn )                           BHQ stand
                                                                                            1 rifle stand
                                                                                            1 Engineer stand
                                                                                            1 3" mortar
                     A/19                                                               3 rifle stands
                     C/19                                                               3 rilfe stands
                     D/19                                                               3 rifle stands

 5th Brigade   (Brig. Hargest)                                              Brig. HQ
                                                                                            1 rifle stand
           Attached troops
                     5th brigade band                                              1 rifle stand
                27 Battery, 5th NZ field regiment
                      A/27                                                               3.7" how
                      B/27                                                               75mm L18 How (Italy)
                      C/27                                                               75mm L34 (french)
                      156 LAA Battery                                            40mm Bofors AA/ truck
                      7 LAA Battery                                                40mm Bofors AA ( static)
                      Field Punishment center                                   1 rifle stand
                      1 4" costal gun emplaced on Pt 107

            21st Battalion    (Lt-Col. Allen)                                 BHQ
                                                                                            1 Engineer stand
                                                                                            3" mortar
                      A/21                                                              2 rifle stands
                      B/21                                                              2 rifle stands
                      C/21                                                              2 rifle stands
                      D/21                                                              2 rifle stands

             22nd Battalion  (Lt-Col. Andrew)                         BHQ
                                                                                           1 Engineer stand
                                                                                           3" mortar
                      recon/22                                                       1 carrier stand
                      A/22                                                             3 rifle stands
                      B/22                                                             3 rifle stands
                      C/22                                                             3 rifle stands
                      D/22                                                             3 rifle stands
             attached units
                      A/27MG                                                       1 MMG
                      B/27MG                                                       1 MMG
                      7 RTR                                                           1 Matilda II
                      RAF detachement                                          3 rifle stands ( 4/4)
                                                                                           1 MMG stand (5/4)
 

         23rd Battalion    (Lt-Col Leckie)                               BHQ stand
                                                                                           1 engineer stand
                                                                                           1 3" mortar
                      A/23                                                             3 rifle stands
                      B/23                                                             2 rifle stands
                      C/23                                                             3 rifle stands
                      D/23                                                             2 rifle stands
             attached units
                      C/27MG                                                      1 MMG

         28th ( Maori) Battalion (Lt-Col Dittmer)                 BHQ stand
                                                                                          1 engineer stand
                                                                                          1 3" mortar
                      A/28                                                            3 rifle stands
                      B/28                                                            3 rifle stands
                      C/28                                                            3 rifle stands
                      D/28                                                            3 rifle stands

         Engineer Detachement                                           BHQ stand
                      7th NZ Field coy                                         4 rifle stands
                      19th Army troops coy                                  5 rifle stands

10th Brigade ( Lt-Col Kippenberg)                                 Brig. H stad
                                                                                        2 rifle stands
             attached troops
             28 Battery, 5th Field Regiment
                      F/28                                                          75mm L18 How ( Italian)
          NZ Cavalry detachment                                      3 rifle stands

          NZ Composite Battalion ( Maj. Lewis )               BHQ stand
                      4th NZ Field regiment                                3 rifle stands
                      5th NZ Field regiment                                2 rifle stands
                      NZ supply coy                                           3 rifle stands
                      NZ petrol coy                                            5 rifle stands
                      NZ RMT coy                                            4 rifle stands

          6th Greek Regiment                                          BHQ stand
                                                                                      16 rifle stands

          8th Greek Regiment                                          BHQ stand
                                                                                      12 rifle stands

          20th Battalion (Lt-Col Burrows )                         BHQ
                                                                                       1 engineer stand
                                                                                       1 3" mortar
                      A/20                                                         3 rifle stands
                      B/20                                                         3 rifle stands
                      C/20                                                         3 rifle stands
                      D/20                                                         3 rifle stands

Other Units ( from Suda area)

         2nd Greek Regiment                                           BHQ stand
                                                                                      10 rifle stands
 
        2/8 ( Australian) Battalion                                    BHQ stand
                                                                                      1 3" mortar
                      A/ 2/8                                                      2 rifle stands
                      B/ 2/8                                                      2 rifle stands
                      C/ 2/8                                                      2 rifle stands
                      D/ 2/8                                                      2 rifle stands

        Transit Camp/ ‘Royal Perivolians'                      BHQ stand
                                                                                      8 rifle stands

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