About 40,000 British troops were on Crete, but disorganization and poor support weakened the force. Officers who had been on the island for weeks, almost months, were passed over for men who had arrived only days earlier. The appointments wasted available local experience. Commanders took on responsibilities without adequate preparation.
Notable Point · 0:23-0:56
British troops without coherent preparation
The British had roughly 40,000 troops on Crete, but disorganization, poor support, weak preparation, and ill-judged command appointments undermined that strength.