Crete - retreat over the mountains

28th May 1941: The evacuation of British forces gets under way and thousands of men must make the march to the southern beaches, in the hope of being taken off

New Zealand troops begin the long trek across the Crete Mountains during the final retreat.

As the Germans consolidated their positions on the north side of the island, it had only been possible to evacuate a minority of British forces from the only port remaining in British hands, Heraklion. The rest had to make a forced march over the centre of Crete t…