Warfare British Units involved in the Suez crisis

[Dr.Yahia Al Shaer]

British Units involved in the Suez crisis​

This is a list of the British forces that served at Suez. As usual, information is hard to come by. It is NOT our intention to ignore any unit which served. We wish to get the facts correct and produce a accurate list of all the units who served.

Due to time pressures and a lack of staff, we can no longer update these pages. This may change in the future, please bear with us.

Royal Navy
Merchant Navy
Joint Services
British Army
Royal Marines
Royal Air Force



Royal Navy

No.800	Sea Hawk	HMS Albion
No.802	Sea Hawk	HMS Albion
No.809	Sea Venom	HMS Albion
No.849C	Skyraider	HMS Albion
No.830	Wyvern	HMS Eagle
No.849A	Skyraider	HMS Eagle
No.892	Sea Venom	HMS Eagle
No.893	Sea Venom	HMS Eagle
No.898	Sea Hawk	HMS Eagle
No.804	Sea Hawk	HMS Bulwark
No.810	Sea Hawk	HMS Bulwark
No.895	Sea Hawk	HMS Bulwark
No.897	Sea Hawk FGA.6	HMS Eagle
No.845	Sycamore and Whirlwind Helicopters	HMS Theseus

1st Destroyer Squadron; HMS Chieftain Captain 'D', HMS Chevron & HMS Chaplet 1st Destroyer Sqn were part of the Med fleet and had been due to go home in September. Held back for any trouble we had been in Italy when Suez started. We escorted the Landing Ships down to Suez and covered the left flank of the landings.

HMS Albion
No ?* Carrier Borne Ground Liaison Section (?* CBGL Sec.) embarked in HMS Albion.

HMS Alamein HMS Alamein, along with Corunna, Barrosa & Agincourt formed the 4th Destroyer Squadron based on Malta. From the 1st day of action Alamein was involved in coast patrols, attacking suspected submarine with Squid mortars and participated in sinking 4 PT boats. Finally left Suez area Christmas Eve 1956, arriving Malta Christmas Day.Captain of Alamein was Cdr.D.V.M. MacLeod DSC.

HMS Anzio (LST(A) 3003) Tank landing ship. I was Yeoman on Anzio. She went past the bombarding ships and turned into the canal, finishing nose on to the side and off loading tanks and vehicles.Our assault craft were manned by RN Commando.

HMS Appleton (MS105) Sailed from Harwich with 105 & 108 Coastal Minesweeper Squadrons plus 2 inshore minesweeper squadrons and Mull of Galloway.
APPLETON was on Cyprus Patrol but joined fleet into Port Said. returned to Cyprus after approx 24 hours. Thanks to Eric Winter for this entry.

HMS Armada

HMS Barnstone A coal burning boom defence vessel which assisted in moving sunken vessels in the harbour. The CO was Commander Tostavin.

HMS Bastion served in malta and then invasion of suez 1956, landing craft assault, commanded by Commander G.H.Abbott MBE.

HMS Barfleur

HMS Barhill. The Barhill was towed from Malta to Suez by the Kingarth to save her stocks of coal. She helped in the clearance of the wrecks in the canal, and after the withdrawal I believe she came under the authority of the United Nations. I cannot seem to find anymore info on her. My interest in her is because I was part of the crew and left her to return back to UK on the Empire Fowey. Frank Sparkes

HMS Bastion Landing Craft Tank (L4040)

HMS Bermuda.

HMS Bulwark Commander(A) Desmond Bernard Law onboard.
No 69 Carrier Borne Ground Liaison Section (69 CBGL Sec.) embarked in HMS Bulwark.

HMS Buttress (LCT 4099) When HMS Buttress went alongside HMS Theseus, she lost her mast when it struck a sponson.

HMS Ceylon.

HMS Cavendish. Recalled from Leave in November 1956, on aircraft watch duties for a month and patrol duties off Cyprus for two months after that.

HMS Chaplet. Chaplet served in the Med. all of '56. After the initial 'scare' we were on our way home in late October. Rushed back to Malta, picked up a supply convoy and escorted it to Cyprus, rushed back and were the only escort for a troop convoy. Chaplet was then, Nov.6, one of the four bombarding destroyers, and afterward shelled targets as requested by the troops ashore. I was a loader on 'y' gun, one of the ships three 4.5 Q.F. guns. The ship ended up 400m from shore with only 4ft. of water under her keel. That night we shot off to Tripoli to tow back two small lighters to unload vehicles with. We were shadowed by, we presumed, a Yank sub. we did a dummy A.S.W. attack on it and dropped hand grenades as we went over its position, it buggered off then! . See also : HMS Chaplet in Cyprus.

HMS Chevron First ship in and alongside in Port Fouad. There were about 20 of us on board who were Boy Seaman/Ordinary Seamen aged just 17. We had to go ashore to receive the mooring lines to bring HMS CHEVRON alongside as there was no-one else to do the job. We cleared the beach of 'bum-boats' and other wreckage as the French Marines were about to land in their Landing -Crafts while Commandos and paras were landing in the local school.

We also had to clear the way for the large French Hospital Ship to come in close. Over time I have forgotten her name. Getting back to 'Pompey' afterwards was an excercise in deflation for us 17 year old kids after thinking we did our part and felt pretty good about it. Walking out the Dockyard Gates we were spat on and booed by a mob of the 'great unwashed'. I still remember the stigma. There were also Juniors on HMS CHIEFTAIN and HMS CHAPLET. Without us, the 1st. Destroyer Squadron could not have operated efficiently. We did receive the Naval General Service Medal with Near East Clasp, but after 52 years of letters to the Defence Minister's Office, to recognise the Suez War and also the under-aged Sailors, nothing has ever happened; except for virtual sarcastic letters of reply. I was proud to have served my country and my ship, but feel let down by political incompetence.
REMEMBER THE JUNIORS!!! Thanks to Peter Burrows for this entry.

HMS Chieftain

HMS Childers (R91)

HMS Citadel LCT (L4038)

HMS Comet (D26) HMS Comet D26 - patrolled off Suez for 6 weeks. We were low on fresh water and foo ending up using the Evaps for water and ships biscuits and corned beef in the final hours for food.

HMS Contest (D48), Commander Roxburgh
HMS Counterguard (LCT 4043)

HMS Crane, Squadron leader of the squadron which sank the Egyptian Frigate on 1st November. She was mistakenly attacked by IAF Mustangs on 3rd November, she was struck by a small number of rockets which failed to inflict much damage, the Mustangs Napalm bombs all missed. She was then attacked by rocket-armed Mysteres, again believing she was an Egyptian vessel. Gunners onboard HMS Crane shot down one jet and damaged another, after Suez the ship was decommissioned at Mombassa.

HMS Dalrymple Survey vessel which became part of the United Kingdom Salvage Unit under the UN and left Suez after christmas. Malta, Suez Canal December 1955-1956.

HMS Daring Daring was enroute Kiel Canal - Londonderry when redirected to Med. Paused at Gib. Alongside at Malta. Destored A UK Destroyer sold to Egyptians and allowed her to proceed. Bombarded Suez with 4.5s. Became Despatch vessel at Suez. Observed the destruction of De Lesseps statue om the mole.

