[Roxy]

Crete was a military disaster for the 'Empire' - we should never have been beaten by a airborne force with inferior numbers and firepower (at least at the start). However, it should be noted that the Germans did get a bloody nose and did not try another airborne assault during the War.

"He allowed the Australian soldiers to be sent to Greece without the Australian cabinet having a briefing from our army commanders.

"So you've got a vast body of Australian troops going to fight the best army in the world without the Australian cabinet knowing their prospects were pretty poor."

This is, I think, an oversimplification. Troops would have been sent to Crete to defend the island - does it really matter if they were British, Australian or French; they didn't go there expecting to be beaten.

Roxy