That have Piraeus regarding process and Salonika in german hands, the sole ports kept was basically Rafina into the east and you may Megara west of Athens, and you may Nauplia, Monemvasia, and Kalamata to the Peloponnesus, Greece’s south peninsula. Passageway as a consequence of Athens at nighttime, a british soldier found so you’re able to his treat actually at that time “the fresh new courageous Greek individuals lining the new roads and you can wishing us a good fortune. It actually was terrible. It absolutely was such leaving a great sinking boat with many of one’s passengers nonetheless on-board.”

Tragically, an effective Dutch boat lingered up to beginning to help you stream, up coming with its two destroyer escorts is actually diving-bombed and you will sunk, with just 50 survivors regarding more than 700 toward all around three vessels

The newest Commonwealth pushes destroyed vehicles and you can guns to help you cut off the routes to their rear and sluggish the fresh venture. To cease heavens attack, it marched and you will boarded motorboat in the evening, following sailed zero later than simply 3 An effective.M.; the good news is in their mind, new evening was basically moonless.

One escape route is the fresh connection during the Corinth Tunnel connecting the newest Peloponnesus with the mainland. New Germans introduced a combined glider and paratroop assault on eight A great.Meters. to your April twenty six, only destroyed because of the several hours General Wilson lumbering across with the last of one’s Commonwealth pushes on the road, leaving an enthusiastic Australian rearguard to invest the new connection.

The latest Germans was indeed trying to defuse the brand new explosives in the event that link suddenly exploded, british after claiming it set off the charges with rifle photos

Once the final watercraft sailed new early morning away from April 31, 1941, 80 per cent of your Commonwealth push together with Greeks-50,662 somebody-got exhausted so you can Crete or Egypt. (suite…)