WWII military commentator? Even a dog could be one.

Chapter 99 The Battle of Crete: The First True Special Operation

Early morning of September 31, 1940.

The German submariners endured the noise around them, occasionally stealing glances at the group of men dressed differently from the regular German air force personnel.

Their uniforms were more form-fitting, including combat suits, tactical vests, belts, chest slings, and daggers—they were armed to the teeth.

Aside from being able to see a pair of eyes, they couldn't even see each other's faces.

These guys were as silent as ice sculptures, quietly organizing their equipment and adjusting their weapons.

Red lights flashed inside the submarine, and the soldiers of the special operations battalion stood up in unison.

Pack your backpack and put on your helmet.

As night falls, the sea becomes like a dark abyss, with glimpses of moonlight visible in the distance.

The submarine surfaced, and a team of people quickly climbed to the outside to prepare the inflatable boat.

Watching the six small boats land on the sea and slowly paddle, the submarine sank again.

"My God, I really can't imagine that they only have thirty people, yet they're going to an island with thirty thousand enemies."

"Yeah, these guys are all crazy."

The naval personnel were intimidated by the group of air force soldiers. Although the air force's strength had been growing steadily over the past two years, the navy did not have much recognition of it.

The real main force is still the army, but now, a group of only thirty airmen is going to seize Crete, where 30,000 troops are stationed.

"I don't think they'll come back."

"At least they were brave; I couldn't be like that."

Rowing their oars under the cover of darkness, thirty soldiers slowly approached the island. It was 1 a.m., and they had three hours to complete their mission.

Search for suspicious areas marked by aircraft, locate air defense positions, either destroy them or mark them, and await air force bombing.

The seawater was black, and the visible light was very low. The moonlight cast shadows on the sea, and the small black boat, along with the green demon with its body lowered, made it seem as if it had become one with the sea.

The New Zealanders and Greeks never imagined that the Germans would not airdrop troops, nor would the German army request Italian cooperation to launch an attack from the north. Instead, they would use submarines to evade the Royal Navy and land from the south of Crete.

This was a daring and insane act.

The small boat docked at the shore, and the team of thirty people organized their supplies, taking out chocolates and eating them to replenish their energy.

They dragged their small boat to the shore, covered it with camouflage coverings, and lay down on the side of the rocks, quietly recovering their strength.

"Everyone, check your watches. It's 1:17 a.m. Now, take a 10-minute break. We'll move out at 1:30 a.m. sharp. We have three hours left. At 4:15 a.m., the Second Night Air Force will seize air superiority and launch the first wave of attacks. After that, the Imperial Air Force will conduct an airborne assault. The 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 5th Parachute Division will provide us with support."

"Understood!" Everyone nodded silently.

"This is a dangerous operation."

"Fearless".

"Very good, let's rest now."

On Crete, the atmosphere was relaxed on the outside but tense on the inside. Major General Bernard was still sitting at his table in short sleeves late at night, quietly writing in his diary, recording each agonizing day.

My thoughts kept running through my mind.

He knew that Germany would not allow Britain to occupy the islands near Greece, and a fierce battle was about to begin.

[My dearest Mary Jane, I'm fighting on the island. How are you? How's the baby? Tell her that Daddy will be home soon, and I miss her.]

Halfway through writing his diary, Major General Bernard didn't know how to begin.

He picked up his coffee, took a sip, and went to the entrance of the barracks, looking at the dark night sky.

Tonight will be another sleepless night.

"Arrange for personnel to patrol in shifts, and all troops, especially air defense positions, should be on high alert."

"Yes, General."

As the commander of the island's garrison, Bernard, a major general in the New Zealand division, felt a heavy burden on his shoulders.

1:45 AM on October 31th.

Two groups of German airmen, dressed in colors similar to the island's vegetation, crouched low and slowly made their way from the shore into the inland Crete, a mountainous island running east to west, making it easy to hide.

The ten-man team crossed a river, holding guns and tying ropes to each of their teammates, and crossed the turbulent waters with the help of their captain on the other side.

2:18 am.

The Green Devils' second squadron has approached the eastern part of Crete, their objective being the heavily fortified British airfield at Marama Airport on the eastern side of the island.

Acquiring the airport enabled the 5th Mountain Division of the 12th Group Army to successfully land a helicopter.

The first detachment's objective was to sever the connection between Marama Airport and the eastern city of Iraqlin, sabotage telephone lines, destroy the radio station of the New Zealand 22nd Battalion, and set up ground beacons to support the 5th Parachute Division's airborne operations.

Capture Hill 107 to the west of the airport.

The entire Marama Airport defense zone consists of only four companies under the New Zealand 22nd Battalion, three anti-aircraft artillery companies at the airport, and one artillery company.

