1st
Bn XX The Lancashire Fusiliers
Egypt Aqaba |
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The Bill Duffy and Harry Gudgeon Photo Collection
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Gun
Boat Diplomacy
HMS Euryalus and others support 1LF in the Middle East 1951 - 1952 When 1 LF landed in Egypt in 1950 the Middle
East was in turmoil. Amongst the many flash points the Egyptians were
planning to abrogate the Suez Canal Treaty; the Iranians wanted to nationalize
the Anglo Iranian oil fields and the Jews in their newly established
state of Israel had designs on the deep water port of Aqaba to give
them access to the Red Sea. The first ship to give us direct support was
HMS Loch Lomond when she came to stay for three days in the Gulf of
Aqaba where we had the sea on our left, the Jews to our front, the mountains
behind and the waterless deserts of Jordan to our right. With no heavy
weapons to support us it was important that the opposition knew that
should they decide to invade the might of the Royal Navy was close at
hand. A few weeks later our very own HMS Euryalus
a cruiser bristling with weapons paid us a visit. We next saw HMS Euryalus on the 12th July
1951 when she passed through the Suez Canal on her way South to relieve
HMS Mauritius in the Shatt El Arab as the Persian situation was rapidly
deteriorating. The Battalion turned out in force to wave to her as she
passed down and we had two hours with then when she tied up to let the
North bound convoy through. Bands playing and flags waving. It was a
happy day. Our last contact with HMS Euryalus was on 22nd September 1951 when she passed through the Canal heading for Turkey and back to Malta to prepare herself as an escort ship for the King and Queens visit to Australia. The A Coy contingent return by air from Basra Picture; HMS Euryalus in the Gulf of Aqaba The last occasion I can remember that the Royal Navy came to our aid was at the height of the rioting in Ismailia. We all had a big surprise when HMS Chequers steamed into Lake Timsah and dropped anchor. I don't think there was a thing she could really have done at the time but amazing the effect on the morale of the local population was considerable. It really was great in those far off days to know we had a splendid Royal Navy who like ourselves were always ready for a scrap. Maurice Taylor |
I can throw a little light
on the Abadan venture.
In July 1951, HMS Euryalus was sailing through the Suez Canal bound for Abadan to relieve HMS Mauritius. Euryalus stopped for a short time at El Ballah which enabled a large party including the band from the 1st Bn LFs to travel in trucks on the 12th July to visit her. During this time, The CO and the Captain discussed the possibility of a small party from the Bn reinforcing the Marines who were aboard at that time. A few days later permission had been granted and at 1130 hrs Wednesday the 19th July 1951 a composite group commanded by Major T P Shaw (OC A Company )flew in Hastings aircraft from Fayid to Bahrein. The party was 43 strong, including the whole of Number 3 Platoon A Coy commanded by 2nd Lt N H Leadsom. They landed at Bahrein Island at 1800 hrs the same day and went by lorry to the Naval Barracks where they stayed the night. The following day they marched to the jetty and boarded the Euryalus,sailing for Abadan at 1030 hrs the same day. The A Coy contingent were on board for Minden Day so the OC Major T P Shaw contacted the regimental contractor Shaab Din back in Egypt and ordered 100 roses for the Fusiliers to wear in their berets. Surprise, surprise when a bum boat approached the ship and was given permission to come alongside with roses for Major Shaw. He found himself to be the recipient of 100 bottles of Rose's Lime Juice which caused more than a few laughs that day. This event later featured in a Rose's Lime Juice advert.
These were the lucky people:- Major T P Shaw,2nd Lt N H Leadsom,
Sgt J Murphy,Cpls H Broadley,A Carr,K Haslam,T Howe,A Walmsley and H Wilson
( our Tug ) Reinforced by:- Cpl J Ball (our Johny Ball )L/CVpl ( Jock ) Callaghan, Fusiliers R Bill, J Byrne, L Clarke, J Clarkeson, E Peake, N Clarkeson, R Clynes, A Corbishley, K Diggle, J Foxall, G McFarlane, K Pickup.
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