The Suez & Canal Zone ... 1950-1956.

Aden & Radfan

RAF Hastings aircraft, Call Sign TG 577

Kiel Canal - Germany ... Wednesday 11th September 1974

131 Independent Parachute Squadron

Northern Ireland

Falkland Islands

Iraq

Afghanistan

“They will only die when they are forgotten,
so read their names, that they may be remembered.
If you shed a tear, know that you do not weep alone.”

Any serviceman killed on Active Service in the Suez Canal Zone in the early fifties during the "Emergency" was buried in one of the following Cemeteries 
1) Cairo-New British Protestant Cemetery 
2) Fayid War Cemetery 
3) Moascar War cemetery 
4) Port Said Military Cemetery 
The Photograph above right is of Fayid War Cemetery and shows rows of neat well kept graves, beautifully laid out, and well marked.

Suez Veteran's Association

Sunray22b.net

On 31st October, with RAF aircraft already pounding Egypt, A Royal Navy Task Force left Malta comprised of H.M.S. Eagle, H.M.S. Albion and H.M.S. Bulwark carrying Fleet Air Arm aircraft and H.M.S. Ocean and H.M.S. Thesues carrying helicopters and troops bound for the beaches. The LST Lofoten, with men and equipment of No.45 Commando onboard, also accompanied the fleet with its escort of destroyers and frigates. Meanwhile, the cruiser H.M.S. Newfoundland encountered an unknown contact while on patrol at the southern end of the canal zone. The target, on being challenged, opened fire on the cruiser causing minor damage. 
The Newfoundland replied with her 6 inch guns and sunk the Egyptian frigate Domiat after six minutes, 69 of her crew being rescued. At 4.44am on 5th November, six hundred men of 3 Para were dropped from RAF Hasting and Valetta aircraft onto El Gamil airfield. They soon secured the airfield and achieved all their objectives during the day, and were reinforced when another drop of 100 men and equipment was made in the afternoon.

The Seaborne landings the following morning were at Port Said and the French held Port Fuad. Nos. 40 and 42 Commando made an assault landing in LVTs (Landing Vehicle Tracked) supported by a number of centurion tanks. No.45 Commando was flown ashore by Six Whirlwinds and Six Sycamore helicopters from H.M.S. Ocean and Whirlwinds from H.M.S. Theseus, landing virtually unopposed, although a few pockets of determined resistance were dealt with by the Close Air Support which was always present. 

By the end of the day, the Allied forces had consolidated their positions and were confident that the Suez canal would be in their hands within the next 24 hours. During the night the first LSTs berthed at Port Said and began unloading their Centurion tanks. At that point, the Allies were forced to withdraw under pressure from the United Nations and Russia. A Ceasefire coming into effect at 2345 on 6th November. The troops began to evacuate on 7th December and the last troops left on 22nd December. 

PARACHUTE REGIMENT

Cemetery

Lt AHB. Acton 2 Para 21.01.1952
Fatally shot by a combatant, hidden in one of the crypts, during the search of the Moslem cemetery by the outer cordon in the action at the Bureau Sanitaire. 
His assailant was shot dead by D. Atkinson, an A- Company member of 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment.
Pte A F. Campbell 2 Para 06.01.1953
Pte W J. Cheesebrough 1 Para 21.08.1952
L/Cpl F H. Fannon 2 Para 09.04.1952
Sgt K. Goldsmith 1 Para 27.11.1953
His parachute failed to open during a training exercise
Pte FMJ. Heaphy 2 Para 10.02.1952
Pte F. Jenkins 2 Para 12.07.1953
Pte T O. Johnson 3 Para 03.11.1952
Pte G J. Pike 1 Para 21.08.1952
Pte A. Somerville 3 Para 20.05.1953
Pte J B. Vaux 1 Para 30.05.1954
Pte Edward Armstrong WILLIAMS (Para)

Moascar War Cemetery





Moascar War Cemetery
Moascar War Cemetery
Fayid War Cemetery
Moascar War Cemetery

Fayid War Cemetery
Moascar War Cemetery
Moascar War Cemetery
Moascar War Cemetery
Moascar War Cemetery
Moascar War Cemetery
Fayid War Cemetery

33 AIRBORNE LIGHT REGIMENT... RA

Question :-
When 33 Parachute Light Regiment RA was put into suspended animation seemingly so that 7 RHA could take over the parachute role why the commando role didn't go to the RHA at the same time ...
(or subsequently)
Answer :- Make your own mind-up

Gnr K.C. Goodall 8th Oct. 1952 
Gnr S.W. Webster 8th Oct 1952
Gnr C.A. Noble 20th Oct 1952

33 Parachute Regiment, RA, The 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 scrap-yard 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!

Also the following men attached :-

Cemetery

Attached to :-

Sargeant Peter KIMMINS
Killed in an incident involving a gun and another soldier
Captain Douglas ROWLAND-WATKINS
Killed in road incident
Private Rowland Brian MILLS
Staff Sargeant William Cyril NOCK

Moascar War Cemetery

Fayid War Cemetery

Moascar War Cemetery
Fayid War Cemetery

3 Para Bn ACC

3 Para Bn ACC

16 Ind Para Bde GP Ord Fld Park
16 Para Works

CONVENT OF ST VINCENT de PAUL 

Bridget Anne Timbers, known as Sister Anthony 20.01.1952
Sister Anthony was a teacher at St Vincent de Paul College, Ismailia, she was killed in her convent by terrorists after warning the British Forces of an ambush that was to take place on an Army convoy. She was given a full military funeral. Born in 1900 in New York, USA, to an Irish mother and Canadian father, she was christened Bridget Anne and had the family name of Timbers. read more

At three o'clock in the afternoon the poor Sister left accompanied by a most respectful and impressive cortege, her coffin surmounted by a machine gun. Two priests in a Military vehicle went in front, the body was carried by eight Officers with the most profound recollection. On the 22nd there was High Mass at the Military camp at nine o'clock, a great crowd including several priests, several Generals etc. The senior Military Chaplain gave a very sincere and true talk.