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THE DISARMING OF THE POLICE IN ISMAILIA.
The Battle
On Thursday 24th January 1952, Brigadier Exham, Commander of the Third Infantry Brigade, held an "O" Group at Tactical Headquarters at 211 Transit Camp on the Banks of the Sweet Water Canal, opposite Arab Town.
The Commanding officer, Lt. Colonel A. A. Agar, (Newly taken over from Lt Col Bamford --Joe) was told that "Operation Eagle", the code-name for the disarming of the police in Ismailia, would take place at first light on the 25th January 1952 and that two troops of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment and four troops of the Royals were under his command for the operation. The Brigade Commander also ordered that an outer cordon around the town of Ismailia be established at first light by the 2nd Parachute Battalion, the 1st Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment, and the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment. This cordon sealed off Ismailia proper from Arab Town Arasha.
At 1600 Hrs on the 24th January 1952, an "O" Group was held at Battalion H, Headquarters and the Commanding Officer gave his orders for disarming the police the following morning. The gists of his orders were as follows;
Tasks;
(a) Close cordon Bureau Sanitaire(Police Barracks) and Caracol
(b) Disarm all police in Ismailia.
(c) Maintain law and order in Ismailia.
Method:
(a) Close cordon of Caracol to be undertaken by one troop of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment, two troops of The Royals and six Bren gun carriers of Support Company, with infantry sections
(b) Close cordon of Bureau Sanitaire with one troop of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment, two troops of the Royals, less one armoured car, and two carriers of Support Company with infantry sections.
(c) Close cordon to be in position by 1615 hrs.
(d) "A" Company 1LFdisarming force for Caracol to be in position on the banks of the Sweet Water Canal opposite Caracol as cordon closed.
(e) Battalion Tactical headquarters 1LF, "C" Company 1LFplus Drums 1LF to be deployed to clear the barracks as cordon closed on the Bureau Sanitaire.
(f) Support Company 1LF, less detachments and one armoured car responsible for protection of France Square.
(g) Main Headquarters 1LF with "D" Company 1LF, and medical detachment in reserve in Rue Mohd Ali.
The account will now deal with the disarming of the police in the Bureau Sanitaire Barracks.
At 0620 hours a broadcasting van positioned itself opposite the Bureau Sanitaire screened by a Centurion tank and the first broadcast was aired. During the broadcast the Veterinary Surgeon living in the Bureau Sanitaire came out and asked permission to move his family. This was given and he was sent into the Bureau to tell the police to lay down their arms and surrender and that no harm would come to them. This had no effect and a second broadcast was made.
During this period and for the next fifteen minutes, the police were observed to occupy further sandbagged positions, both on the roofs of buildings and in wired and fortified positions in the garden. Further ammunition was also seen to be dumped at each position. It is appropriate now to explain that the Bureau Sanitaire consisted of two large double-storied buildings in the northeast corner and five single story barrack blocks scattered over the compound. The double-story buildings also possessed cellars.
Certain buildings had been connected by wire and oil drums and positions were well sited and sandbagged. The police were also assisted in their defence by heavy undergrowth and trees. Well-prepared positions had been made on the roofs of the double-story buildings. It was quite apparent that an attack was fully expected but it is probable that some surprise was achieved due to the swiftness of the mounting of the operation.
As the police had failed to comply with the second broadcast one Centurion tank was ordered to enter the compound by the main gate and in so doing the gate and portion of the front wall were demolished. At about 0650 hrs a third broadcast was given. Between 0645 and 0700 hours the police fired at least six rounds, which were not returned.
As the police still refused to take any notice of the broadcasts the Centurion tank, which had entered by the main gate, was ordered to fire one blank round of 20 pounder. This was, in fact the signal for the battle to commence as the firing of the round was greeted by a great volume of fire from the police directed at the tank and an armoured car opposite the main gate. Fire was returned by the troop of the 4th Royal Tank regiment and two troops of the Royals with machine guns.
The Commanding Officer now ordered the sniper section, under Lt. Broughton, (This is "Crash" Broughton who many younger LFs will remember as a Major-Joe) with a wireless OP to establish themselves on top of the Air Force building in French Square. During the remainder of the operation, the sniper section assisted in clearing portions of the roofs on the Bureau Sanitaire, which could be observed. Several hits were seen and probably four or five police were accounted for during this action.
The Commanding Officer now obtained permission from Brigade HQ, situated near the Caracol to take further action, and at 0715 hrs the Centurion fired two rounds of 20-pounder H.E. at the buildings facing the main gate. Fire was again returned by the police and so a further two rounds were fired by the tank at prepared positions. Meanwhile all available small-arms fire was being brought to bear on the police. At 0745 hours a cease-fire was ordered by the Commanding Officer and a further broadcast was given. No notice was taken by the police of this broadcast and fifteen minutes later general fire was opened again on the police positions and a further two rounds of 20-pounder H.E. by the Centurion tank opposite the main gate. A fifth broadcast was given at 0820 hours, which again met with no response from the police and so the Commanding Officer asked permission from Brigadier Exham to be allowed to take all necessary action in order to complete his task. This request was granted with the proviso that excessive force would NOT be used.
An "O" group was then held by the Commanding Officer and the gist of his orders was as follows:
(a) One troop of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment to enter the compound and fan out into position to assist assault by infantry by firing two rounds of 20- pounder H.E. per tank, (six rounds in all) prior to the assault and to support infantry with machine-gun fire.
(b) One troop of the Royals to lay a smoke screen under which the infantry would advance, and to support attack with observed fire.
