On This Day in 1941 Crete ultimately fell to the Germans. Major R. Garrett, RM formed a number of the men of the M.N.B.D.O. into a rifle battalion, which acted as the rearguard during the later stages of the evacuation. They were told to fight until dawn on the 1st of June...

This they did, with such effect that they made a further two days' evacuation possible, and so helped to save 17,000 troops to fight again.
At the end the Royal Marine rearguard could not be evacuated as the boats had no room so they collected all the ammunition and their kit..

& headed for the hills to carry on fighting. A party of five officers and 134 Other ranks, including naval ratings, Australians, New Zealand and Special Service troops, and 56 Marines led by Major Garrett, put to sea in an abandoned motor landing craft....

The vessel had covered 100 miles when the petrol ran out. The Marines made a jury mast and fashioned sails from blankets. Since the unwieldy craft had no keel, she proved so difficult to steer that relays of six men had to swim alongside and push her head in the...

required direction. Although two men died on the eighth day the ingenuity saved the lives of their remaining comrades.
Having covered 200 miles they landed near Sidi Barrani. Sergeant Bowen Royal Marines, after reconnoitring five miles across the desert in the darkness...

....made contact with an anti-aircraft regiment, he arranged for Lorries to be sent the next morning.