HMS Darlaston Coastal Minesweeper

HMS Decoy Took part in the Suez landings in 1956. Decoy was under the command of Captain P J Hill-Norton (later Admiral of the Fleet Lord Hill-Norton). The main bombardment was carried out by the 3 Darings of the Med fleet Duchess, Diamond and Decoy. The bombardment was carried out by the combined firepower of 18 4.5" guns and lasted about 30 mins. The Decoy had on board a Royal Artillery Officer who co-ordinated fall of shot from an army spotter plane. The Egyptians had Russian T34 tanks dug in on the beaches buried to turret level. Several of these tanks were taken out by the destroyers accurate fire, making the way clear for the landing troops to go ashore. Thanks to Roy Cragg for this entry.

I SERVED ON HMS.DECOY AS OFFICER STEWARD WE WENT IN SUEZ AS OPPERATIONAL SHIP. I rember we had some french officers on board. I was detailed with the sick bay at action station, some days I was down midship magazine stand by on the hoist with another shipmate. Captain name was GRAY. I remember watching the marines landing through the wardroom port hole the NAVY HOUSE burning. stayed for a while with the divers clearing the sunken boat blockade by the locals..

HMS Defender Ship was steaming back to UK from the Baltics, where it was escort to The Royal Yacht at Stockholm and Copenhagen etc. The ship was diverted to the Mediterranean to Ammunition ship etc. and proceeded to Suez for the Hostilities. The ships then patrolled off the coast. OC Captain HARDY. Thanks to Barry J. Teall for this entry.

HMS Delight

HMS Diana (Captain J. Gowers commanding, sunk the Egyptian frigate Domiat)

HMS Diamond, Diamond (D35) was bombarding the beaches of Port Said to soften them up for the landing. Captain of Diamond was Captain Haworth, 1st Lt was Commander Gaunt.

HMS Duchess CO Captain Austin 1955-56.

HMS Eagle
No 63 Carrier Borne Ground Liaison Section (63 CBGL Sec.) embarked in HMS Eagle.
I was a boy seaman rated ordinary seaman, for duration, action station capt of the left gun 4.5 turret, b2. turret shut down as angled deck had been painted on deck. Was given to the air armament department,job entailed loading rockets and bombs on aircraft and retrieving hung up ordinance when aircraft landed. Helped to unload french paras that had been wounded, who were patched up aboard us, and then flown to Cyprus. When all finished Eagle was detailed to escort small vessels back. where upon a wyvern aircraft exploded in the lower hanger and caused a large fire, I was fire party and had to muster in the lower hanger, on arriving we were instructed to commence unloading the aircraft of ammunition in about 2 feet of water. At the time the guns of the aircraft in the forward section of the hanger were cooking off and ricocheting off the deck head we went under the aircraft. The ship went to emergency station my mate and I tried to leave the hanger, but found we were locked in, on reporting to the hanger control we were told to carry on unloading. We remained in the hanger for 18hrs. Thanks to James Townson for this entry.

HMS Evan Gibb (LST)

HMS Forth picked up LST Empire Cymric at Malta and sailed to Port Said, joined HMS Forth in Port Said and when the operation was over took her back to Malta. Whilst in Suez worked with the German lifting craft AUsdaeR and Energie Supplying them with coal.
HMS was tied up by Port Said and was command ship. Cdr The Hon Terence Victor Stopford was in command.

HMS Gravelines

HMS Jamaica

HMS Letterson Coastal minesweeper

HMS Leverton (M1161) This is the minesweeper used to tranport to Gren Gds. Machine Gun platoon from Malta to Egypt...it ran aground in Port Said Harbour. CO. Lt Stigant, 1st.L/t Lieutenant V. Howard.

HMS Lofoten LST (Landing Ship Tank) carrying eight assault landing craft. Served as part of United Kingdom Salvage Unit under the UN, left in late January or early February 1957.

HMS Manxman

H.M.S. Meon HMS Meon was the HQ ships of the SQ Squadron and carried the flag of the commodore AW. She carried the Commodore AW's staff, HQ 3 Cdo Bde and the JFSC (Joint Fire Support Committee?) coordinating Close Air Support and Naval Gunfire Support. She also operated the Air Request net and the Ground Attack Net.

HMS Modeste. HMS Modeste a frigate patrolled the red sea end of the canal for most of the Suez crisis of 1956 and was involved in a few incidents. She was part of the blockade of the Gulf of Aqaba also when HMS Crane was attacked she drove of enemy fighters there was other incidents. CO was Commander Dickens.
HMS Newfoundland

HMS Ocean HMS Ocean were pressed into service as helicopter carriers, also functioning as a Hospital Ship

HMS Parapet (LCT 4039)

HMS Penstone Minesweeper left Cyprus for Suez on Day one and returned a month later.

HMS Portcullis Landing Craft Tank. (L4044)

HMS Puncher We had the HQ Squadron of the 6th RTR on board together with Royal Marines.
We were the Squadron Leader of a group of LST's and were the first to enter the Canal to unload our Centurions. We also stayed alongside during the action as a possible casualty clearing station. Thank heavens not needed.
During the run in to Port Said we were actually rammed by another LST in the dark which created some confusion and the immediate thoughts of a mine! Don't at this time recall the name of the LST that hit us but I know she did manage to unload her tanks and then return direct to Malta with her bow doors welded shut. She also had the experience, as was told to me later, of steaming right through the US Mediterranean Fleet all lit up like "Piccadilly Circus" and she was completely darkened!
We did return into the Canal a couple of days later to pick up "Liberated" Egyptian equipment including Self-Propelled guns, one of which is in the Tank Museum now. Other material recovered included munitions and radar equipment all of which was ex-Russian.
Many Thanks to Chris M. J. Edwards, Former Sub/Lt RNVR for this entry.

HMS Rampart (LCT 4037)

HMS Rampura Submarine depot ship. Moored @ Maoal Island, prior to sailing to Suez Cannal. was damaged by a seriouse fire in an engineroom.

HMS Ravager (L 3505)(Landing Ship Tank) carrying eight assault landing craft. Commanding Officer was Lt.Cmdr Johnstone. Ravager carried several tanks,lorries and other military vehicles together with 42?Commando and other military personel including Paratroops to and from Port Said and Cyprus. I was ME(1)W.Ingledew.(Bill or Geordie)I was a Devonport rating and was one of the skeleton crewe who took the ship out of mothball in Gairloch and sailed it to Chatham and Portsmouth to pick up further members of the crew. Thanks to William Ingledew for this entry.

HMS Redoubt (LCT 4001)

HMS Reggio See the entry for HMS Striker.

HMNZS Royalist HMNZS Royalist under the Command of Capt (later R Admiral, Sir) Peter Phipps RNZN was the only New Zealand ship seconded for duty in the Med Fleet. The NZers were there mainly due to the fact that NZ was purchasing the Cruiser from the RN and had been in the UK since July 56, while they were doing sea trials in the Med and were in Malta they were put on "War Alert" and seconded for duty with the fleet. and were a part of the fleet for four days before being ordered home by the NZ Prime Minister. This service has just been recently recognised with the award of the Naval General Service Medal and the NZ Operational Service Medal.Many Thanks to Mike Smith for the detailed information.

HMS Salerno Landing Ship Tank

HMS Sallyport (LCT 4064) commissioned at Gibraltar for Suez Episode. Communications ship earmarked as comms support in event of loss of HMS Meon etc.....

HMS St Kitts St Kitts was in from the very beginning, and was involved in most of the action Both as flight escort for HMS Eagle,and in the bombardment of Port Said.

