Description
Object description
Photographs taken, and in an album compiled by, 2nd Lieutenant Derek Carr-Hill during his service with 82 Port Regiment Royal Engineers during Operation Musketeer, the Suez Crisis, November-December 1956. He was mobilised in August 1956 as a member of the Royal Army Reserve of Officers [RARO].
Included within the album are scenes depicting: the reservists leaving Crookham Camp, Hampshire; at sea travelling on the SS NEW AUSTRALIA; coming alongside at Gibraltar to disembark a patient with severe appendicitis; arriving at Valletta, Malta where the troopship was joined by a destroyer escort to proceed in convoy; domestic duties on board, including the engineers giving each other haircuts; arriving at the entrance to Port Said harbour and awaiting clearance of the main port area by paratroops and commandos; troops proceeding to Port Said by 'Z' craft and disembarking at Abbas Quay on 10th November 1956; scenes at Abbas Quay including first meal; the views of the wreckage of vessels sunk by the Egyptians as canal blockships; the officer commanding's hut; the arrival of Yugoslavian cargo ships carrying troops, to be part of the UN backed force, unloaded by men of 82 Port Regiment; American singer Alma Cogan performing for troops at Port Said football stadium; scenes near Carr-Hill's billet (just off the main street near the lighthouse); a view of 'French loot' - supplies and merchandise acquired by French troops to be returned to France; employees at the Port Said office of Lambert Brothers Ltd, Carr-Hill's civilian shipping company employers; blockship clearance as seen from the billet; loading men and equipment of 45 Commando, Royal Marines, onto HMS OCEAN in quick time (3 hrs) prior to their passage to Cyprus - to speed embarkation the vehicles and manned by the driver against usual practice, while a heavy vehicle (above the maximum capability of the crane) has been stripped of all removable parts; scenes of Port Said during the last days of 82 Regiment's presence there and images capturing the embarkation on SS NEW AUSTRALIA on 20th December 1956 for the journey back to the UK, arriving at Marchwood on 29 December 1956, via refuelling at Oran. Images of the SS QUEEN ELIZABETH in dry dock at Marchwood.
Physical description
Buff-coloured leather affect album, with red plastic ribbon wound through holes around the edge of the front and back covers, a central panel depicting a colourfull 'Egyptian scene' (pyramids, Sphynx, locals riding a camel and donkey) on the front and embossed / empressed an Egyptian style decorative panel on the reverse. The interior of the front and back covers is wood-effect paper. Contained within the album are eleven brown card leaves, holding one hundred and twenty four square black and white prints, each print held in place by gold-coloured corner fixings. The pages are not bound within the album, though the short remains of the leather-effect cord is still present through the back cover. Protective tissue paper leaves between each card page. Pages are anotated by hand in white pen.
History note
James Derek Carr-Hill, known as 'Derek', was recruited into National Service in 1951. He attended basic training at Cove, followed by the WOSB at Aldershot and 'engineer' training at Gillingham. He passed out with a commission in July 1952 and elected to join a transportation unit, following his father's footsteps who had joined a Port Maintenance Company in 1943. Following his initial NS period with 1207 Internal Water Transport in Ismalia, Canal Zone, he returned to the UK and spend the remainder of his three year reservists term (required of all National Servicemen on exit) in 82 Port Regiment, only attending camp for two weeks training at Marchwood.
In August 1956, Carr-Hill was called up to rejoin 82 Port Regiment, proceeding at first to Longmoor Camp, then Newton Abbot. In November that year the regiment was despatched to Suez following the nationalisation of the canal. Based at Port Said, 82 Regiment was responsible for loading and unloading all freight and personel passing through the port. Following the UN intervention in Suez, 82 Regiment left Port Said, arriving in the UK on 29th December 1956.
82 Port Regiment, Royal Engineers, part of the Army Emergence Reserve, was formed in 1947 and contained 168, 169, 170, 171 Port Operating and 173 Port Maintainance Squadrons RE. It was disbanded in 1961.