Battle of the Crater (Aden)

Battle of the Crater

Date	July 1967
Location	Aden
Result	British victory

Belligerents

United Kingdom
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

NLF
FLOSY

Commanders and leaders

Lt-Col Colin Campbell Mitchell

Strength

400 (est.)

Aden Emergency

High Commissioner Attack(Dec 1963)
Radfan Campaign (Jan-May 1964)
Childrens Party Attack (Dec 1964)
Aden Legislative Council election, 1964
Battle of Dhala (March 1965)
Assassination of Harry Barrie (Aug 1965)
Assassination of Sir Arthur Charles (Sept 1965)
Aden Airport Attack (Sept 1965)
Aden Street Riots (Jan-Feb 1967)
Arab Police Mutiny (Jun 1967)
Battle of the Crater (July 1967)
Withdrawal from Aden (Nov 1967)

The Battle of the Crater was an encounter during the Aden Emergency. Following the murder of British troops by the Arab Armed Police the Crater district in Aden was abandoned by British troops. The British decided to enter the Crater and retrieve the bodies of British soldiers.^[1]

The operation began on 3 July 1967 under the name Operation Stirling Castle and resulted in the Crater being successfully reoccupied. Lt-Col Colin Campbell Mitchell, "Mad Mitch" is reported to have ordered the regimental pipe band to march down the main street, whilst playing. The sound of the pipes and drums caused the insurgents to surrender. British troops remained there until the end of the Emergency.^[2]^[3]^[4]

References

↑ Wilson, Derek. "British troops grow bitter as anarchy spreads in Aden." Sunday Times [London, England] 2 July 1967: 6. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
↑ National Army Museum - Aden Exhibit accessed 3 November 2013
↑ Jim Keys, "Operation Stirling Castle", History Herald 21 November 2012 accessed 3 November 2013
↑ Humphry, Derek. "How Mitch's tactics fanned Aden row." Sunday Times [London, England] 21 July 1968: 3. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.

External links

Operation Stirling Castle at Britains Small Wars
The Aden Emergency at Remembering Scotland at War

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