HMS Sea Devil Submarine

HMS Sentinel Submarine

HMS Striker HMS Striker was carrying 45/40 commando onto the beach-head, prior to going into Suez Harbour. Our escort destroyer was H.M.S. Diamond who was in front of us, firing salvo's until she peeled away to allow us to lower our assault craft carrying our contingent of marines. We then proceeded into Suez Harbour to off load their vehicles and equipment. Our sister ship H.M.S. Reggio was also involved. Both ships were then placed under the command of the U.N. after the ceasefire, and remained there helping to unblock the canal of sunken wrecks and left in late January or early February 1957. Thanks to L/S J.C.Vidler for this entry.

HMS Sulva Landing Ship Tank

HMS Swin part of UK salvage unit. Along with HMS Uplifter was commissioned to clear Nasser's block ships. Commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Scrivener left Chatham late Oct.56. With a max speed of 8 knots it took some time to make Tobruk. Sailed for Port Said but after a day at sea was recalled to Tobruk. Stayed Christmas & New Year. Was then told that for political reasons the salvage contracts had been given to the Germans. Returned UK and paid off at Plymouth Feb.67. I believe HMS Uplifter was returned from Port Said. Thanks to Frank Clayforth for this entry.

HMS Theseus served at Suez Canal November 1956 to December 1956. 2nd in command was Commander Pace. H.M.S Theseus served as a hospital ship and troop carrier. Helicopters ferried troops ashore and brought back wounded personel. Roy Davies and other personel on board H.M.S Theseus were awarded the Near East medal.

HMS Totem Submarine

HMS Trenchant Submarine
HMS Tudor Submarine.
HMS Tyne (Headquarters ship), this ship carried an RAF Element including a Telegraphist during the invasion. RAF element was transferred to a troop ship for repatriation to UK after conclusion fo hostilities.

HMS Ulysses (117), escorted convoy from Cyprus to Port Said. Co from 1955-1957 was Commander Gordon Hamilton Peters and the 1st Lieutenant was Lt.Commander Garner. Part of Sixth Frigate Squadron.

HMS Undine Part of Sixth Frigate Squadron.

HMS Uplifter part of UK salvage unit, to clear Nasser's block ships. Hms Uplifter spent many weeks in raising sunken shipping and transferring them to what was locally called the "Grave Yard"
As a matter of interest, on our arrival, just prior to Xmas, we were informed that all crew would take on the persona of civilians and indeed we all wore our own civilian clothing for the duration of our time there, arriving back in Chatham in early March.

HMS Urania Part of Sixth Frigate Squadron.

HMS Ursa Part of anti submarine screen to Fleet.Then screened Oil Tankers. Maltese Chef died with heart attack, carried out burial at sea. H.M.S. Undine, Urania, Ullysses, Ursa delayed return to U.K. by three months after nine months service in the Med. The Squadron was mainly used as Cyprus Patrol vessels. Part of Sixth Frigate Squadron.

HMS Wakeful HMS Wakeful was commanded by Commander Bax. She was an A/S frigate and went out to Suez at speed carrying diving equipment, calling at Gibralter and Malta. After unloading the equipment she went on to Cyprus.

HMS Warden Lt Cdr Gibson, Detachment Oct 56 - Feb 57.
Towed lifting craft from Portsmouth to Port Said.

HMS Whirlwind Part of 5th Frigate Squadron. One of 3 frigates used to stop gun running during the conflict. General protection of world interests involved with the suez war, the other two frigates were HMS Wakeful and Roebuck. Period covered the entire crisis.

HMS Wizzard, HMS WIZARD was part of the 5th Frigate Squadron our Captain being CDR. James Jungius. Who eventually became Vice-Admiral Sir James Jungius KBE DL. At one stage we were actually searching for a Russian Submarine supposedly manned by Egyptians.

HMS Woodbridge Haven Based in Sliema Creek, Malta headquarters ship for the Captain commanding the 108th Minesweeping Squadron. Tasked at Suez with organising a mine free path for the landing craft, and carried a team of Divers for clearing the Block Ships. The Minesweepers were later used for patrolling the shallow waters of the Canal. Thanks to John Ash ( RN Radio Operator P/J938470) for this entry.

HMMRC1097 Landing craft repair ship as part of AW squadron. Lt Cdr Crawford RN commanding.

Mediterranean Fleet Clearance Diving Team, Lt. P.A. White Diving Officer with a team of 8 Clearance Divers first to enter Suez to check harbour and dock isntallations were free from dangerous obstruction prior to fleet supply/back up. Thanks to Peter "Dinah" Shore for this entry.






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" In Memory, ofd my late friens Martin Spirit - RIP- , who owned the main Web-Domain and had given us, - British and Egyptians - the
opportunity to document all these facts

Dr. Yahia Al Shaer

 

[Dr.Yahia Al Shaer]

British Units involved in the Suez crisis​

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Blue Ranger, The Blue Ranger was an oiler thet stayed in Port Said after the fleet withdrew on Christmas Eve 1956. Many of the Maltese crew members of the salvage ships and supply ships request to be sent back to Malta and their place was taken by RN personel mostly from the seaman branch. Most of these were young Ordinary Seamen (either National Service or ex-Boy Seamen).
On Boxing Day 1956 after the fleet was rushing back to have Xmas in Malta the ships left behind were entertained with a fly-over by Russian Migs. Also we were able to watch the Egyptians pull down the statue of De Lessops after trying trying to to blow it up, several Egyptians were severely injured as were others who tried to bring down the Union Jack that had been nailed to the top of a flagpole which was then smeard in grease.

These crew members were not allowed to wear navel uniforms and the civvies we were given were 2 pairs of overalls and a boot-neck's berry (with no badges). At first the Egyptian police tried to board the ships to get our names and addresses, but were turn away by the the United Nations soldier assigned to each ship and by power hoses. Later we were allowed mail untampered and fresh water.
On New Years Eve severel large barges were set adrift to foul our moorings but were diverted to the entrance of the Canal and left to float into the Med.

The Blue Ranger left Port Said at the beginning of February 1957 and towed a "Z Craft" to Tobruk and then on to Malta. Unfortunately the Captain of the Blue Ranger was taken very ill on the last leg to Malta. On arrival in Malta many of the men were sent up to the Rest Camp as our ships were away at sea.
Not longer the rest of the salvage craft finished their work in Port Said and made their way back to Malta and Gib.
It was an experience that I do not forget.

RFA Brown Ranger, small fleet ranger.

RFA Fort Sandusky, Ammunition and stores ship. Attached to South task force.

RFA Kinbrace, served in suez with the recovery teams removing wrecks from the main shipping assembly area..

RFA Olna, fast fleet tanker. Captain F.A.Shaw RFA in command. OLNA was the fastest fleet oiler in the Med task force and R/V'd with the fleet 60 miles N.of Suez on the night of the attack.ie possible the first ship in area! She was escorted off the N African coast by a NZ Cruiser HMZS ROYALIST who had asked to join in and been told that she should only fire in self defence! OLNA did a fast run back to MALTA - mid operation to top up with Fuel oil - running darkened ship through the US Fleet - not unchallenged ! I was the ship's Third Officer. Captain Shaw (OLNA) and the Captain of HMS JAMAICA, with hand signals from the bridge, did a 180 degree course alteration, in 10 degree steps, while fuelling underway - this was possible the forerunner of the now commonly practised "Corpen November". We were awarded the Naval General Service Medal. Thanks to Commodore Richard Thorn CBE RFA for this entry.

