Operation Orion

At 17:30 in the afternoon of 20^th May 1941, the sky above Heraklion filled with Junkers Ju52 transport planes, bearing the men of the 1^st Parachute Regiment under the command of Colonel Bruno Oswald Bräuer. Codenamed Orion, this force's mission was to take the city and the aerodrome. The reception accorded by the defenders was "extremely warm", with several aeroplanes being hit before the paratroopers could even jump. Fighting on the ground was intense, as dozens of people from the town and surrounding villages flocked to help in fighting off the invasion. Particularly in the area around the aerodrome, the attackers were pinned down from the very first moment.

The following morning, divisions of paratroopers capitalizing on a renewed aerial bombardment succeeded in getting inside the walls, mainly via the Chania Gate. Street battles broke out in the town, leading to heavy losses on both sides. Finally, in the course of the night, the defenders managed to clear the town and suburbs as far as Tsalikaki and Estavromenos. On the following day Heraklion suffered violent aerial bombardment, aimed at relieving the sorely tried paratroop forces.

Clashes continued over the ensuing days, but the taking of Maleme aerodrome rendered any further defence futile. At daybreak on the 29^th of the month, the last British soldiers boarded the warships that had reached Heraklion harbour. At noon on the same day, the town fell to German forces.