Even so, it's a huge gamble, as the military strength of the two sides is vastly different.

The major of the first platoon, leading twenty men, crouched in the mountains, using binoculars to observe Hill 107, specifically Hill 22.

Battalion Headquarters.

He clasped his hands together and then separated them.

The twenty-man team immediately split into two groups. Group A followed the major toward the battalion headquarters, while Group B searched for the black telephone wires on the ground.

"The captain has been found."

"Cut off the lines and immediately proceed to the 107th artillery position to destroy the infantry guns and provide cover for the airfield."

Team B, carrying assault rifles with silencers, slowly approached the artillery company.

「现在是2点57分，3点15分进行渗透作战，3点45分炸毁所有步兵炮。」

From Team A's direction, the major led his men to the outer perimeter of the camp headquarters. Looking at the New Zealanders on the roof of the barracks, the major clenched his fist and then pressed his palm down.

Low-profile attack.

Swing your palms from side to side, then press down.

Simultaneous firing.

The three shooters raised their assault rifles and looked at their 2x scopes.

Puff puff!

The dull thud did not alert the other guards at the battalion headquarters.

Three patrolling British soldiers were simultaneously shot in the chest; the bullets exploded in their chest cavities, instantly shredding their hearts and lungs.

A bloody hole appeared behind the corpse lying on the ground.

Seemingly hearing the noise outside, a lieutenant on duty walked out of the barracks, just as he stepped out of the door.

The captain of Team A raised his STG44 and pulled the trigger.

puff!

The bullet left the barrel instantly, piercing the opponent's forehead. The scalp in front of the bullet was instantly torn open, and the bullet entered the brain.

boom!

The garrison lieutenant's eyes were wide open; he never imagined, even in his dying moments, that the Germans had already landed on the island.

The major stepped forward, glanced at the object briefly, raised his hand, and they each advanced.

The ten members instantly scattered, forming pairs and puffing sounds!

Deep, muffled sounds echoed around the 22nd Battalion headquarters as New Zealand soldiers on duty fell one by one, silently killed.

The major gently tapped his fists together to install the explosive device.

The other team members immediately took out white plastic explosives and placed them near the barracks around the 22nd Battalion headquarters, setting a timer to detonate them.

Putting down his assault rifle, drawing his pistol, attaching a silencer, the captain slowly approached the 22nd Battalion headquarters building. He stood at the doorway, listening intently.

His teammates nodded to him, and one of them gently pushed open the door. The major stood to one side of the door, instantly raised his pistol, and pulled the trigger.

boom!

The bullet flew out, and the soldier at the entrance of the camp fell to the ground instantly with his head tilted to the side. The team member who pushed open the door raised his assault rifle and followed the major the instant he stepped into the gate.

Puff puff!

One, two, three.

Caught off guard by the Germans' skilled CQB tactics, the New Zealanders lost three soldiers instantly.

The major battalion commander had just gotten up from the cot next to him, while the captain's eyes were flashing with fire.

With a tightening of his finger, he pulled the trigger.

puff!

The bullet struck him between the eyebrows.

The 22nd Battalion headquarters was completely silent. The garrison major never realized how the Germans had broken in, even though there were patrols outside.

"Destroy the radio station."

The team members nodded, looked at the massive battalion-level radio, and raised their weapons. Bang! Bang! Bang!

The destruction of the radio station signifies the successful completion of their first phase of operation.

"Start timing now, 3:16, set up ground guidance beacons, proceed to support Hill 107 at 3:30."

The second team has reached the edge of Marama Airport.

They checked the map markers and searched the area around the airport.

They soon discovered the anti-aircraft artillery positions hidden near the woods.

"Place the explosives at 3:50 PM!"

His men immediately hid in the darkness and passed by the anti-aircraft guns.

The New Zealanders on duty had no idea that the Germans had already arrived among them.

A soldier was standing at the edge of the woods, holding up his trousers with both hands, urinating.

A figure slowly approached from behind, drawing a trench knife from his body with his right hand. His eyes were fixed on the other person, his breath was held, and his feet moved slowly without any tension. His left hand pressed down on the other person's mouth and nose, while the blade in his right hand instantly pierced the other person's carotid artery.

His wrist kept twisting, and blood gushed out.

Red blood instantly flowed from his wrist to his arm.

The defender stared blankly ahead, wanting to shout but unable to make a sound, his mouth full of blood.

Waaaaah!

His body trembled incessantly until he slowly lost his strength.

The second squad leader grabbed the body and dragged it into the woods, gently placing it on the grass.

A low, muffled sound came from not far behind, puff puff!

Several guards fell to the ground.

The three members of the Green Devil gave their captain a thumbs up.

The explosive device has been placed.

