No sooner had the Paras reached Cyprus, however, than they were flown back to the UK for training, urgently needed by both the paratroopers and the transport pilots.

Though, the whole 16th Independent Parachute Brigade had been in Cyprus since January 1956 and had been on anti terrorist duties, this is what caused the retraining. Most of 16th Independent Parachute Brigade had not jumped from an aircraft for over 9 months due to other commitments. Three days later, the rest of needed groups of the 16th Parachute Brigade left Portsmouth for Cyprus on board the carrier HMS Theseus to join the brigade's training for the operation and complete the readyness of the 16th Independent Parachute Brigade. Four days later two infantry battalions were despatched to Malta..

The dilemma facing Britain and France on taking military action when diplomatic efforts to settle the crisis failed, was to find sufficient justification for invading a sovereign state. It was decided to encourage Israel to attack the Egyptians in Sinai - which suited the former - with a drive to the Canal. This would give the Anglo-French force adequate reason to send troops to intervene to maintain the integrity of the Canal. England and France, allying with Israel, secretly prepared military actions to regain control of the Canal. During August 894 British civilians were evacuated from Egypt, many by Solent flying boats of Aquila Airways.
 
 

General Moshe Dayan, the Israeli Chief of Staff, first heard of the invasion plan on 1 September 1956 when French interests suggested that Israel join in. The Israelis flew to Paris for a further planning meeting on the 29th and on 3 October Eden told close advisers that Israel had offered to collaborate. After a series of tri-partite meetings at Sévres between 22 and 24 October; concurrently the French reached a private agreement with Israel for defensive support involving warships and fighter aircraft. The final plan was for the Israelis to invade Sinai on 29 October.
 
 

On October 29, 1956, Israeli Brigades trespassed the Egyptian boarders to invade Egypt. England and France, following their plan, demanded that Israeli and Egyptian troops withdraw from the Canal, and they announced that they would intervene to enforce a cease-fire ordered by the United Nations.
 
 

By the late afternoon of 30 October at 1615 hrs GMT, the British government issued combined Anglo-French ultimatum calling on the Israelis and Egyptians to stop the military hostilities, and requiring both Israel and Egypt to withdraw their forces to a distance of 10 miles buffer on either side of the Suez Canal Banks - east and west respectively which would separate the Egyptian forces from the Israelis .Thus the Ultimatum requested practically from, Egypt to withdraw their forces ten miles west and in turn gives Israel the advantage of advancing westwards to approach the Eastern Bank of the Canal... Following their part of the script, it was demanding that Egypt allow the British and French forces to temporarily occupy all key positions in the Suez Canal area in addition to the main cities, Port said, Ismailia and Suez to safeguard the international maritime transportation through the Canal. It was confidently predicted that the Ultimatum would be rejected by Egypt, which would give the Allies a justifiable excuse for military intervention. The British C-in-C orders to the RAF to prepare the first stage of the bombing campaign had already been given. The Egyptians, have understandably rejected the ultimatum and did not comply. The first Bombardment raids flew over Cairo on the evening of 30^th October to attack the EAF Airbases and began a 7 Day Aerial Bombardment Cycle in which
 
 

The Suez Canal War characterised by many operation names. It all began with Operation Kadesh, the definite assault operation name was Musketeer-revised. and the War ended with operation Yo-Yo. According to the Allied war plans, the assault would have to be preceded by the neutralisation of the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) and interdiction missions to isolate the war zone This was the original plan known initially by the code-name 'Hamilcar' and later 'Musketeer'. By 12 September 1956 the plans for 'Musketeer' were ready, although their implementation depended on the very slow process of requisitioning, loading and sailing the large number of merchant vessels required.

The first phase of the intervention plans was to deal with the EAF Egyptian Air Forces . The Allies were most concerned about the strength of the EAF, the fighting capability of its aircrew, the newly purchased MIG 15, the Illusion 28 Bombers, the heavy Stalin Tanks, the self-propelled SU-100 guns in addition to other not known types of Russian and Czech arms, but especially the preparedness of Czech and Soviet 'advisers' to fight aside the Egyptians. Allied intelligence was based on aerial reconnaissance, while Israeli assessments were probably the result of more direct espionage. The Allied estimates of the EAF strength were double those of the IDF.
 
 

Years will go by, before all the records of this war ever be fully evaluated. The following records listed by Anthony Gorst, a modern historian working in London should be supplemented with the Service Department files And should assist any future researcher in excavating all its stoned secrets

ADM 205

Part Three

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