Regimental Histories - Year 1960-1985 - Brockbank - Page 0035
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CHAPTER TWO SO UTH ARABIA The voyage in HMT Oxfordrhire on her last voyage as a Troop Ship was a pleasant, if somewhat slow, cruise enlivened by the presence of the Indian Army bands returning to India after performing in the Royal Tournament, Captain Fitch, the Master, conducted the Mons/Moy day service as she sailed past many places named on the Guidons — Gazala, El Alamcin and North Africa 1941—1943, Very few who served there were aboard but these included the Commanding Ofiicer, Captain Bennett, Sergeant Squirrell and Corporal Stammers. Aden Colony, where disembarkation, serenaded by the Indian bands, took place on 30 September, had just witnessed a revolution in the neighbouring country of Yemen. The Rulers of the tribes within the Aden Protectorates, which surrounded the Colony, became uneasy about their security when the new Ruler of Yemen, supported by Colonel Nasser of Egypt, began a propa- ganda war against them and their allegiance to the British. Abdullah-al—Asnag, a hot-headed Trades Union leader in Aden, welcomed the revolution and demanded union with Yemen. This scenario had all the ingredients for a classic col— onial confrontation the tactics for which were in the manual called “Aid to the Civil Power”. The British responded to this threat by setting up the Federation of the Emirates of the South and merged the Colony with it. As Egypt reinforced the Yemenis so the Federation, assisted by British troops, built up its forces on the frontier, For the year that the Regiment was to serve in the Middle East two sabre squadrons were deployed in the Federation and one at Sharjah, in the Trucial Oman States, 1500 miles to the North East. Of the former, one squadron was based in Little 33 — |
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