Bomb Alert in the Atlantic

Bomb Alert in the Atlantic
1972

On 18 May 1972, a captain from the RAOC, who was pulled from lecturing duties, an SAS Sergeant, along with men of the Royal Marine Special Boat Squadron, were parachuted into the Atlantic from an RAF Hercules in response to a bomb threat on the Queen Elizabeth 2, which was 1,000 miles from Britain.

The RAOC provided an Ammunition Technical Officer, Captain R. Hacon Williams, who was not parachute trained and had to be given instruction en route. None of the team were advised of the ships location until after take-off. The four-man team jumped into a rough sea and were picked up by the liner's lifeboat. The entire team, including the SAS Staff Sergeant Cliff Oliver and Lieutenant Richard Clifford and Corporal Tom Jones went to the ship's captain, who, with his senior officers briefed the team. The suspect packages were two suitcases on the boat deck and four large containers in the car deck while the teams equipment was mustered. Every member of the team received The Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct. The ransom money was delivered but not collected.

Although the threat was later proved a hoax, the exercise provided valuable experience in inter-service cooperation as an RAF Nimrod provided secure and instant communications between the team and its British base.

After this operation, some ATOS were parachute-trained and the SBS kept a team on standby for future operations of this type.