British Forces Aden

Aden Command (RAF) (1928–1936)
British Forces (in) Aden (1936–1956)
British Forces Arabian Peninsula (1956–1961)
Aden Command (RAF) (1928–1936); British Forces (in) Aden (1936–1956); British Forces Arabian Peninsula (1956–1961)
Active	1928–1961
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Engagements	Aden Emergency

British Forces Aden was the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the Aden Protectorate during part of the 20th century. Their purpose was to preserve the security of the Protectorate from both internal threats and external aggression.^{[citation needed]}

History

British Forces Aden was originally formed as Aden Command in 1928.^[1] On its establishment, Aden Command was a Royal Air Force (RAF) command which was responsible for the control all British armed forces in the Protectorate. It was renamed British Forces in Aden, or simply British Forces Aden, in 1936 and renamed again in 1956 as British Forces Arabian Peninsula.^[1] In 1959 Middle East Command was divided into two commands split by the Suez Canal.^[2] The two parts were British Forces Arabian Peninsular, which was based at Aden, and the remnants in Cyprus which on 1 March 1961 was renamed Near East Command.^[2]

On 1 March 1961 British Forces Arabian Peninsula was renamed, again, this time as Middle East Command (Aden).^[1] The senior commanders were Air Marshal Sir Charles Elworthy, C-in-C Middle East; Rear Admiral Talbot, Flag Officer, Middle East; Major General Jim Robertson, GOC Middle East Land Forces; Air Vice Marshal David Lee, Air Officer Commanding, Air Forces Middle East, and GOC East Africa Command.^[3] The GOC and AOC were working from the command HQ at Aden while FOME initially was at Bahrain with his headquarters at HMS Juffair.^[4] FOME moved to HMS Sheba in the naval dockyard at Steamer Point after the 1961 Kuwait crisis (Walker, Aden Insurgency, 90); Rear Admiral Talbot seemingly moved on May 1, 1962.^[5] Naval forces reportedly included three frigates, the Amphibious Warfare Squadron, the commando carrier HMS Bulwark, and 45 Commando Royal Marines based ashore at Aden. 45 Commando had arrived on 23 April 1960, disembarking from Dunera, and settling in BP Camp, which had been turned over by 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.^[6]

At the end of November 1967, following the British withdrawal from Aden at the end of the Emergency, the remaining British Forces in the Arabian Peninsula, including units at Salalah and Masirah, were reorganized under Headquarters British Forces Gulf,^[1] which was based at RAF Muharraq in Bahrain.^[7] British Forces Gulf was placed under the command of Rear Admiral John E. L. Martin, previously the last Flag Officer, Middle East,^[8] who handed over to Air Vice Marshal S B Grant on 4 April 1968. The command was disbanded on 15 December 1971.

Organization in 1939

The structure of the units based in Aden in 1939:^[9]

Aden Colony

Headquarters
Aden Squadron, Royal Corps of Signals
Aden Protectorate Levies – 4 Battalions^[10]
2/5th Battalion, Mahratta Light Infantry
20th Fortress Company, Royal Engineers
5th Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery
9th Field Battery, Royal Artillery
15th Air Defence Battery, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery

Commanders

Commanders have included:^[1]

Aden Command

8 March 1928 Group Captain W G S Mitchell
5 September 1929 Group Captain C T MacLean (later Air Commodore)
7 August 1931 Group Captain O T Boyd
20 January 1934 Group Captain C F A Portal (Air Commodore from January 1935)
2 December 1935 Air Vice-Marshal E L Gossage