‘mit einem lachenden und einem weinenden Auge’May 18th
Today is Mother’s Day and I have no chance of writing to mother. This morning there was a discussion about the operations with JU52 pilots, glider pilots, platoon leaders and Oberjaeger of the parachute troops. I am carrying men of Lieut Mohr’s platoon, Sgt Wein and his men. There is a hand grenade thrower and a heavy MG as well as an automatic and other small arms and ammunition. I have now been told my landing place in Crete. It is an AA post with 6 guns at suede bay. Everything is clear. Now with a little luck, the operation will be 100% success. I am quite calm. Tuesday morning at 0715hrs is time of my landing on the island of Crete.
May 20th
Reville at 0300hrs. For the start is 0515hrs. I have packed everything into my two rucksacks and I have written no letters. I have the greatest confidence in my return. At the first attempt a lorry ran into the tow rope; at the second the towing aircraft fell out of formation but I managed to get away so we flew for about 3 1/2 hrs towards the enemy. At 0825hrs I landed my machine on Crete. The landing field was very hilly and strewn with rocks the size of a man. On landing my glider was badly shattered but my passengers were still able to fight. Things didn’t go as well with everyone. For the most part there were 50% casualties.
On our approach there was violent AA fire, there was very little fighting. Our leadership failed miserably. Much could not be attempted for the majority were disabled or dead. Late in the afternoon I wanted to fetch my haversack and water bottle but a Tommy already had them. We lay in a captured MG post until 2000hrs and during the night tried to establish contact but in vain. All we found were dead and wounded.
May 21st
We were lying at most 150 metres from the enemy’s MG post and we immediately received their fire. After a few minutes another parachutist came creeping up to us. So we lay there in the fierce heat from 0700hrs to 2000hrs without anything to drink and whenever any of us moved, however slightly, the MGs fired on us. This was the second day without water. I can scarcely speak.
May 22nd
I am lying here with my comrade Paul in our camp and again wait for the night. We can do nothing until German troops arrive and release us from this jam. In Suda Bay several ships are on fire. It is now 0630hrs and already the heat is appalling. (Source: 1E – German Glider Pilot Diary)