RFA Spapool, water tanker.

RFA Tiderace, fast fleet tanker.

RFA Tidereach, fast fleet tanker.

RFA Tiderange, fast fleet tanker.

RFA Wave Knight, fast fleet tanker. Attached to South task force.

Troopships

Ascania, troopship in withdrawal

Asturias, troopship, arrived 10/11, carried 3rd division

Ausdauer, charted by British Admiralty, german heavy-lifting vessel

M/V Dispencer I was on HMAS Forth during the conflict as a ME1 during the Suez crisis. I was part of a landing party sent ashore to check out the oil pumping station for damage, etc.
I was later transferred to MV Dispenser, a civilian salvage lifting craft belonging to I think, Lloyds of London. I am not sure of the reasons, however we believed that the Merchant seamen were not too happy about staying there so we volunteered. We were there long after the withdrawal of the forces and eventually took the ship back to Malta several months later. I eventually rejoined the Forth and have never seen any mention of it or its duties anywhere regarding the Suez Landings. I have actual photographs of my experiences in Suez including the destruction of the Delesopes statue in parts.
Thanks to Roy Widgington for this entry.

Dilwara, troopship in withdrawal

Empire Baltic,LST.carrying centurion tanks which were discharged in Port Said; another LST Loftus was berthed alongside and we later took troops to cyprus. The Empire Baltic was under control of ministry of war. manned by merchant navy officers. I was third officer. Thanks to Anthony Knapp for this entry.

Empire Cedric, LST, tasked to bring home the vehicle's at the time, the Mediterranean was very rough and we had to put in to Malta for repairs.

Empire Celtic, LST, tasked to bring home the vehicle's at the time, the Mediterranean was very rough and we had to put in to Malta for repairs.

HMS Empire Doric (LST 3041)
I was an engineer aboard this vessel. We offloaded centurions alongside LSD Empire Celtic at Port Said. We struck a sunken vessel on the way in. Called in at Naples on the way home and were in drydock until early January 1957, possibly the last ship home. The Empire Gaelic was also there, these four ships-- doric -celtic-cedric-gaelic- were commandered by the r/n from my company --Atlantic Steam Navigation --they also took part in the d/day landings 1945.

Empire Fowey, troopship, arrived 10/11, carried 3rd division.

Empire Gaelic

Empire Ken

Empire Parkeston, troopship.

Energie, charted by British Admiralty, german heavy-lifting vessel

SS Kingsbury, we were only 2 REME personnel attached to the RA on this ship ,our job was to keep the batteries of the vehicles on boad charged up,stopped gib. to have a tooth out. the KINGSBURY was an ex liberty ship made in usa for one crossing of atlantic,10 year later still going,we heard tales of them breaking in half,however arrived port said ok.dodging sunken ships,stared up the generator on our bedford to charge any lorries what failed to start.after 2 nights of sparodic firing mostly from legionares we packed up for home,i can find no trace of kingsbury anywhere,WE had all the vehicles needed on board,

New Australia, troopship, arrived 10/11, carried 3rd division


Merchant Navy


MV Salinas sailed alone from Barry as we were a reasonably fast ship and picked up a Frigate escort (Relentless Class if I remember) at Malta to escort us to Cyprus. We carried quite a volatile cargo including thousands of steel jerry cans of tank and aviation fuel, as well as bombs, shells, detonators and other equipment, including trucks, personnel carriers and two spotter planes and 12 Red Berets who were berthed in the passenger accommodation, which was quite plush, they were great guys and enjoyed their accommodation, better than the tents we later saw them in in Limassol.



Joint Services:

Joint Service Experimental Helicopter Unit Flying Sycamore and Whirlwind Helicopters, this experimental unit was taken out to Musketeer aboard HMS Ocean and returned to the UK via HMS Ocean and LST Ravenger. Information provided by Richard Cater.

Joint Aerial Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (JARIC), Based at R.A.F. Episkopi we were engaged in processing photo-reconnaissance film in mobile field photographic Units. (MFPU'S). This was between September and December 1956. Thanks to Peter Bussey for this entry.




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" In Memory, ofd my late friens Martin Spirit - RIP- , who owned the main Web-Domain and had given us, - British and Egyptians - the
opportunity to document all these facts

Dr. Yahia Al Shaer

 

[Dr.Yahia Al Shaer]

British Units involved in the Suez crisis​

British Army:

Duke of Wellington's Regiment

Gordon Highlanders

Cheshire Regiment

The Parachute Regiment, 1st 2nd and 3rd Para.

5 Platoon, B Company, 3 Para lead initial attack.

9th Independent Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers 1 troop was attached to 1 Para, 2 troop with 2 Para, 3 troop with 3 Para.

16th Parachute Brigade

23 Para Field Ambulance, 16th Independent Para Brigade. Assembled in Cyprus 1956, billeted just outside Nicosia on the Kyrenia road. I went to Egypt on an LST with a stretcher bearing Land Rover and disembarked on the 6th Nov 1956. We returned to Cyprus in the same manner and were eventually flown home in a Shackleton from the Coastal Command and demobbed in time for Xmas. Thanks to Roy (Sandy) Sanderson for this entry.

HQ 16 Independent Parachute Brigade Group, Co Brigadier Tubby Butler

Guards Independent Parachute Company, Guards Company (Pathfinders)was part of the 16th Indep Para Bde. Major Kemis Buckley O/C, A detachment was dropped with the French for liaison. Captain Murray DeKlee in charge. The balance came in on an LST and made it down to El Cap before the cease fire. Thanks to David C. Graham for the entry.

1st Royal Tank Regiment was assigned but embarked too late to participate in the operation.
6th Royal Tank Regiment (Equipped with Centurion Tanks)

11th Forward Delivery Squadron, disembarked Tripoli 30/9/1956.

1st Royal Dragoons

1st Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment

1st Battalion, the Royal Scots
REME attached, billeted in a chool on the edge of town, a Major was lost to sniper fire from the arab quarter in the outlying companies, handed over to the UN before evacuating.

1st Batallion The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt.) 7th Regiment of Foot I was a corporal in the intelligence section (HQ Company), of the 1st Batallion, The Royal Fusiliers, responsible for the supply and up-keep of the batallion's maps. My commanding officer was Lt. Kelly and the senior NCO was Sgt. Turner. The Royal Fusiliers were the most senior regiment in Suez, apart from the Royal Scots.
We arrived in Port Said, on the SS New Australia. On leaving the ship, we were billited in a school on the western outskirts of Port Said. The school was situated on the water's edge, with only a deserted Egyptian barracks situated further west. I believe we were relieved by the Royal Scots.

We were sent to the front line later, which was where the fighting had stopped. This was situated between the Suez canal and the sweet water canal, some few miles south of Port Said. We stayed a few weeks on the front line with the support of only three tanks (Para's, I think). My job was to go to the front line everyday and report back by phone, on any Egyptian activity. From my fox hole I had an excellent view of the Egyptians' comings and goings. I used to ride out on a rusty old bicycle (no tyres) each day, since the HQ was a long way back from the front line. A party of French journalists tried to cross from the Egyptian side to our front line, but they were arrested, spent the night in an old hut and then sent back. They were not very happy.

