RAF ATCC ISMAILIA 1953-54

'GUARD DUTIES & GENERAL LIFE'

As Remembered By Gerald S. Gregory

I spent my time in the Zone at RAF Ismailia. Despite doing watch work, we also had to do the guard duties. We could quite understand having to guard our own work complex and our living quarters on the Tented Site, but resented having to do this duty on the Main Camp as well, particularly as this was a “twenty four hour guard”.

Our works complex was within about 100 yards of RAF El Firdan. It was shaped like a pyramid. On the roof was the guard post complete with a searchlight. A Sudanese auxiliary was also on duty; they were always keen to learn the English language. Some of them were fine looking men but all had tribal marks cut into their cheeks. The perimeter fence was patrolled by Dog Handlers and dogs, mainly Alsations.

The Tented Site had a sentry box at its entrance on the road, but behind it began a tall fence for about 100 yards and then a barrier of coiled wire, which stretched behind the main buildings and NAAFI to the beginning of the Mauritian Auxiliaries Encampment. This fence had to be patrolled during the hours of darkness. There was little illumination in the patrol area, and one could easily trip up on the small supporting wires. Quite near the wire was a small remnant of the base of the tower built for the ill-fated airship, the R101.

There were several different guard posts on the Main Camp. I think that the Main Gate was always guarded by the RAF Regiment. The Airfield Gate was manned by one RAF chap and one Sudanese auxiliary; some-how in the winter they had got hold of a brazier and kept a fire going during the cold nights. The Filtration Plant Post, overlooking the Sweet Water Canal, with the native town of Arrashiya opposite, was manned by two RAF chaps, one of whom also had to patrol the inside wire for several hundred yards. This was quite hairy as the walkway had wire on both sides, and was fully illuminated, with no cover. One can imagine the trepidation at patrolling this soon after seeing the film, “The Planter’s Wife”, concerning the Malayan troubles with its depiction of targeting and shooting the Brits in a well lit area!!

Probably the best post of all was that at the Canal Bridge where there was a crossing from the Main Camp to the El Firdan road. This one was well fortified with a strong well sand bagged dugout, a Bren gun post and searchlight. It was more strongly manned than the others, as it could have been easily been attacked from the native village.

Colleagues from the Army in particular are surprised when I tell them that we patrolled individually, and that both the foot patrol on the Tented Site and that on the walkway on the Main Camp was done by only one person.

One of my main memories of being on guard duty was to see the thousands upon thousands of stars in the Milky Way. I hated the second shift from 8-10 & 2-4; one could not settle down either before of after duty. The last shift 4-6, was more interesting, as one of the chores was to visit various tents to wake up those who had booked any early morning call. One was armed with a list and was supposed to awaken the lad in the bed designated by a towel over the end of the bed rail. Unfortunately, this towel often de-camped in the night and the wrong person was woken up with the resultant irate comments. Doubts as to one’s legitimate birth was just a minor comment!

One of my scariest moments was when patrolling the wire on a very dark night, possibly in a semi day- dream, a stray piard dog shook himself directly behind me. My hair stood on end; I was petrified!! If the safety catch had not been on my rifle, a stray bullet could have gone anywhere.

Once at the Canal Bridge Post we challenged a figure coming down the road from the El Firdan direction. He shouted out that he was a member of the RAF Regiment “Anti-cable Cutting” Patrol, and that he had been sent back for reinforcements as they had been under attack. Despite that we had heard no shots, the chap was adamant, and a phone call to the Main Camp got a relief patrol sent out. It turned out that the lad had got the wind-up and had scarpered. Despite having to give evidence the next day about the event, I heard nothing further.

One poor lad, just off the boat, must have been half scared to death when he was on his first guard duty on the Tented Site sentry box. Several of use decided to go out into the scrub land behind our tent lines and howl at the moon!!!! Gradually we were joined by others and this howling went on for quite some time, putting the fear of God into this young lad.

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