attacked shipping while ZG 26 loitered strafing targets. In combat with Pattle's squadron, they claimed five. Four Hurricanes were known to have been shot down in combat with Bf 110s. The Hurricane squadron also claimed five Bf 110s but lost two pilots killed. Among the few RAF survivors of the battle still airborne at its end was Pilot Officer Roald Dahl, the future poet and novelist. On 14 May, during te build-up for the Crete landings, I and II/ZG 26 were surprised on their Argos airfield by No. 252 Squadron RAF. The Messerschmitts were lined up wingtip to wingtip and 13 were hit; three destroyed and one damaged. On 22 May 1941 the final phase of the Greek campaign, the Battle of Crete, began. ZG 26 flew bombing and strafing missions in support of the invasion. Suda Bay and Heraklion airfield were particular targets. On 22 May II./ZG 26 lost two aircraft against these targets and supporting Fallschirmjäger forces. The following day II./ZG 26 assisted 5./JG 77 in attack the British 10th MTB Flotilla which was taking a toll on Axis naval forces. Seven of these Motor Torpedo Boats were destroyed. On 28 May this group, with II/ZG 76, and KG 2, bombed and strafed British positions at Heraklion airfield allowing 900 paratroopers to reinforce the hard-pressed German paratroopers that had survived the disastrous first landing. Among the final actions of the battle, was death of 2./ZG 26 commanding officer Hauptmann Karl Heindorf, who was shot down over Crete on 31 May. North Africa; Libya and Egypt In response to the failed Italian invasion of Egypt, Hitler aided Benito Mussolini to prevent a collapse of the Axis powers in the North African Campaign. Operation Compass in 1941 drove out the Italian 10th Army and threatened to destroy Italian forces in Italian Libya. Among the Luftwaffe contingent rushed to Africa was III./ZG 26 along with a single staffel from I./ZG 26, 2./ZG 26. They arrived at airstrips near Castel Benito, Sirte and Marble Arch on 30 January 1941. All of these units came under the command of Gruppenkommandeur Karl Kaschka and his adjutant, Oberleutnant Fritze Schulze-Dickow, who led 8./ZG 26. The group consisted of 7, 8 and 9 staffel. ZG 26 was tasked with supporting elements of StG 1, StG 2 and StG 3 and their Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers. On 10 February 1941, ZG 26's opponents in Africa amounted