Description

WW2: Hitler’s Paratroopers – The Assault on Crete #1         Comic
Writer: Ron Ledwell
Artist: Ron Ledwell
Cover by: Ron Ledwell

The Battle of Crete, codenamed Operation Mercury, was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, with multiple German airborne landings on Crete. Greek and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. After only one day of fighting, the Germans had suffered heavy casualties, and the Allied troops were confident that they would defeat the invasion. The next day, through communication failures, Allied tactical hesitation, and German offensive operations, Maleme Airfield in western Crete fell, enabling the Germans to land reinforcements and overwhelm the defensive positions on the north of the island. Allied forces withdrew to the south coast. More than half were evacuated by the British Royal Navy and the remainder surrendered or joined the Cretan resistance. The defense of Crete evolved into a costly naval engagement; by the end of the campaign the Royal Navy’s eastern Mediterranean strength had been reduced to only two battleships and three cruisers.

The Battle of Crete was the first occasion where Fallschirmjäger (German paratroops) were used en masse, the first mainly airborne invasion in military history, the first time the Allies made significant use of intelligence from decrypted German messages from the Enigma machine, and the first time German troops encountered mass resistance from a civilian population. Due to the number of casualties and the belief that airborne forces no longer had the advantage of surprise, Adolf Hitler became reluctant to authorize further large airborne operations, preferring instead to employ paratroopers as ground troops. In contrast, the Allies were impressed by the potential of paratroopers and started to form airborne-assault and airfield-defense regiments.

Story (Spoilers!)
Issue #1, “Operation Mercury”, The Germans were among the first nations in the 1930s to raise an air assault (parachute) force. By the outbreak of WW II, they were ready to send these elite soldiers into battle. Although they had used the paratroopers tactically with considerable success in Belgium and Holland, the isolated Mediterranean island of Crete seemed to be the perfect place to use it in a large-scale operation. The British forces were in disarray on the island, having just escaped in a Dunkirk-like evacuation from the Greek mainland.

The Germans committed their entire airborne Fallschrimjager force to take the island quickly. After a brief period where the battle could have gone either way, the Germans were victorious and occupied the island for the duration of WW2. But the victory was truly a “pyrrhic” one; with huge losses in men and equipment, losses so enormous that Hitler lost confidence in the concept of airborne assault.

Never again were the Fallschrimjager committed to battle from the air. This reticence to employ the airborne forces in the manner of their design preserved the strategic Mediterranean island of Malta from German invasion, a “domino effect” which led to the defeat of Rommel in North America and the inevitable ejection of Axis forces from the entirety of North Africa.

Comic is bagged & double boarded and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

First Printing
Publisher: New England Comics
Publication Date: May 2004
Format: BW, 32 pages, Comic, 10.25″ x 6.75″
UPC: NoneStated

Collectible Entertainment note: Comic #1 is in Very Fine condition.  Very Nice!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious World War 2 enthusiast and/or collector.  A very fun & entertaining read.  Very Highly Recommended.

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