On returning from the front line (I think that we were replaced by UN troops) we were placed in an old Egyptian barracks, in the centre of Port Said. Curiously, we were let out every day to wander as we pleased, which we did. During such an excursion, one of my fellow corporals was accidently shot by a French soldier and since two other corporals from the regiment were also accidently shot, it was thought that there was a curse on corporals.

We were exported, just before Christmas, on a troop ship -- I think it was the Empress of India, but I am not sure.
When we left Malta to come to Port Said, I was issued with detailed maps of Alexandria, which I duly issued to each officer. When we arrived in Port Said, I had no maps and for this I was cursed by several officers. I managed to scrounge a few from Brigade HQ 31st Infantry Brigade ?), but not not nearly enough to keep everyone happy. My understanding is that we were schedled to go to Alexandria, but were redirected to Port Said, at the last momont.

3rd Infantry Division

Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry

Highland Light Infantry sailed on Dilwara? from Southampton with 24 Field Squadron RE and the Pioneers landed in Port Said after the ceasefire and marched to Port Said station with Pips & drums. Many Thanks to Sap James G Clark for this entry.

20th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. I was on the ship SS Kingsbury, that went to the Suez with only drivers from my regiment 2oth Field and men from R.E. reme and Royal RASC . Our commanding officer was Leutenant Chew. Not all of my regiment went it was only the drivers.

50th Field Battery, 23rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Stationed at El Ballah, in c troop. Troop cammander was Captain Wilson. Troop officers were Lt Sprague, Lt Wilson. Sgt Mgr Newell. Sgt Rainer. Gur Pickering. Gnr Zipfel.

32 Medium Regiment RA

33 Airborne RA

33 Parachute Regiment, RA Our regiment was based in North Camp, Aldershot under Lt Col Guy Fawkes DSO MC RA and was shipped out from Portsmouth on HMS Theseus to Famagusta, Cyprus in August 1956 as part of the 16th Independant Parachute Brigade. WO1 = RSM Honey, WO11 = BSM Tony Heal.

Initially we were engaged on internal security duties in Cyprus due to EOKA and later we took part in the Suez invasions.
Later we were all shipped back to the UK on the Cunard ship RMS Ascania which was taken out of a scrapyard for this specific purpose. She took 14 days to get us home whereas HMS Theseus took only 5 days to get from Portsmouth to Famagusta! Thanks to Brian Fullard for this entry.

31st Battery, 34 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA, Battery Commander Major Knyvett M.C.; Battery Captain Major Cross; B.S.M. Andrews.
31 Battery left U.K. on Dec. 2nd 1956 aboard the troopship "Asturias"; stopped briefly at Malta, and arrived at Port Said on Nov. 9th. We landed from LCT's on Nov. 10th opposite the Casino Palace Hotel. The Battery marched through the town to blocks of flats just west of the Egyptian Coast Guard buildings. We took over the flats from the Paras and remained there about five or six days until our 40mm Bofors and transport arrived.

Two troops of the Battery moved out onto El Gamil airfield and set up perimeter air defence - several days later, we were joined by infantry of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Our other troop was deployed south of Port Said towards El Cap.
In early December, we were withdrawn from El Gamil handing over a number of our one ton vehicles to the U.N. forces. The majority of the Battery embarked for the U.K. aboard the Dilwara about the 8th. December. (We were the last unit to board.) The remainder accompanied the guns and transport aboard LCT's. The voyage home took approximately 10 days - stopping briefly in Algiers.

The Battery had two casualties whilst in Egypt - both Sten gun related. The first, Bombardier Alfie Shaw, standing next to me, was shot in the upper leg by another N.C.O. on our second day at the flats. A couple of weeks later, a Gunner Jones shot himself in the foot shortly after coming off guard duty. Thanks to Peter Gallagher for this entry.

41st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 88 Arrakan Battery 41st Field Regt was based at Moascar. Arrived Port Said on ss Dunera May 1953 left Port Said on board SS New Australia August 1954. Thanks to Bernard Hartland for this entry.

80 LAA Regiment, Royal Artillery Stationed at St Andrews Barracks Malta G C. Then on to Tripoli and Benghazi in 1956. My Commanding officer was Lt Col Ashton.

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders I was a Cpl in Support Coy 1 A&SH. We sailed from Southampton on HMT DILWARA on 2nd Nov 56.. We landed in Port Said via an LCT on about 13th Nov.and were deployed to Gemil airfield. We later moved closer in to town and took over from 40 or 42 Commando..can't remember which. After fruitless searches for Lt. Moorhouse we left Pt Said about the 20/21 Dec on HMT Asturias, arriving S/hampton 31 Dec and were trained up to Bury St. Edmonds where I was demobbed. Thanks to Tony Jolliffe for this entry.

York and Lancaster Regiment, Regimental Chaplain was Reverend Morton. The regiment was a reserve for the paratroops during the Suez crisis.

Royal Warwickshire Regiment

1st battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, Landed at Port Said carried out patrols of city. Escort to 2nd Lt Moorhouse on day of kidnap after placing guard commander under arrest the previous night, his bedding was taken to the guard house. 2nd Lt Moorhouse was captured and killed, later interned Lawnswood Cemetery,Leeds 1957. Commanding officer was Colonel Boulter. Private Hudson was also killed Christmas 1956. We provided escorts for the United Nations Troops when the arrived at Port said Main Railway. We were attached to the French Foreign Legion, Port Said. The Battalion also provided cover carrying out sea patrols in the area. Thanks to Cpl Holmes T G. for this entry.

Webmasters note: 2nd Lieutenant Moorhouse was unescorted at the time of his abduction on his way to Dr Gheude's apartment. Our thanks to the West Yorkshire Regimental museum for confirming this.

3rd Field Squadron, Royal Engineers

17th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers Flew from Southampton on 22/09/51 via Nice to Malta where we were stationed in Rabatt for around 6 weeks prior to travelling by corvette to Tabruk, and then onwards via the Derna Pass to Bengazi in Sereneka and then on to Finara and Lake Timsah on the Suez. We sailed home to the UK on the Empire Ken on 27/12/53. Thanks to Sapper George W. Boyd for this entry.

24th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers recalled from Manoeuvres in Germany and returned to UK in September 1956. Sailed aboard Dilwara from Southampton in company with HLI and Pioneers, landed in Port Said after the cease fire and marched to Port Said Station with the HLI playing pips & drums. 24 Field Squadron RE took over a school close to the station, after the withdrawal 24 Field Squadron sailed back to the UK abaord HMS Theseus. CO Major Jarvis.

30 Field Squadron, 35 Corps Engineer Regiment

33 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers From Cyprus about 05.11.56, at Suez for about 2 weeks. Whilst there an officer & a few men manned an ambulance train which carried Egyptian wounded from Port Said to point south of El Cap.From Limassol on the Empire Ken, returned to Famagusta on the Empire Cedric.

