Page 132 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

132 airpower in 20 Century doCtrines and employment - national experienCes
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As far as the aircraft were concerned, the Fighter Command’s aeroplanes (11
P.Z.L.s, 8 Gloster Gladiators and 2 Bloch MB.151s) were stationed at the auxiliary
airfield of Amphiklia where the Germans managed to totally destroy them. A few
planes managed to fly to Elefsis Air Base and Argos only to be destroyed there.
The Bombing Squadrons were forced to move out to Elefsis from Tanagra, where
they were destroyed by a raid of Messerschmitt BG 109s. The Army Co-operation
Command at Agrinion airfield managed to save only 4 aircraft. No. 11 (Naval co-
operation) Squadron on its way to Crete was forced to land at Monemvassia due to
technical problems where it was destroyed by the Luftwaffe. No. 12 Squadron man-
aged to send one of its Dornier Do 22s to Crete. Out of a total of 9 Avro Ansons of
No. 13 Squadron, 5 managed to reach Crete.
The Battle of Crete was the last act of the Hellenic-German War. Soon after the
occupation of the island by the Germans, the Allied Forces undertook a titanic ef-
fort for the evacuation of Crete. Instructors and cadets of the Flying Training Centre
managed to leave Crete and reach Egypt.
A total of 10 RHAF aircraft eventually managed to arrive at Egypt. Five Avro
Ansons of No. 13 (Naval co-op) Squadron, one Dornier Do 22 of No. 12 Squadron
and 4 Avro 621 Tutors, with personnel of all ranks and specialties, formed the kernel
of a reborn RHAF (Figure 7).

Figure 7: The Avro Anson Mk I serial no.Π61 (N61) was among those which escaped
to Crete and then to Egypt (Archive of the History Museum, HAF 30129).