The captain put his hands together by his ears, mimicking a sleeping posture.

Then their fists collided.

Plant explosives in the barracks to completely destroy the anti-aircraft artillery.

The night air was filled with the humid, hot sea breeze of the Mediterranean.

In the German High Command, Göring sat behind his desk with his fists clenched, while Luftwaffe Chief of Staff Jessonneck, the man who had completely ruined the future of the German Air Force in the Battle of Britain, paced back and forth beside him.

Goering got angry just looking at him.

"Can you stop?"

"I'm wondering if this is too risky."

"Listen, I am the marshal. Are you questioning me?" Göring wanted to slap him. This was my chance to become a superior man, and you, a mere chief of staff, not only failed to give me confidence but also poured cold water on my ambitions. I would dismiss you as soon as possible.

Yeshunek gave an awkward laugh. "Well, I was just being too worried."

3:44 am.

Berland felt sleepy, so he closed his diary and lay down on his bed.

Just as it fell, boom!

He felt a slight vibration in the air. Although the sound was not loud, he knew it was because of an explosion on the island from a distance.

He immediately got up and went outside the bedroom.

"What exactly happened?"

"Report: I don't know!"

Explosions occurred one after another on the artillery positions on Hill 107, west of Marama Airport.

The explosions were deafening, and infantry guns were charred black in the flames.

In the artillery camp, the sleeping soldiers were immediately awakened by the explosion.

Just after they got up in a panic.

The timer outside the barracks stopped abruptly.

boom!

Barracks were shattered into pieces by the flames. The soldiers inside didn't even have time to put on their clothes before the flames surged in from the outside. Time seemed to slow down.

The explosion blasted through the walls, sending dirt and rocks flying, followed by flames.

The stones, like sharp blades, pierced the soldiers' bodies, and the air currents propelled them into the sky, with flames rushing towards them.

Boom boom boom!

Hill 107, the artillery positions, and the headquarters of the 22nd Battalion were instantly engulfed in flames.

Two companies of defenders were killed in their sleep.

[22nd Battalion, this is the island garrison headquarters. Please respond.]

[22nd Battalion, this is the island garrison headquarters. Please respond.]

[22nd Battalion, this is the island garrison headquarters. Please respond.]

Bernard stood next to the communications soldier, looking at the soldier anxiously.

"How is it?"

"The other party did not reply."

"Power Generation Artillery Company"

[Malamara Artillery Company, this is the island garrison headquarters, please respond.]

[Malamara Artillery Company, this is the island garrison headquarters, please respond.]

"The artillery company also did not reply."

"Damn it, notify the defense zone, the 4th Brigade in Chania city, and have them proceed to Marama Airport immediately."

O

"General, what happened?"

"The Germans have landed on the island." Bernard's heart sank to the bottom. How did they get on the island? They even wiped out the 22nd Battalion without a sound. You have to understand, that's a battalion. How could there be no response at all?

"That's impossible. There were no telegrams, and we didn't even hear a loud noise."

"Fire the 23rd Battalion near the power plant immediately, quick, we don't have time!" Bernard roared.

At 3:50 a.m., upon hearing the explosion, the three airfield anti-aircraft artillery companies, fully equipped, rushed out of their barracks and ran towards their positions.

"Quickly, quickly, get into position, Germany is about to attack."

All the soldiers looked anxious.

Click!

Time seemed to stand still.

All the anti-aircraft guns exploded with a bang, followed by the barracks. The surrounding area was filled with shockwaves, air currents, and flames. The soldiers of the three companies were instantly baptized by hellfire.

"It's over!" The company commander lay on the ground, spitting out the dirt in his mouth, looking at the flames burning all around him and the soldiers lying on the ground groaning.

puff!

A bullet pierced his neck, and the captain stared wide-eyed to the side, dying with a heart full of resentment.

Ten masked green demons emerged from the side and fired finishing shots at the soldiers who were still alive on the ground.

"No, no, I surrender, please don't shoot."

The squad leader looked at the other side in a low voice, "We don't want prisoners."

"No!"

puff!

A bullet was fired from the side, and the sounds at the scene gradually faded away.

3:55 am.

"Heading to the airport. Final stage, victory!"

At 3:30 a.m., at Athens Airport, a large number of mountain troops boarded transport planes.

Two battalions of the German 5th Parachute Division were making final preparations in the glider.

"Proceeding as planned, begin the final operation codenamed Midnight Wine."

The 8th and 11th Air Corps, under the 4th Air Fleet of the German Air Force, received operational orders.

More than 400 bombers, more than 200 fighter jets, and more than 500 transport planes began to take off from southern Greece.

The entire sky was shrouded in shadow.

An unprecedented airborne operation once again demonstrated the German Air Force's insane actions to the world.