Difference between revisions 121772679 and 121772681 on dewiki

[[Image:Work fight or perish (RC02370).jpg|thumb|An Australian Government leaflet bearing the likeness and signature of Prime Minister [[John Curtin]], telling Australians that they must make sacrifices for the war effort.]]
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While most of the 6th Division returned to Egypt, the 19th Brigade Group was sent to [[Crete]] where it formed a key part of [[Crete order of battle|the island's defences]]. The Brigade was initially successful in holding its positions when [[Battle of Crete|German paratroopers landed]] on [[20 May]], but was gradually forced to retreat. After several key airfields were lost the Allies 
were forced to evacuated the island's garrison. Approximately 3,000 members of the 6th Division could not be evacuated, however, and were taken prisoner.<ref>Coulthard-Clark (2001). Page 190.</ref>

The Allied defeat during the Greek Campaign indirectly contributed to a change of government in Australia. Prime Minister Menzies' leadership had been weakened by the lengthy period he spent in Britain in early 1941, and the high Australian losses in the Greek Campaign led many members of his [[United Australia Party]] (UAP) to conclude that Menzies was not capable of leading the Australian war effort. Menzies resigned o(contracted; show full)
* {{cite web |url=http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/index.html |title=Australia's War 1939—1945 |accessdate= |author= |date= |work= |publisher=[[Department of Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Department of Veterans' Affairs]] }}


{{Australian Military History}}
{{WWIIHistory}}

[[Category:Military history of Australia during World War II| ]]