November 5, 1956 · Suez Canal Zone Theater
November 5, 1956
The largest British airborne operation since Arnhem. On the morning of November 5, 668 British paratroopers from 3 Para dropped on Gamil Airfield west of Port Said while French paratroopers landed at Port Fuad across the Canal. It was the first combat use of helicopters to land assault troops in British military history — Sea Venom jets from HMS Eagle suppressed Egyptian defenses before the drop. Egyptian resistance was fierce: civilians armed from military arsenals joined regular army units in street fighting. The paratroopers secured the airfield and began moving into the city as darkness fell.
Commanders