The RAF Regiment surrounded it allowing the passengers to sleep in the intense heat under the wings until daylight. The cabin crew were relieved - they had been travelling 3 days without rest. The aircraft’s final destination was Japan picking up troops returning to USA.

As a bit of a pianist, I was asked to play the harmonium at the camp C of E church on Sundays. I was paid extra for this duty. It also gave me a memorable 10 days in Jerusalem on a RAF ‘Moral leadership Course’ - which also included trips to the Dead Sea and other ancient and religious sites. I also did some Sunday hymn playing on the local forces radio.

Climbing Shamsan was fun - following the legend, if you reached the summit- you would never return to Aden! After the climb – an ice cold milk shake (or Kitty Cola) in the Metropolitan Bar/Hotel in Crater.

The road to Sheikh Othman crossed the main runway, in those days controlled by lights. The regular camel water carts from Maalla or Steamer Point followed this tarmac road. The native driver often nodded off in the heat of the day and let the beast just follow the road. On one such occasion a nameless ATC man drove out to the runway  crossing and carefully took the camel’s halter and turned the cart around without the driver’s knowledge - until he got back to his starting point.

Leave was taken in Nairobi during October. Six of us booked in at the local YMCA. We flew out in a Fayid (Egypt) based Valetta ,the first time the crew had flown south of Aden. We had to stop in Hargeisa to refuel  - the crew had difficulty in spotting this remote airstrip in the desert, which was marked out by 40 gal. drums - and the passengers were asked to keep a sharp lookout whilst we cruised about. Refuelling took place direct from a bowser via hand pumps in those days. On arrival at the YMCA a safari was being organised so we joined in and set off in a 3 ton truck for Tsavo Game Reserve - a journey of 200 miles over rough tracks. The rest of the holiday is a story in its self. Suffice it to say I met a guy who was involved with the fledgling Civil Aviation Authority being set up in East Africa and was seeking personnel, was I interested in applying at the end of National Service?

Back in Aden, four of us hired a jeep and travelled across 25 miles of sand tracks to Lahej, a truly magical place straight out of the Arabian Nights in those days.

Unrest started during early 1955 on the borders with Yemen. A  RAF Regiment convoy was attacked with some casualties along with the local forces (APLs). Three Lincoln bombers were drafted in from Kenya where the Mau Mau involvement was reducing. The source of the attacks was identified and the Lincolns dropped leaflets on the settlement concerned advising the residents to leave. 8 Squadron Venoms then destroyed the settlement with rockets.

A trip in a Lincoln will never be forgotten. It was in the rear turret on a short patrol over the northern mountain range. A low level flight to the mountains and a short climb over the top and another low level flight down a valley left unsuspecting animals and natives running in all directions with clouds of dust in our wake. This and other flights were paid for in the form of evening baby sitting duties in married quarters.

I hitched a lift in a Valetta to Khartoum. Having a mixed a load, I was sitting just in front of a couple of sheep obviously destined for the RAF cookhouse . On the return journey I acted as Air Quartermaster sitting in the co-pilots seat and actually taking the controls for a short time. Soon after takeoff we passed close to a Hastings making for a landing - a fascinating sight at our combined speeds. We then entered a thick storm cloud and were thrown about in an alarming fashion.

1st July was to be remembered in ATC - the start of the airlift of troops from the Canal Zone. Up to this time there was no real Army presence in Aden except a small signals unit and APLs. Valettas and Hastings came and went in a constant 24 hr. flow for 3 days putting pressure on ATC personnel as well as other sections of the station. Parking of aircraft took place outside the normal dispersal perimeter.

In February 1956  I returned to UK in an Eagle Aviation Viking as far as Egypt (Abu Sueir - the last Canal Zone occupied base), then by a Scottish Aviation York to Stansted. Sudan was by then independent and we had to travel in civvies passing through Port Sudan.         

My abiding memory of Aden is the spectacular view of its red rocks in the late afternoon sun as seen from an aircraft approaching from the Red Sea. All in all, together with my early service in Egypt with’ leave’ in Cyprus, National Service was quite good to me.  David now lives in Leeds, Yorkshire, UK. David Allen 2717172 SAC  [dw.allen AT ntlworld DOT com]