The first crisis 1961
Operation Vantage
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On June the 25th, President Kassem of Iraq claimed that Kuwait was part of his country, and announced that he was going to annex it. On the 27th of June the Amir of Kuwait appealed for help to both Britain and Saudi Arabia for aid. The C-in-C Middle East, Air Marshal Sir Charles Elworthy, prepared to send it, with the loan of spearhead units from the Far East and Near East. Reports indicated that Kassem was assembling an armoured brigade for a swift dash to Kuwait. |
42
Commando Royal Marines were already on their way from the Far East in their
carrier HMS Bulwark, scheduled to carry out hot weather trials in the area.
At the time of the threat to Kuwait, HMS Bulwark was visiting Karachi,
allowing the men some shore leave. HMS Bulwark set off from Karachi on
the morning of June the 29th, steaming at 24 knots, and was off Kuwait
on the morning of Sat July the 1st. C troop 42 Commando landed at Kuwait's
uncompleted aerodrome during a sand storm, spiralled down in their helicopters
at about 1130 hrs, and were followed almost at once by a squadron of RAF
Hunters, who were somewhat surprised when they found a formation of helicopters
landing out of the swirling sand storm.
The
2nd Parachute Battalion from Cyprus were to have joined 42 Commando, but
they were delayed from flying by a refusal to grant air space by Turkey.
45 RM Commando were summoned from Aden. This meant bringing in their frontier
detachment from Dhala. A journey normally taking two days was compressed
into less than one day by the fine piece of driving by the RASC. The men
were ready by the Saturday morning but had to wait until the afternoon
till planes were available, and only reached Kuwait by nightfall. Meanwhile,
two companies of the 2nd Coldstream Guards, on detachment in Bahrain, were
flown at short notice to Kuwait during the afternoon to make the aerodrome
secure against attack. A half-squadron of the 3rd Dragoon Guards (or Carabiniers)
were already afloat with their Centurions in HMS Striker and the tanks
were disgorged at a landing place found by 42 Cdo.
By the night of July 1st, more than half a brigade group, with powerful air support, was ready for action. The key feature to be held was the Mutla Ridge, some 25 miles from the aerodrome and 5 miles short of the Iraq border. The first move to the Ridge was made during the night. Using a variety of vehicles, A Troop, 42 Cdo, took possession of part of the Ridge near to the road and 45 Cdo took a feature 15 miles to the left of 42 Cdo on the Ridge some 400 feet high. Despite sudden flurries of sandstorms, the Marines of 42Cdo RM, 45 Cdo RM and a detachment of Royal Marines from HMS Loch -Alvie dug in. During the day the temperature rose to 125 degrees Fahrenheit and slit trenches were dug out of rock and sand with Hessian sacking covering to keep out the worst of the sun.
The
helicopters flew in water from HMS Bulwark and it was reported that the
average water consumption per man was about 20 pints per day. The heat
was at its most savage in July and there was no shade on Mutla Ridge. A
battery of the 33rd Para Field Regt. RA, 11th Hussars with Ferret scout
cars, the Carabiniers with their Centurions, and 2nd Para began to arrive,
freed from the ban on flying over Turkey. On July the 4th the 1st Royal
Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 34th Field Squadron arrived from Kenya.
The Inniskillings took over from 42 Cdo on the 6th of July and on the 7th
the 1st King's (Manchester and Liverpool) relieved 45 Cdo. Further reinforcements
came from the UK.
During this period the Arab
League had mustered sufficient forces to take over the protection of Kuwait,
and by October 19th the British withdrawal was complete. At least there
could be no complaints about the speed of the response and by 1965 the
Middle East Command was fully committed to the defence of Aden.