2 troop, 33 Field squadron, 37 Field engineer regiment., As we know now Suez was on, off, on, off, but in early November we left our camp in Polimedia and marched to Limassol only to be brought back to camp by truck, all bedding was stored and we had to sleep on bare spring beds in our tents in our webbing. A couple of days later, probably the 4th of November we were then trucked down to Limassol, no one had any idea of where we were going. We boarded the Empire Ken, a mile or so off the coast, in barges. We embarked and within hours there was panic among our Royal Engineer officers and the ships officers. Unknown to us at the time they were ordered to sail immediately. We left half of our regiment on the dockside in Limassol. We arrived off Port Said the following morning at dawn and watched the parachute regiment drop and royal marines land on the beach in landing craft. Later that day we were dropped off at the dockside in Port Said by landing craft. We were billeted to a children’s school. Some days later, myself, half a dozen other sappers a sergeant and a couple of officers were given orders. An 80 tonne diesel train had been requisitioned to carry 3-4 carriages of wounded Egyptians. One of the officers broke into the ticket office and got tickets for El Cap, to keep for posterity. We delivered the wounded to Egyptian authorities near El cap. The carriages we shunted away from the train at a point where the line had been blocked and an Egyptian train collected the carriages and took the wounded into El Cap. We then proceeded back to Port Said. Close to El Cap the railway lines were very shaky; the sapper engine driver was very careful driving at 4-5 mph. A lieutenant officer insisted on having a drive on the engine.

The sapper driver said we were coming to some points and he had to be very careful and travel at a very slow speed. The lieutenant still insisted on driving and within 50 yards the train came off the lines and toppled over. Some paratroopers were bivied in the desert near the derailment, the officer asked them to get large thick spars and insisted that we tried to lever the 80 tonne diesel back onto the line. Of course we were unsuccessful. Trucks were sent for and we were taken back to Port Said. Incidentally we found out later that another field engineer regiment got the train back on the track using a crane. Some officers took a photo of the derailed train and had it blown up. It became a prize possession in their officer’s mess.

p.s. A month or so before Suez, 37 field engineer built 5 or 6 fuel tanks plus piping to the sea at Akrotiri and built a floating bailey out into the sea, this was to provide fuel for fighter squadrons coming from England for the Suez campaign.
p.p.s. our officer commanding Major Mckay proudly stood on the deck of Empire Ken coming into Suez in the morning and told us sappers ‘The fighters (meteors and venoms) in Suez would not be flying only for our hard work at Akrotiri’.

We returned in dribs and drabs to Famagusta, some on the Empire Cedric and others including myself on large landing craft, roughly a fortnight after our return to camp in Polimedia our Colonel and officers arranged a day out at Kyrenia in northern Cyprus and we had a good ‘piss up’.
Thanks to Vincent Cassin for this entry.

36th Regiment, Royal Engineers

42nd Field Squadron, Royal Engineers

42nd Survey Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers 1952 C/O Lt.Col.John Taylor, RSM "Blanco" White.

57 Field Squadron, 36 Corps Engineer Regiment at Port Said railway station
35CER. Retrained as a Port Operating Regt at Marchwood. We embarked on the troopship R.M.L.Astories at the beginning of November 1956. With us on board was the Royal West Kent Regt. We arrived in Suez a couple of weeks later. After disembarking we put up at a Des Rez on the 23rd Rue De Juliet. We spent a couple of weeks unloading ships, then we spent a couple of weeks reloading the same ships with the same goods that we had unloaded, as our O.C Major Moss was want to say it all makes for good practice. We left Port Said on or about the 19th of December for a well earned rest.

168 Port Operating sqn RE's AER

I.W.T 172 Port Sqdrn Royal Engineers, Mostly reservist some of whom including myself had served in Egypt during our national service. We went ashore in landing craft from the troopship Empire Ken. Our task was to get the port up and running ie commadering tugs & barges so as to get all supplies ashore from the merchent ships anchored off afloat the reservist squadron were mainly made up from Thames Watermen & Lightermen, also London dockers..I and 2 other watermen and a lorry driver were the last of the port engineers to leave Suez we four attached ourselves to the Tank Corps who themselves were one of the last units to leave Suez. Some of the officers I remember were Alan Spong, Peter Vaizy, Sgt Fred Lett these 3 were from the River Thames the warrent officer worked at Tate & Lyles, also Colnel Sudbury was a Tate & Lyle man thus we became known as Tates army. Whilst we were in Cypress awaiting for everything to kick off I created a badge for our squadron which consisted of the laurel leaves of the R.Es badge replacing the crown on top with a barge and Mr Cube standing and smiling between the laurel leaves & underneath in the scroll the words Tates Army, not much appreciated by the higher echelon but the lads thought it was ok. Also quite a lot of trouble flared aboard the Empire Ken when an over zealous W/O ordered us below decks and lay on our bunks at attention what happened next was quite scarey,there is quite a lot more of that incident,then something similar occourred again in Cypress. there are probably others in the chapters on this page who may remember all the incidents quite well. Thanks to Alan Jennings for this entry.

174 Port Operating sqn RE's AER This unit was nicknamed Mr Tates army, the reason being, quite a few o the officers and men worked for Tate and Lyle ie, CO Col Sudbury, OC Major Harry Rosser, the CSM Fred Lett and a host of Thames lightermen, and engineers off the shop floor. Using Z craft to load ships out at sea at Famagusta. landed after the assault troops and set about commandeering the tugs barges and other craft. The unit left last with the Argylls and other troops on HMT Asturias. Many Thanks to John Sowter for this entry.

8 Railway Sqn, 16 Regiment, Royal Engineers I was with 8 Railway Sqn 16 Reg. Longmoor as a L\Cpl and with a detachment of 24 sailed to Cyprus and then flew in to Port Said to run the railway system.

10 Railway Sqn, Royal Engineers

I.W.T. Squadron Royal Engineers We moved out of suez 1955 to tobruk harbour, co maj M. Sharpe R.E. ;was in command, of a fleet of Z class landing Craft which lay on moorings ,in tobruk harbour,on the eve of the Suez crisis 1956, our Sqn of craft feared, that a international incident would occur;Thus we could not be used against Egypt;As a consequence, myself & 13 crew members were dispatched to Cyprus,where by we manned two landing craft at Famagusta port date approx prior to the drop on suez in 1956; where by, we unloaded troop's of the french airborne plus equipment. unloaded H.M.S. Theseus and Ocean of their ordinance, para regt's,42Cdo, 45 Cdo, R.H.A airborne with an array of vehicles & weaponery; this was to be one of the largest open sea operation's for the inland water transport Squadron ever conducted outside of it's normal duties, this was under the command of Maj Mike sullivan R.E.We were the rear support Sqn that aided the success of this operation taking place;after this we as a small detachment returned to Tobruk, knowing that it was a job completed, and as far as I know there was no medal's struck for the suez crisis of 1956 .

33rd Parachute Light Regiment

166 Amphibious Observation Bty RA attached to 3 Commando brigade RM

Royal Military Police (13 NCO,s & Lt Tebbut from 3rd INF. DIV. Provost company)

82 Port Operation Regt. 173 Port Maintenance Squad

Machine Gun Platoon, 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards, attached to the Ton class minesweepers on the first boat into the harbour and later went ashore.


Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers (Attached to 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment)

24 Port Operating workshop REME, assembled at 24 corp workshop at Warminster flew to Malta then Cyprus Empire Ken lst nov 5 builders yard unloading b vehicles with Dodge 1500 gal water bowser (Eygyption)demobbed new years eve arrived in Bristol town centre midnight and what a party. Thanks to 22953273 cpl T H Barlow R,E.M.E. ( recovery mechanic) for this entry.

Royal Signals

No 2 Air Support Signal Unit (ASSU) Royal Signals from BAOR supplied at least 5 Tentacles in support of the troops ashore in Port Said.