(c) "C" Company to assault the building from which they could engage the police on the roof of the Bureau Sanitaire.
(d) Drums to occupy the building from which they could engage the police on the roof of the Bureau Sanitaire.
(e) "D" Company ordered to French Square and given the task of escorting and guarding prisoners when captured. One platoon also held in immediate reserve to reinforce "C" Company if necessary.
(f) Medical detachment ordered to French Square to establish a dressing station.
At about 0835 hours "C" Company, under Major Chance, supported by the fire of all available weapons (less mortars) assaulted the Bureau Sanitaire. Very early in the operation Major Chance was hit in the thigh by nine slugs and also in the heel. The command of his Company was taken over by Captain Gribble
7 Platoon, under Sgt. Reid, working round the right flank made good progress by using a covered approach and without loss reached the smaller of the two main buildings in the Northeast corner. The platoon then deployed to assault the building, with Cpl. Connor's section alongside the building and L/Cpl. H. Eastham's section in position in the rear. During the move of this section into position, L/Cpl. Eastham was killed and Fusilier Grimes wounded.
Meanwhile 9 Platoon, under 2/Lt. Barber, had reinforced 7 Platoon. Sniping was now coming from rooms in the King George Hotel to the rear of the Bureau Sanitaire. 2/Lt. Barber silenced the snipers with two well-aimed PIAT bombs. 7 Platoon now assaulted with 1 Section under Cpl. Storer and 3 Section under Cpl. Connor and met opposition in clearing the top floor, which was overcome with No. 36 Grenades. Meanwhile 1 Section had engaged about twenty men who were trying to reinforce the smaller building. At the same time, 8 Platoon had advanced behind the tanks on the left flank, with 3 Section (Cpl. Harrison) behind the centre tank. Fusilier Lowe was killed while firing from a position near the centre tank. After the tanks had ceased firing, 8 Platoon assaulted and captured a low building without opposition but firing came from a tent ten yards behind. This was soon overcome and the Platoon then entered some showers in the rear and proceeded to clear them with grenades and the bayonet. Due to the noise of battle, the Platoon had become split and it was during the advance of the rear element that L/Cpl. Mckenzie and Sgt. Foster were severely wounded. After clearing the showers and the immediate area, a foothold was gained in the main building and further casualties were inflicted on the police. Unfortunately there was no means of access from the showers to the first floor, as the stairway was on the far side of the building.
A number of actions were now taking place simultaneously. During the advance of "C" Company the Commanding Officer had ordered a troop of the 4th Royal Tanks to fire a further twelve rounds of 20 -pdr. H.E at observed positions and the Royals opened up with their 2-pdrs. At the same time a party of Drummers under Capt. Gaw, (Charlie Gaw?-Joe) advanced down a side street to a prepared position from which the police were sniping and threw eight No. 36 Grenades into the position. Heavy casualties were inflicted on the police. One section of the Drums then occupied a roof position at the rear of the Sanitaire and killed all the police manning positions on the roof. During this action by the Drums the Commanding Officer had ordered a troop of the 4th Royal Tanks to close in on the buildings and demolish where possible. The determination of the police is now shown by the fact that the Centurions were attacked with petrol bombs. Casualties suffered by "C" Company up to this time were three other ranks killed, one Officer and ten other ranks wounded.
The Commanding Officer now met with the Brigade Commander and it was agreed that "C" Company would be withdrawn to avoid further loss of life, as the capture of the final building presented great difficulties and that the police would be battered into submission by gun fire. Consequently the Commanding Officer ordered a troop of the Royals to lay a smoke screen under which "C" Company was withdrawn without further loss.
At about 0945 hours the sixth broadcast was made and ten minutes later the police began to surrender, whereupon a section of the Drums entered the Bureau Sanitaire by the rear gate and ejected police who failed to surrender. A police officer and six policemen refused to surrender and continued to occupy prepared positions on the main stairway, firing at the section of Drums who were clearing the building. Two No. 36 grenades were thrown through a window into this police position, killing three and wounding the officer. The position then surrendered. At the same time, "C" Company had re-entered the Bureau Sanitaire and occasional shots were still being fired by individual police. "C" Company then rounded up all the police and they were escorted by "D" Company, under Capt. Evea, to cages in French Square. The remainder of the day was spent by "C" Company in collecting and checking the arms and ammunition of the police.
During this battle long-drawn-out negotiations had been in progress at the Caracol, under Brigadier Exham, with Major Shaw in command of the troops. Finally at 1210 hours, after heavy fire had been brought to bear on the Caracol with all weapons less 20-pounders, the police surrendered. "A" Company, under Major Shaw, then entered the Caracol and the police were placed under guard on the banks of the Sweet Water Canal, while other parties of "A" Company stacked all arms and ammunition, which were later removed.
Patrols of Loyals and Support Company in carriers and Stuarts, under Captain Pitt, were sent out at 1415 hours to maintain law and order in Ismailia. These patrols continued until dusk, when the entire responsibility for patrolling was given to Support Company. The Battalion, less "D" Company, at about 1600 hours concentrated on the banks of the Sweet Water Canal with one troop of the 4th Royal Tanks in reserve. "D" Company was based on French Square with one platoon in the Bureau Sanitaire under 2/Lt. Blythe-Brook and a quiet night was spent by the Battalion. The following day the battalion was relieved in Ismailia by the Royal Sussex Regiment.
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21st February 2009, 01:25 PM
مجـزرة الاسماعيلية بوم الجمعة 25 يناير 1952 ..وأسماء الشهداء,.. وصورة
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