AdenMountainous terrain, brutal climate and fierce local tribesmen, well armed and prepared to fight to the death were a culmination of ugly characteristics facing the Paras, as the Arabs battled for the independence of Aden.
The small British protectorate on the southern tip of Saudi Arabia, first saw conflict in 1964, when the people of Radfan, north of Aden, became increasingly influenced by the nationalist Arab movements surrounding the tiny state.
Situated more than 60 miles north of Aden, the Quteibi, lbdali and Bakri tribes traditionally supplemented their income by looting travellers on the Dhala road which connected Aden to the state of Yemen. Now with the support of extremists called the Aden National Liberation Front, they were armed and willing to join the struggle to force the British to withdraw from the colony.
In the spring of 1964, the main Radfan based tribe, backed with Egyptian and Yemeni weapons, mined the Dhala road and began regular ambushes. Their activities provoked swift response.
Paras of B Company 3rd battalion Parachute regiment joined 45 Commando RM and the Federal Regular Army, in an operation known as 'Radforce' and set out to dominate the Dhanaba Basin and secure the village of El Naqil.
The initial plan called for a night-time drop by B Company, on a key feature codenamed Cap Badge. But the jump was cancelled and instead they spent 30 exhausting hours marching and fighting to take their target.
In recognition of their success, they renamed El Naqil 'Pegasus village' and then along with 45 Commando withdrew to Aden. This was the first of many assaults into the mountains to put down the Arab rebellion.
A reserve brigade was flown into Aden as well as the remainder of 3 Para, then based in Bahrain as a result of the earlier threatened invasion of Kuwait, to support the success of B Company and the Marines.
In a brilliantly planned operation, Lt Col Farrar-Hockley led 3 Para to capture Bakri Ridge in May 1964. His battalion included 105mm guns from 7 Royal Horse Artillery, Para gunners, airborne engineers and medics from 23 Parachute field ambulance.
By 1964, the terrorist attacks had spread to Aden, just south of Radfan, and 1 Para were deployed on security duties throughout the areas of Crater and Khormasker, to protect British service families.
Later in January 1967, 1 Para was back in Aden. This time on an emergency tour to relieve the Royal Anglian regiment at Sheik Othman, the key point to Aden from the mountains of Radfan.
By now terrorist atacks were at their height and all military families had been sent back to England. Military married quarters had been bombed, cinemas blown up and schools shot at, resulting in many British casualties.
A large element of British forces in the province had also been sent back to the UK, as plans were laid for the eventual withdrawal of British Forces from Aden.
At Sheik Othman, 1 Para found themAselves under a hail of fire within days of the battalion officially taking over on June 1 - a day which was to become known as 'The glorious first of June'.
The Arab gunmen had launched a substantial assault on the unit to test their resources and attempted to overrun Sheik Othman, but they had not taken into account a series of observation posts heavily manned by Paras and hidden from view.
In the battle that followed, the Paras killed 16 terrorists, destroying the plans of both guerilla groups - NLF and FLOSY to take control of Sheik Othman.
Shooting, bombing and rocket attacks continued right up until the battalion was given the order to 'pull out', marching six abreast out of Radfan camp with their weapons still loaded, on November 27, 1967, after 128 years of British rule.
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