Virtual Lecture: The RAF and the Battle of Crete (1941): Strategy, Tactics, and the Fight for Maleme Aerodrome
26 June 2025
On Thursday 26 June 2025 at 6pm, Dr Emmanouil (Manolis) Peponas will explore the RAF’s activities during the Battle of Crete in 1941. This lecture will be hosted virtually via Crowdcast.
Talk Outline
This lecture explores the RAF’s activities during the pivotal Battle of Crete in 1941, a critical episode of the Second World War. Based on two years of research in Greek, British, and New Zealand archives, this study aims to provide a fresh perspective on the RAF’s operational role and its broader impact on the battle’s outcome.
A central focus of the lecture is the RAF’s engagement with the local Cretan population, highlighting the dynamics of collaboration, support, and resistance in the face of Axis forces. By delving into archival materials, this analysis uncovers untold stories of solidarity and examines how these relationships influenced the RAF’s capacity to operate effectively in a challenging environment.
Another key aspect of the lecture examines the strategic significance of the Maleme aerodrome, which proved to be a decisive factor in the battle. The analysis investigates whether strategic missteps contributed to its eventual loss and assesses the wider implications of this outcome on the Allied campaign in Crete.
Through this lecture, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the RAF’s role in the Battle of Crete, uncovering the challenges they faced, the decisions that shaped the conflict, and the enduring legacy of their actions. By intertwining military strategy with human stories of connection and conflict, this study offers a nuanced perspective on a critical moment in the Second World War.
About Dr Emmanoiul (Manolis) Peponas
Dr. Emmanouil (Manolis) Peponas holds a PhD in Modern and Contemporary Greek History from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, an MA in Modern and Contemporary History from the University of Ioannina, and BA degrees in History and Philosophy. He is a Junior Associate Fellow at the NATO Defence College and an Adjunct Instructor at the University of the People. He has authored numerous publications on military and diplomatic history.
