Suez War - CTF 345 and CTF 311

Written by Godfrey Dykes

© RN Communications Branch Museum/Library

  Do you remember CTF 345 and with it CTF 311? Hush hush cushy jobs in the leafy depths of Middlesex' Northwood. Whilst I remember the titles, I never served there [HMS Warrior] but I was on the receiving end serving at sea ! Recently [January 2009] whilst searching for other material, I came across some old papers about the Suez War of 1956. There I found a couple of things of interest, which, many moons ago I would have known about, but today, I had forgotten. In a minute we will be meeting another CTF 345 but this one packed a punch and not just a promise of a punch, and was to say the least, a little LARGER ! For example, the whole Suez operation was called OPERATION MUSKETEER but its original title was OPERATION TERRAPIN.

  Under the umbrella of OPERATION MUSKETEER came no fewer than thirteen [13] associated OPERATIONS which were as follows:-

OPERATION ORDER NAME	UNITS/FUNCTIONS AFFECTED
ALACRITY	Move of RAF Squadrons to Middle East August 1956
ALACRITY	Move of RAF Squadrons to Middle East August 1956
ALBERT	Provision of facilities at RAF Luqa
ANTIQUARY	Maintenance of Suez Canal facilities in an emergency
CORDAGE	Part of MUSKETEER IV [projected attacks on Israeli airfield]
FAIRLOVE	Bombing of Egyptian airfields. October/November 1956
GOLDFLAKE	Reinforcement of MEAF, August 1956
HARRIDAN	Evacuation of allied forces from Port Said, December 1956
LOBSTER	Withdrawal of Anglo-French forces from Port Said, December 1956
MUSKETEER	Anglo-French operation to occupy Suez Canal 1956
OMLETTE	Plan for occupation of Port Said at short notice, November 1956
POKER	Move by 2 [B] Corps to Malta and Libya, August 1956
TELESCOPE	Airbourne landing at Port Said, 5 November 1956
TERRAPIN	Original name for MUSKETEER
TOREADOR	Naval operations in the Red Sea by Task Force 324
PRESSURE COOKER	Unloading of MUSKETEER shipping, 1956

Amongst these titles were others, which, since I have the space, I will list here.

ABBREVIATION	DEFINITION
AFHQ	Allied Forces Headquarters
AFSC	Anglo-French Salvage Company
AKROTIRI	RAF station in Cyprus
AMX	French light tank
CCFO	Commandant en Chef des Forces francaises d'Orient
DZ	Dropping zone
EAF	Egyptian Air Force
Exercise	BOATHOOK Exercise used to disguise departure from Malta
Exercise SLIPPERY ANN	Unloading of MUSKETEER shipping 1956
HAL FAR	RAF station in Malta
HMS ALBION	Aircraft carrier
HMS BULWARK	Aircraft carrier
HMS EAGLE	Aircraft carrier
HMS OCEAN	Aircraft carrier
HMS THESEUS	Aircraft carrier
LAFAYETTE	French aircraft carrier
ARROMONACHES	French aircraft carrier
HMS BRINTON	Coastal minesweeper - 104 flotilla
IAF	Israeli Air Force
JEHU	Joint Experimental Helicopter Unit
LCT	Landing craft Tank
LST	Land ship Tank
LUQA	RAF station in Malta
LVT	Landing Vehicle Tracked [BUFFALO]
LZ	Landing zone
MEAF	Middle East Air Force
NICOSIA	RAF station in Cyprus
POWIB	Prisoner of War Information Bureau
RPC	French Parachute Unit
SCOA	Suez Canal Operators Agency
SCUA	Suez Canal Users Association
TASK FORCE 324	Naval forces led by HMS Newfoundland in the RED SEA
TASK FORCE 345	Naval component of Suez Invasion Force
TI	Target Indicator
TYMBOU	Airfield used by the French in Cyprus
UKST	United Kingdom Salvage Team
UKSU	United Kingdom Salvage Unit
UNEF	United Nations Emergency Force

  Note the TF345 in the table above, and in a moment we will talk about the CTF 345 circa 1956. Other noteworthy things were:-
   Suez was the last British Army parachute drop in action.
   The last time reservists were called-up en masse.
   The last time discharge by purchase was stopped for the duration.
   Demob of National Servicemen was stopped for the duration.
   The first major requisition of merchant shipping for the duration.

