 The erection of a temporary bridge across the Corinth canal permitted 5th Panzer Division units to pursue the Allied forces across the Peloponnese . Driving via Argos to Kalamata , from where most Allied units had already begun to evacuate , they reached the south coast on 29 April , where they were joined by SS troops arriving from Pyrgos . The fighting on the Peloponnese consisted of small @-@ scale engagements with isolated groups of British troops who had been unable to reach the evacuation point . The attack came days too late to cut off the bulk of the British troops in Central Greece , but isolated the Australian 16th and 17th Brigades . By 30 April the evacuation of about 50 @,@ 000 soldiers was completed , but was heavily contested by the German Luftwaffe , which sank at least 26 troop @-@ laden ships . The Germans captured around 8 @,@ 000 Empire ( including 2 @,@ 000 Cypriot and Palestinian ) and Yugoslav troops in Kalamata who had not been evacuated , while liberating many Italian prisoners from POW camps . 