2 Press Communications Squadron, Royal Signals. AER Unit, Royal Signals, Commanded by, the Late Major Dennis Haylock. Reserve Unit called up for Operation Musketeer in August 1956. After collecting equipment together in Catterick we moved to Ogbourne - St - George, Nr Swindon until end of October. WE flew from Lynham to Malta where we embarked on H.M.S.FORTH before sailing to Port Said. From day 1 to the last day we supplied communications for the War Correspondents. We embarked on R.M.S.Asturias on the final day sailing to Southampton via Cyprus. Most of us were returned to civvy street direct from Southampton, whilst a few returned to Catterick with the Equipment.

As a, recalled reservist, and member of 2 Press Communication Sqdn. I agree with all that already written, up to - Ogbourne St George. From there we travelled, via Woolwich Barracks for one night, to Stanstead airport, we flew, via Malta, to Cyprus with 'Skyways of London', complete with attractive air stewardess's! From Cyprus, an RAF Valletta flew us to Port Said. We were told that we were the first plane to land after the airport had been captured (Was this true?). I presume that this was on the afternoon of 6th November.

I was a keyboard operator, sending the news, composed by the press correspondents, to their newspapers, all over the world. Our billets were the block of flats, near the beach; the mobile signal station (called a 'Golden Arrow'), in which we worked, being parked alongside. I went down with dysentery and spent my 22nd birthday in a makeshift hospital.

We left Egypt on the troopship 'Dunera'. Christmas Day, in the Mediterranean, was cancelled, as the ship was so overcrowded. Upon arrival at Southampton roads, thick fog delayed our docking until late on 30th December, so we had to stay on board overnight. Rumour had it that customs would be tough on us. The next morning the water in the dock was afloat with thousands of packets of cigarettes, looted from the bonded warehouse in Port Said. In the event, upon passing through customs they didn't even look at us! We travelled by rail back to Catterick and I was demobbed from there on 1st January 1957.

I would be pleased to hear from other signalmen of 2 Press Comms. Dennis Powney, Signalman.
As a separate point of interest - I believe that the Russian tank that was captured at Port Said, it was dug-in, on the beach, is now in the Tank museum at Bovington, Dorset.

4 Air Formation Signals Regiment, A small detatchment of royal sigs were at Tymbou camp Cyprus (a run down unused airfield) around mid 1956, and assisted the French paras in setting up communications. The French used the airfield making drops over Suez.

23 Corps Signal Regiment Sailed from Southampton on the Rivercrest, called at Malta then on to Port Said. Billeted at the Metropole Hotel and later at a school. Used the Suez canal office buildings with the three domes to work from as despatch riders. Austin Champs and Dingo armoured cars were used. From Suez to Famagusta by L.C.T and worked with Cyprus District Signal Regiment (Nicocia) until the reservists went home from Suez, then sailed back to Southampton on the Dilwara. The unit then some leave and went back to B.A.O.R. Thanks to Derek Farrar for this entry.

52 L of C Signal Regiment.(A.E.R.), sailed November 1956, called at Gibraltar, Valetta at Malta and arrived at Port Said, did not unload vehicles and returned to Catterick 24th December 1956. Many Thanks to Ex-sargent Tom Davies, Royal Signals for the detailed information.

119 Medium Wireless, Royal Signals

128 Wireless Troop, 2 Wireless Regt, Royal Signals. Lt Webster Royal Signals, Troop OC. Billeted in a hotel, the unit landed on the first day with 45 Commando via LST and stayed for the duration, The unit was made up of regular service men and reservists.

J Troop Royal Signals, 19th Infantry Brigade

Royal Army Ordnance Corps, ammunition platoon was based in the Market Place, Port Said as part of second division. Returned to Portsmouth on HMS Theseus on Xmas eve 1956. Thanks to Ken Chambers for the ammunition platoon details.

Advance Base Ordnance Depot (Port Said) RAOC was sent to Egypt on the 12 November 1956, and set up a depot in a customs warehouse at Port Said to supply stores to the servicemen stationed in Egypt at that time, they also received most of the weapons captured from the Egyptian army and sent to destruction. The depot was disbanded, and we were sent home on HMS Theseus on the 29 December 1956.

Royal Pioneer Corps

263 Company, Royal Pioneer Corps Arrived on the troopship New Australia, stationed on the docks moving ammunition and on guard duty. Two men were shot by the French, the unit left Suez on 22 December 1956.


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" In Memory, ofd my late friens Martin Spirit - RIP- , who owned the main Web-Domain and had given us, - British and Egyptians - the
opportunity to document all these facts

Dr. Yahia Al Shaer

 

[Dr.Yahia Al Shaer]

British Units involved in the Suez crisis​

Royal Army Service Corps

HQ 40 Sub Area RASC Head Quarters believed to be intended for base at Ishmalia. Formed of Staff Officers and Army reservists formed at Bordon, Hants. and later at Perham Down, Wilts.
Advance party of unit flew out to Malta from Lynham, Wilts. Embarked on HMS Theseus at Valetta and arrived at Port Said during the initial invasion. Unit was based in six-storey block of flats at cross-roads on road from Casino Palace Hotel about 200 meters from the canal. On opposite corner of cross-roads was Army barracks.

Unit left Port Said on 22nd December on New Australia and journeyed via Oran to Southampton arriving in England around 2nd January 1957. Thanks to B. Bartram for this entry.

2 Bulk supply Depot, Civil Affairs, RASC, in Cyprus from 2 November 1956 to 9 November 1956. Entered Port Said 10 November 1956. Occupied and billeted at Hotel De la Poste until 17th December 56. Left Port Said on the Carrier HMS Theseus, and transferred to a Troopship at Malta. The only Officer remembered is a Lt. Sandys, whom I believe to be a relative of Duncan Sandys(Politician). The Units role was to provide support for Civil population in need as a result of invasion. Information provided by T/Cpl, John Arthur Davies.

106 Company, RASC Stationed in the BAOR as part of 4 Div. All company vehicles left Barry Docks in November and awaited us at Port Said on the arrival of the unit. The oldest vehicles [QL Bedfords still painted green] At first at the football stadium the into the customs area on the canal, my store being the bonded wharehouse. Carried out the evacuation of British civilians from El Cap to Port Said in commandeered Merc Coaches. Left as stated, Christmas at Malta, no disembarkation, landed in the UK 31st Dec 56 and went into transit at Orsett Camp Greys Essex. Reservists despatched home balance of unit awaited embarkation back to BAOR.

186 Harbour Launch Company, RASC

No 2 Independent Transport Column, RASC, This column was divided into two, one half went on a LCT, got there and did the job, and on the way home passed within sight of the SS Marshall, Major Nightingale RASC CO, still on its way with the other half aboard, ploughed on, stayed ten days offshore, then returned to UK. Ship left Barry Docks on Guy Fawkes night, arrive offshore with about 20% of trucks serviceable due to bad weather, and returned to Southampton Roads the day before Christmas Eve. Total cockup! See story 'Thank you, Anthony Eden'. Many thanks to Martyn Habberley for this detailed information.

