Military Model Scene

Title: The Hill
Author: Robert Kershaw
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978-1-4728-6455-0

'The Brutal Fight for Hill 107 in the Battle of Crete', a new book from author Robert Kershaw (who also wrote Dunkirchen 1940) and Osprey. A 368-page hard-cover book.
A key feature in the battle for Crete, hill 107 overlooks the airstrip at Maleme. The defending forces had come to Crete after they were pushed out of Greece itself after the German invasion. Those commonwealth troops, British and especially New Zealanders in the case of hill 107, were still recovering from their experiences on the mainland. On the other hand, the German parachute and glider troops had known only success until that time and were brimming with confidence. The defensive arrangements are explained, as are the preparations and initial assault by gliders (using the small DFS 230), along with parachutists jumping from low altitude from their Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft. The book describes very well the conditions for both sides, and how the gliders, parachutists and transport aircraft suffered badly from ground fire from the defenders. It was only last year, 2023, that I first saw a surviving DFS 230 fuselage in France. A metal framework which was covered in canvas and the troops sitting tightly packed together inside. It makes understanding the description of how machine gun fire would have caused the high levels of casualties suffered by the Fallschirmjager. Elite troops, brimming with self confidence were cut down before they could even get into action. That same groundfire also caused significant damage to the available number of Ju 52 aircraft, so less were available for subsequent drops. Another factor however was the plentiful support provided by other Luftwaffe aircraft, bombing and strafing the defenders and pinning them down in their positions. It explains the 'oil spot' strategy of Karl Student, the Fallschirmjager general who planned the assault, along with the arguments of others who disagreed with his plan. The Germans had clearly underestimated the strength of the defence they would be facing, and suffered for that accordingly. The assault troops also lost many of their senior officers, radios and heavy weapons. On the other hand, the Allied commanders also suffered setbacks, and the commander who held the dominating heights of the hill felt the need to pull back after just 2 days, leaving the hill free for the Fallschirmjager and mountain troops who were landed on Maleme airfield to seize this vital ground. With all the descriptions, from the men on both sides of the fighting bring it all to life. The dry conditions and dust, the need for water, all combined with the confusion that existed on both sides. Looking back some poor decisions were made I felt this makes it clear that they were understandable, made with the information available at the time, not with the benefit of hindsight.
I think this is about the best book I have read on the topic of the German airborne invasion of Crete. The detail is first class, and the many personal accounts really bring the whole story to life. There is also a section of archive photos which add to the main text. Success or failure was clearly a close run thing and it invites a variety of 'what if' questions. Even Cretan civilians were involved, and no quarter was given, which also resulted in some reprisals after the battle was over. I found this a fascinating read and the author also brings a real sense of what it must have felt like to be there, both for the German assault troops as well as the various Commonwealth defenders along with the senior commanders on both sides. I don't have any reservation in recommending this one.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin