Part 31: Turn 27: 1100 23rd May

Game Turn 27: 1100, 23rd May

With the Allied and German forces so mixed, another errant air strike attacks the now-vacated entrenchments of the Allies, strafing some of the 3rd Company LLSR troops, but thankfully this incident of friendly fire has little result. More 5th Gebirgs Division troops arrive, this time some dual purpose and HE direct fire guns. Some preparatory artillery is fired but overall the front, at least for the Germans, is quiet. The Pioneers move to Hill 107 in preparation of creating entrenchments there, just in case.



Not hitting entrenched opposition any more, the troops of the LLSR are on form, and push the attack against the Australians, who face a storm of artillery, mortar and small arms fire, taking many casualties. The Commonwealth troops are getting hit hard, and the advantage in guns and training is beginning to take its toll on the Australians and Kiwis currently fighting on the front.



The 2nd NZ Division tries to answer back the artillery fire, but the radio connection seems to be scrambled and only one of the artillery batteries manages to fire. The fire is aimed towards the troops of the GJR 100, which take some casualties.



The Australians, now knowing there is no one left to rescue, start pulling back, providing some cover fire with their mortars in order to pull back their most exposed positions. This is effective, and the two half-companies in the salient manage to pull back without casualties.



The LLSR keeps moving forward, their artillery helping to cover the advance, and causing many casualties on the retreating Australians that are caught in the open. Casualties on the 19th Bde are mounting, and it's likely that the Brigade, along with the 4th NZ Bde to the south of them, will have to pull back to more defensible positions, which their engineers are trying to set up in the rear.



1 FJR continues their attempted assault on Heraklion. A company from the York and Lancashire Regiment takes the brunt of the fire, with many casualties, but an attack on the dock is repulsed. The 14th Bde answers back, taking out some of the recoilless rifle squads from 13th Company.



In Rethymnon, the mop-up troops column-up and start heading east, while the rest of the Australians make contact with the German support guns, hoping to take them down swiftly.



The Australians keep retreating back, inch by inch, but the cover provided by artillery and mortars is effective enough, making the German fire ineffective. The engineers in the back start to build the necessary fortifications for the planned defensive line a few kilometres back.



The MNDBO has nearly finished it's clean-up duty, with one infantry company surrendering and a recoilless rifle platoon being overrun. This includes the fight against Detachment Gentz, which has been a low-intensity battle for the last 4 days.



Seeing the Australians pull back slightly, the Kiwis also reform their line while trying to keep the heads of the Mountain soldiers down. This is relatively effective, and only light casualties are reported. Over several hours, the defensive line has been pulled back at least 500 meters from where it was originally, with the entire front line bombarded with covering fire in order to do so.



In Kastelli, the Greeks are pressed hard, but manage to keep away the German assaults, although the best Greek unit, the gendarmes from Kastelli itself, are hit hard by the German assault.