Visit Hill 107 and Tavronitis Bridge, Maleme, Crete, Greece

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Tavronitis Bridge played a vital role during the Battle of Crete and it was one of the Germans primary targets during their assault on Crete. Close by is a RAF Memorial dedicated to the RAF pilots that fell during the battle. At 08:00 on 20 May 1941, German paratroopers, jumping out of dozens of Junkers Ju 52 aircraft, landed near Maleme airfield and the town of Chania. Most of the parachutists were engaged by New Zealanders defending the airfield and Greek. The 21st, 22nd and 23rd New Zealand battalions held Maleme airfield and the vicinity. At the heart of this was a three-day struggle for the high ground of Hill 107, its ragged crest casting a shadow over the airfield, possession of which would determine whether reinforcements could be flown in. Without these, the German paratroopers - their numbers already decimated by ferocious defensive fire - would not be able to hold out. The Germans suffered many casualties in the first hours of the invasion, a company of III Battalion, 1st Assault Regiment lost 112 killed out of 126 men and 400 of 600 men in III Battalion were killed on the first day.

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