The Battle of Crete, Operation Mercury, was fought during WWII on and around the island of Crete in the Mediterranean sea.  It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Germany began an airborne invasion.

The defence of Crete evolved into a costly naval engagement with 50 Royal Navy and Australian warships involved.  By the end of the campaign the Royal Navy's eastern Mediterranean strength had been reduced to only two battleships and three cruisers.

The Royal Navy lost:-

HMS GLOUCESTER (725 dead)

HMS FIJI (5 dead, 271 missing, 24 wounded)

HMS CALCUTTA (9 dead, 108 missing, 40 wounded)

HMS KASHMIR (82 missing, 14 wounded)

HMS KELLY (3 dead, 127 missing, 17 wounded)

HMS JUNO (12 dead, 116 missing, 21 wounded)

HMS IMPERIAL (1 wounded)

HMS HEREWARD (5 dead, 165 missing)

HMS GREYHOUND (1 dead, 83 missing, 23 wounded)

HMS DIAMOND (155 missing, 1 wounded)

HMS WRYNECK (108 missing, 5 wounded)

22 PHOTOGRAPHS INCLUDING:

HMS AJAX

HMS CALCUTTA

HMS COVENTRY

HMS DIDO

HMS FIJI

HMS GLOUCESTER

HMS ILEX

HMS IMPERIAL

HMS JACKAL

HMS JUNO

HMS KANDAHAR

HMS KELLY

HMS KINGSTON

HMS KIPLING

HMS NAIAD

HMS NUBIAN

HMS ORION

HMS PHOEBE

HMS VALIANT

HMS WARSPITE