RECALLED IN AUGUST 1956 - SUEZ CRISIS
As Remembered By Derrick Bickley - Royal Signals
Having shared a few memories and photos over the past years, one that I didn’t share came to me on reading the latest May Issue about returning to the Canal Zone in 1956.
Having been de-mobbed in January 1956, I was recalled in August of that year and had to report to Colchester, Royal Signals 3rd Infantry Division. I was not there for long as I was transferred to Att. with Royal Artillery at Woolwich. After a few weeks dilly-dallying between Salisbury Plain and Cardiff Castle, and back to Woolwich, we eventually had to load our gear in our transport and send any civilian clothes back home (paid for, of course, by the W.D.) We then drove back to Cardiff, the docks this time, where we loaded all our transport and artillery, and ourselves of course, onto a cargo boat where we were then billeted and given temporary erected double bunk beds to sleep on. We then left in the early hours of the morning for the Middle East.
It was a rough ride through the Bay of Biscay, where, during the early hours of the morning one section of our temporary bunk beds collapsed leaving all bodies ending up on the bottom – luckily no one was seriously hurt – only our pride.
Eventually we arrived at Valetta Harbour, Malta, and it appeared that all hostilities had ended which, of course, pleased us and we thought that we would just be turned around and head back home for de-mob again. But that was not the plan!!
The plan was for us to be taken ashore and put under canvas somewhere on the Island for two to three weeks. Eventually it was decided that we were not needed and were returned to the ship and set sail for England.
We landed at London Docks to be unloaded for return to Woolwich but, alas, it was not as easy as that. The Dockers refused to unload us as there was ammunition on board and they would not touch it. We did eventually get unloaded and back to Woolwich, then onto Colchester for de-mob.
I managed to get back home to my wife and young daughter who was 11 months old then in time for her first Christmas.
During my few months away I met a lot of lads, both Signals and Artillery,
whose names I cannot now remember but if any of them happens to read this and
it brings back similar memories, please do get in touch.