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 Operation Musketeer Suez Canal Zone | |
In summer 1956, the Suez Canal had been nationalised by the Egyptian Government, seizing British and French assets in the Canal Zone. In addition to intense diplomatic activity, a French fleet was assembled at Toulon and the British carrier HMS Bulwark (R08) embarked her Sea Hawks, while HMS Ocean (R68) and HMS Theseus (R64) - which had only recently been fitted out as ancilliary troopships - set out to join HMS Eagle (R05) in the Mediterranean, by early August. Towards the end of August, Ocean and Theseus returned to the UK for rapid refit and were replaced on station by HMS Albion (R09) with her Sea Hawks and Sea Venoms. Ocean was updated with modern hospital and operating theatre facilities and both her and Theseus were modified for Helicopter operations. On 30 Sep Ocean (with 845 Naval Air Squadron embarked) and Theseus (with the JEHU embarked) put to sea to work up. On 14 Oct, 845 Squadron transferred to Theseus and sailed for Malta, while Ocean embarked the JEHU and set out on 19 Oct. Leaving Malta on the night of 31 Oct 1956 the British naval task force joined loosely with French units, including the carriers Arromanches (R95, with the HUP-2s of 23S) and Lafayette (R96), in the Mediterranean and proceeded towards Egypt and the Suez Canal. The main Royal Naval punch was provided at first light on 1 Nov by the fixed wing aircraft carriers Albion, Bulwark and Eagle to the west of Longitude 32, whilst the RAF were assigned to the east. F-84s of the Armée de l'Air provided top cover. During an attack on the Gamil bridge later that day, a Wyvern was shot down and its pilot was rescued from the sea by Eagle's SAR Helicopter Flight. On 3 Nov Albion withdrew to refuel, whilst Eagle withdrew on 4 Nov to repair its starboard catapult, refuel and to re-equip with aircraft flown in from El Adem. Following a drop of 16 Parachute Brigade (Operation Cordage) on the airfield at Gamil and a conventional seaborne landing (Operation Telescope), the Whirlwinds of 845 Squadron and the Whirlwinds and Sycamores of the Joint Helicopter Unit landed 500 troops from 45 Royal Marine Commando in Port Said early on 6 Nov 1956. The French assault was directed at Port Faud on the east bank. Under intense political pressure, particularly from the USA, a ceasefire was called late that night. 
Known to the French forces as Operation Mousquetaire. The third Musketeer were the Israelis, whose assault into Sinai was conducted under Operation Kadesh.
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Not all models shown may have taken part in the Operation
Some of the units could be operating fixed wing aircraft at the time, check every unit for details
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