  Now back to those Task Forces. For those of you not au fait with Task Force breakdowns, here is an easy to follow and quick breakdown of the system. The naval units [and in this case a large number in total] are assigned to parts of Task Force 345 as follows:-

  The Commander Task Force was Vice Admiral Sir Robin Durnford-Slater and this is a picture of him at that time. He joined the Royal Navy in 1923 and left in 1961 as a full admiral {1958} having been the last C-in-C Nore. He was knighted as a KCB. He died in 1984.

  During the Suez War, Task Force 345 had one French battleship the Jean Bart, seven aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, minelayers, minesweepers, assault ships and craft, depot ships, survey ships, heavy repair ships, hospital ships, submarines, tugs, supply ships, salvage ships, all [British and French] controlled from the Flag ship HMS Tyne by CTF 345 Vice Admiral Durnford-Slater. Then comes a Task Group and for ease of understanding I am going to assign the Aircraft Carrier EAGLE as Group 1; the two French Carriers as Group 2; the Carriers BULWARK and ALBION as Group 3; the Carriers OCEAN and THESEUS as Group 4; the heavy Cruisers Group 5; etc and the senior officer in each ship [or the senior officer if more than one ship] becomes the CTG - so CTG 345.1 might be an admiral embarked [flying his flag] in EAGLE. HMS EAGLE needs destroyers/frigates to help protect her, so we will give her four ships A.B.C and D. Now EAGLE [herself with her captain] plus A,B,C and D make up TG 345.1. CTG 345.1 [The Captain of HMS Eagle] now decides that he wants ship A to take a surface attack role, ship B to take on anti submarine watch, ship C to act as plane-guard/Chaser [just in case any of EAGLES aircraft crash land into the sea] and ship D to be a dogs body with a roving portfolio. He could therefore use the Task Force breakdown and appoint ship A as CTU 345.1.1, ship B as CTU 345.1.2, ship C as CTU 345.1.3. Ship D in this case could be assigned to either Task Unit of ships [A,B or C] as a TU, so, if he joined with ship A in a shooting match with an enemy ship, ships A and D would form TU 345.1.1 and the captain of ship A would be the commander, the CTU. If later on, extra ships were assigned to EAGLE, they could be assigned to the existing TU's or be formed up into TE's to perform specific tasks. In the latter case, they would be TE 345.1.1.1 [.1.1.2 etc] the senior officer of the ship assuming the role of CTE 345.1.1.1. It doesn't take too much imagination to see how each and every ship has a role to play and fits into a know breakdown pattern.

  Before moving to the list of ships involved at Suez, look above to the role of HMS NEWFOUNDLAND stationed south of the Suez Canal in the Red Sea. She was part of Task Force 324 covered [from the table above] by Operation TOREADOR. Task Force 324 had but one ship, the NEWFOUNDLAND but the Commander, CTF 324 was also CTF 345 [two hats] in HMS TYNE north of the Suez Canal namely Vice Admiral Durnford-Slater. Instructions for the NEWFOUNDLAND, which actually sank an Egyptian frigate, was addressed from CTF 324 to TF 324. However NEWFOUNDLAND couldn't send signals from TF 324, so, as well as being TF324, she was also CTG 324.1. Having TF 324 in being, allowed for any 'joiners' from East of Suez Stations coming to assist the NEWFOUNDLAND, but in the event she coped well enough on her own.

Now for the list of RN ships.

If I have missed out any ships name please tell me and I will do a re-check of the files.

Yours aye, Jeff Dykes