63 company R.A.S.C., 16th Independent Para Brigade Ten men of para platoon junped on gamel airstrip in second wave from a valleta. sgt Henderson. L/cpls. Hollis and Davis. Drivers Carter, Clarke, Mcivor, Mead, Miller, Murray, Palmer and Mcivor receiving a small shrapnel wound in the back. Our task was to re-supply the d.z and d z cleararnce. he rest of the company landing by boat a few hours after the commando asssult. A party of forty led by major bambridge with the task serviing civilian and egyptian military transport to make the brigade mobile until such time our own transport was landed. Thanks to Neil Mead for this entry.

Military Provost Staff Corps Prior to the Arab uprising, the MPSC staffed 50 MCE (Military Corrective Establishment) at Moascar. On the outbreak of hostilities, all SUS (Soldiers Under Sentence) were formed in to platoons with Staff as Platoon Commanders. In the beginning we guarded key sites such as the Water Filtration Plant at Nefiesha and the Fuel Depot at Farz where we also took control of the Cairo/Suez line using the Signal Box at Farz. The SUS were later returned to their Units and we the Staff manned the new Arab Detainee Camp which was next to the Military Cemetery and opposite Le Challand Camp, included in our inmates were the murderers of Sister Anthony, we maintained this Camp until the end of hostilities. During our stay at Farz we were engaged in several incidents with Arab militants.

203 Army Postal Unit We were a party of severn being Royal Engineers sappers(R E P S )a AER Unit, and a 2nd Lt who set up the the APO for all uk forces station in Port Said.This also included H M Ships, The unit arrived early November 56 but after the cease fire and stayed until about 18 December 1956 the remainder of the unit arrived early December total of about 33 personel.



Royal Marines:

3rd Commando brigade
Nos 40, 42 and 45 Commando
Detachments of Marines from Royal Navy ships including HMS Belfast

No 15 Air Control Team (15 ACT) attached to HQ 45 Cdo RM.

nbsp; No 16 Air Control Team (16 ACT) attached to HQ 42 Cdo RM.

No 17 Air Control Team (17 ACT) attached to HQ 40 Cdo RM.

Anti Tank Platoon, 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's). This unit was deployed as part of 40 Commando, who did not have an anti-tank capability. Commander Lieutenant Wilson. The platoon was split up for the landing, one group with new 106mm guns and one group with 17-pounders. They two groups met up after landing and covered the north to south of Port Said. Although the platoon did not engage enemy tanks, they were kept busy removing enemy snipers. The platoon suffered no casualties despite the ammunition dump being blown up beside one of the guns.

Brigadier R W MADOCK OBE who commanded the Commando Brigade sent a telegram after the deployment stating; "I wish to express my appreciation of the splendid fighting qualities of your Anti Tank Platoon which we were privileged to have with us during the amphibious assault on Port Said, they were invaluable to us and it is a great privilege to have them with us". Many Thanks to 'Mac' McIntyre for this entry.



Royal Air Force

Squadron	Aircraft	Base
No.1	Hunter F5	Nicosia
No.6	Venom	Akrotiri
No.8	Venom	Akrotiri
No.9	Canberra	Hal Far, Luqa
No.10	Canberra	Nicosia
No.12	Canberra B6	Hal Far, Luqa
No.13	Canberra PR7	Akrotiri
No.15	Canberra	Nicosia
No.18	Canberra	Nicosia
No.27	Canberra	Nicosia
No.30	Valetta	Nicosia
No.34	Hunter F5	Akrotiri, Nicosia
No.37	Shackletons	Luqa
No.38	Shackletons	Luqa, Wing Commander Green.
No.39	Meteor NF13	Nicosia
No.44	Canberra	Nicosia
No.58	Canberra	Detachment to Akrotiri
No.61	Canberra	Nicosia
No.70	Valetta C.1	Nicosia
No.84	Valetta C.1	Nicosia
No.99	Hastings	Nicosia
No.101	Canberra	Luqa, Hal Far
No.109	Canberra	Luqa
No.114	Valetta C.1	Nicosia
No.138	Valiant B1	Luqa
No.139	Canberra	Nicosia, 1/11/56 to 6/11/56
No.148	Valiant B1	Luqa
No.207	Valiant B1	Luqa
No.208	Meteor FR9	Nicosia
No.214	Valiant B1	Luqa
No.249	Venom	Akrotiri
No.511	Hastings	Nicosia
No.109 Maintenance unit
Transit Service Flight.	Repairing, refuelling aircraft in transit to Suez including fighters and contracted civil airliners.	Nicosia
5001 airfield construction Squadron, M E A F command	n/a	One flying officer, 1 corporal and 3 junior ranks were sent to El Gamel airport to fill in bomb craters and make temporary repairs to runway.
48 Field Squadron, RAF Regiment	n/a	48 Field Squadron RAF Regiment under the command of Squadron Leader Wilson Took over security of El Gamel Airfield on 6 November 1956 from the parachute regiment. Responsibility was passed to the United Nations on 22 December 1956. The Squadron returned to the UK on the SS New Australia
RAF Support Group	n/a	Based at Nicosia, this unit serviced RAF hasting aircraft which flew the paratroopers to Suez for the assault on Port Said. This unit comprised mainly personnel from R.A.F Lyneham and Colerne and was a short duration tour.
107 Maintenance Unit, Kasfareet Airman's mess.	n/a	RAF Kasfareet was situated on the Treaty Road along the Bitter Lakes. Commanding Officer Group Captain W.Mc.King my tour from April 1955 to April 1956. Thanks to Don Maddocks for this entry.

Please note that we have only touched the surface of the Suez invasion and will be adding more information to this site as time permits and we welcome any corrections to the above.


" In Memory, ofd my late friens Martin Spirit - RIP- , who owned the main Web-Domain and had given us, - British and Egyptians - the
opportunity to document all these facts

Dr. Yahia Al Shaer

 

[Royal Drummer]

My father served in the Royal Marines 42Commando and was killed at Suez on 6th November, two months before I was born. I have his name and also served in the Royal Marines, including the Falklands, so quite strange seeing 'my' own name on a RM headstone.

 

[TIGREDELAIRE]

Honor to the Heroes!

 

[jimbell300@hotm]

My father served in the Royal Marines 42Commando and was killed at Suez on 6th November, two months before I was born. I have his name and also served in the Royal Marines, including the Falklands, so quite strange seeing 'my' own name on a RM headstone. View attachment 431927

 

[jimbell300@hotm]

 

[jimbell300@hotm]

View attachment 435686

 

[jimbell300@hotm]

My dad, Alec Bell served with your dad.
He went ashore with him at Suez.
I've attached the squad photo from 1951 with both of their names on it.
Apologies for the terrible photo.
I don't suppose anyone would know if I could get a better copy of the photo.

 

[jimbell300@hotm]

My dad, Alec Bell served with your dad.
He went ashore with him at Suez.
I've attached the squad photo from 1951 with both of their names on it.
Apologies for the terrible photo.
I don't suppose anyone would know if I could get a better copy of the photo.

My dads still alive. He will be 90 tomorrow, 1st June.

 

[uktabber]

My dads still alive. He will be 90 tomorrow, 1st June.

Wow, good news indeed, Happy Birthday Dad!!!

 

[Bombardier]

My dad, Alec Bell served with your dad.
He went ashore with him at Suez.
I've attached the squad photo from 1951 with both of their names on it.
Apologies for the terrible photo.
I don't suppose anyone would know if I could get a better copy of the photo.

Did you simply take a photo of the photo?
Scanning the original will make a better copy mate , Congrats to your dad on his Birthday