Torture and Mutilation

Kipling, a friend of the long-suffering British Soldier said of Muslem Warriors "When battling these people and if one is running out of ammunition, one should save the last bullet for oneself" Not quite in his words, but with the same meaning.

From the Library of Congress
"Egypt, on the threshold of Revolution 1945 - 1952"

The Brotherhood called for strikes and a "Jihad" ( Holy War) against the British and Egyptian Newspapers called for a "Guerrilla" war. (Where have we heard this recently ?) These Newspapers proclaimed that Egypt had broken the "Fetters" of Imperialism. The Wafd Government gave way to pressure from the "Brotherhood" and Leftist groups for Militant opposition to the British. "Liberation Battalions" were formed, the "Brotherhood" and "Auxilliary Police" were armed and trained by the Egyptian Army. Food supplies to the Suez Canal Zone were blocked, and Egyptian labour withdrawn from the Base. A Guerrilla war against the British in the Suez Canal Zone was then undertaken by Students, the "Brotherhood" and the "Auxilliary" police.

It has long been established from medical records (autopsies etc) that any serviceman captured by any of the above mentioned groups (especially the Auxilliary Police) died of mutilation (before and after death). Those killed in this fashion were either delivered to a hospital in a Police ambulance, to the Military Police, but mostly the badly mutilated bodies of these unfortunate servicemen were fished out of the Putrid Sweet-water Canal. The Egyptians all knew what the British servicemen thought of the Sweet-water Canal, and stories abounded about what health effects usually followed anyone even sticking a toe in this open Sewer, and all were informed upon arrival in Egypt, that this was where all deserters ended up, and no statement for that answer was usually given.

These Auxililiaries were not trained policemen but criminals of the worst type trained and employed by the Egyptian Government the object being that they could kill and mutilate without conscience. They would enter the garrisons and strike fear into Service dependents by silently slipping handbills into the handbags of shopping women threating death and atrocities.

Whenever this subject is introduced into a conversation, many SCZ Veterans who have contacted this website have stated, they get the feeling that the person they are relating it to thinks they are B.........g them and it is a figment of the veterans imagination. This is understandable (and frustrating) since it is hard for someone who has never been subjected to the sight of such atrocities to believe that one human being could take pleasure in doing this to another , especially in the name of "Liberation" This "disbelief" is one of the reasons veterans in general, who have been through it all, will not open up when asked about his wartime experiences, except to other veterans

When proof of this kind of "warcrime" comes in the form of a written statement from a believable source, and in the form of an Autopsy report, then it has to be believed. The following we believe, are such statements, forwarded to this website by Canal Zone veterans Mike Hardy and Tom Radford.

1) In a sworn statement by Ex Military policeman T Walker who was quoted as saying, that a Major operating a small UN - armed unit (no name is supplied) for the benefit of both Arab and British servicemen spraying mosquito swamps to prevent malaria, was kidnapped. This officer was later found murdered, buried in the desert, up to his neck, with his testicles shoved into his mouth, A similar fate awaited two British other ranks with a NAAFI truck who became detached from their small convoy whilst passing through Ismalia became lost, were ambushed, murdered, and later the Military police recovered their badly mutilated bodies from the Sweet-water Canal.

2) In a sworn statement to the "Award Alliance" ex Sgt D Mallinder, from New Zealand then with the First Dragoons in the Canal Zone in 1951, stated that he would like to put on record the appaling murders of six British sericemen on the 18th November 1951 ( 2 Officers and 4 other ranks, names will not be given here for obvious reasons). All are buried in Moascar Military Cemetery. Their bodies were fished out of the Sweet-water Canal. Two had their fingers and legs chopped off using shovels, the other 4 had their testicles cut off and shoved in their mouths. All six were reported missing prior to being found.

3) Colonel "Pip" Newton, prior to his death, recorded on magnetic tape, the results of his extensive research into the History of the British Forces in the Canal Zone during and prior to the Emergency. These tapes have recently come to light and in one of them Colonel Newton states that some British servicemen who were murdered by Egyptian terrorists, had their testicles sewn into their mouths.

4) A Major from the Royal Engineers, Deputy Commander of Royal Engineers in the Suez Area was travelling in an Army Car accompanied by one warrant Officer and a Private soldier, and followed by a three-ton Lorry driven by a British Corporal and carrying eight Mauritian Soldiers, (Pioneers) and was returning by the coast road from a visit on duty to Port Twefik.

As they turned the corner by the Eastern end of the refinery area, they ran into an ambush which concentrated heavy fire on both vehicles. Fire came from a building in the refinery and from a grove of palm trees on the other side of the road. Both vehicles were forced into the ditch by the intense fire. The occupants of the car were thrown clear, but although unhurt, were weaponless and could not defend themselves. The driver of the lorry dismounted with his weapon and lying on the ground, returned the fire of the attackers. the only two men he actually saw firing at them were auxilliary policemen. After a few minutes a civilian car approached from the East and the Warrant Officer, commandeering it was able to escape with the Corporal the fetch help. They returned with a party of Bren-gun carriers, which on approaching the scene of the ambush came under heavy fire from both sides of the road. This party also observed Police Auxilliaries amongst the attackers. Under fire they were able to rescue the bodies of five Mauritian Soldiers from the lorry.

The following day early in the morning, a party of troops was sent again to the scene of the ambush and on making a thorough search of the area, found the bodies of the remaining three Mauritian soldiers and of the British soldier who had been in the car. the body of the British Major was delivered to the British hospital by an Egyptian Police officer.

It appears from the Post Mortem report that the eight Mauritian soldiers and the British soldier were killed by gunshot, but there is evidence also that their bodies were "mutilated " after death by being struck all over by a "blunt" instrument and by stabbing. It is clear from the evidence of the Post Mortem Report on this Officer, that he was brutally murdered, probably near the scene of the ambush. The Actual Post Mortem/ Autopsy report #61/.. (FO.../96...) was performed by Lt Col R. V... (RAMC) Specialist in pathology. This report is far too brutal to be fully reported in this website but suffice it to say this is as far as this website will go when it comes to reporting such brutality.

The only serviceman who was taken prisoner by these Auxilliaries and lived to tell the tale of his harrowing experience was LAC Tony Rigden who after a long time in captivity ended up being thrown out of a taxi onto the streets of Paris, and from there made his own way home. he recounted his experience on the recent Television special on the Canal Zone by International Jazz Musician (and SCZ Veteran) Acker Bilk.

Before and during the Emergency a number of British servicemen disappeared and were never heard from again, they have no known grave. To all those who died on active service in the Suez Canal Zone and especially those who were subjected to this kind of inhumane treatment, by these fiends. RIP

John (Jock) Marrs

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