Massacre at the Aerodrome

The defence of Heraklion aerodrome was in the hands of strong, well dug-in and fully equipped British forces. Indeed, having undertaken to capture the area, the 2^nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment found itself caught up in a veritable inferno. Many men reached the ground dead or seriously wounded, while those who did manage to land in one piece were immediately pinned down by a hail of defence fire. Heat and lack of supplies, most especially water, put them in a tragic position. The wounded cried out, went delirious and in many cases lost their minds and died for lack of help. The death toll calculated the following day revealed the scale of destruction: over 300 paratroopers were dead and 100 more were injured. The 2^nd Battalion of the 1^st Parachute Regiment had quite literally been wiped out.