RECALLED IN AUGUST 1956 - SUEZ CRISIS
As Remembered By Derek Atkinson - RAMC 2 CCS
In the summer of ’56, I was on Reserve, having served my 3 years regular service. The re-call notice in August required me to report back to the RAMC Training Unit at Keough Barracks in Surrey.
A group of 27 of us were formed up as 2 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station). The O.C. was a surgeon, Major Brian McKonky, who I believe came from a place near Cardiff. Some of the others were; ‘Tiffy’ Talbot, Arthur Bunce, Charlie Barker and Keith Brown – we all became good mates.
It was a peculiar time since no one seemed to know what to do with us. Indeed for a number of weeks we weren’t issued with any real kit or uniforms and just wandered around doing odd jobs i.e. painting and cleaning up (when we were unable to dodge it!)
I do remember that Arthur Bunce had been given a car, a Wolsely, for his birthday and that the five of us made regular trips to Worthing where Tiffy Talbot had a friend who ran a pub called ‘The Dolphin’, happy evening on pints of Brown & Mild.
It was on return from one of these trips that, on returning to camp, we found everyone getting ready to move out. 2 CCS was now equipped with uniforms and Lee Enfield 303’s. Off to RAF Lynham and thence over to Malta by plane (may have been a Hastings).
Eventually we were boarded on HMS Theseus, an aircraft carrier, and found we were alongside with 22/23 Commando. It was very crowded and noisy, and sleeping was impossible. Tiffy and I got out of the hanger and up to the deck just for some fresh air. Eventually we set sail for Egypt.
Anchored in Port Said the night before disembarking, my abiding memory is of the Commando’s laughing and joking whilst preparing their weapons for the landing the next day. I think it must have been Day 2 of the ‘Action’ as we could see smoke and fires in Port Said.
As we got into the Landing Craft with the Commando’s, I couldn’t help thinking “Blimey, if a mortar shell was to land in here we would all be in trouble”. I suppose we were meant to be brave, but I can tell you, here’s one person who was scared silly.
We got ashore safely and eventually set up our 2 CCS in the Casino Palace Hotel where we started to receive casualties from both sides. Our job was to try and do whatever immediate treatment we could and then get the casualties out to a French Hospital Ship anchored in the Port.
I have to say that it was a little hairy at first but the ‘Action’ only lasted a couple of days. After that it was just a case of attending to various ‘minor’ incidents. Indeed, we seemed to spend a lot of time playing tennis up on the roof of the Casino Palace Hotel.
One other incident that remains in my memory concerns certain members of the press. There were reporters from many newspapers covering the events. It was late one evening and I remember three pressmen being brought into our unit. They were shaken up and had cuts and bruises etc. During treatment we heard them discussing what story to send back to the paper. What they wanted to convey was that they had been out interviewing troops when they were ambushed by some Egyptians. In truth they had been tearing about the area fuelled by a few bevies/drinks and had crashed their vehicle.
Now our O.C. Brian McKonky was a man of few words but he tore into these three men. Their story never appeared in any paper!!
Most of the squaddies in Port Said were pulled out and back home before Christmas. 2 CCS hung on until after Christmas when we were shipped out and brought home on a Shaw Saville Line liner, the “SS New Australia”. As far as I can remember, we were the only squaddies on board and had the run of the ship.
I think Keith Brown and I both purchased ‘Excalibur’ wrist watches from the shop on board the liner. It was good value and mine went on working for a good number of years.
When I got home it was de-mob again but this time without the suit.
I went back to my old employer who had kindly kept my job open for me and had
even continued to pay my wages which he had sent to my fiancée who I
married in August 1957.