The German attack on Crete, which began, just before dawn yesterday, end which was prefaced by: Monday's heavy alr bombardment, was expected, and the appointment of Major-General Freyberg as Commander-in-Chief, together with the reinforce. ment' of defences and manpower, wre Indleatlons of Allied preparedness.
Crete is a considerable menace to the enemy because of its proximity to the mainland, but its capture will prove extremely dimeult, Lacking ships, the Germans must rely on alt-Lorne troops, and "lacking landing erounde—the island ig very mountjinous—Germany must rely' on parachute troops, The use of engineless gliders, which can land more easily. on uneven Ground, was a surprise move. but the defenders were not caught unawares. The British and Allied forces are assisted in the island's defence by the warlike Cretan hilismen, whose Womenfolk even are accustomed to the constant necessity of fighting 10 Protect their homes.
Led by "the Captains of the Hills" such as' Captain Holy George, who had killed ten men when he was still Axis Plane Losses London, May 21.
The Axis and its allies have lost a total of 12635 planks, constituting the more subsiantia! part of a year's production, while the. British have fast 2010 planes to date from the start of the war, estimates based on oMfeial reports showed today.
"nomy planes" shot down over Britain throughout the war totalled 3498, and in Germany and German~ coupled. territories 1,833. "Tu the Scandinavian campaign, the British shot down 50. craft and, destroyed 2,004 over the Western Front, The TAY. destroyed $7 planes while at sea, while the Navy" air arm shot down 317, Planes destroyed in combat and on the ground inthe Middle East by British action totalled 2,000, All of these: losses were based on flea) reports of certain destruction fand therefore do not include. planes @estroyed in forced Tandings, bombed aerodromes, te.
Another ditteen per cent, additional losses could be added for crashes, te, which would be a conservative estimate, Britain lost #81 planes over the British Isles, 644 over the continent, '370 at the Western Front, §5 in ihe Scandinavian campaign, 38 at sea and 23-n the Mfiddle East-United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.