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Story: Second World War

Airborne invasion of Crete

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Airborne invasion of Crete

Official war artist Peter McIntyre's painting 'Parachutists landing on Galatas' captures the dramatic scenes on 20 May 1941 when Germans began an airborne invasion of the island of Crete. It was less than a month after the Allies' evacuation from Greece.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AAAC 898 NCWA 16

by Peter McIntyre

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Ian McGibbon, Second World War – Greece and Crete, 1941, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/34565/airborne-invasion-of-crete (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ian McGibbon, published 17 April 2012, updated 1 May 2016.