British Forces Aden
Encyclopedia
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.
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. In 1961 the command was renamed once again, this time as Middle East Command (Aden). In 1967, following the British withdrawal from Aden at the end of the Emergency
, the remaining British Forces in the Arabian Peninsula
were reorganized as British Forces Gulf.
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
stationed in the Aden Protectorate
Aden Protectorate
The Aden Protectorate was a British protectorate in southern Arabia which evolved in the hinterland of Aden following the acquisition of that port by Britain in 1839 as an anti-piracy station, and it continued until the 1960s. For administrative purposes it was divided into the Western...
during part of the 20th century. Their purpose was to preserve the security of the Protectorate from both internal threats and external aggression.
History
British Forces Aden was originally formed as Aden Command in 1928. On its establishment, Aden Command was a Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
command
Command (military formation)
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit that the individual in Military command has responsibility for. A Commander will normally be specifically appointed into the role in order to provide a legal framework for the authority bestowed...
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. In 1961 the command was renamed once again, this time as Middle East Command (Aden). In 1967, following the British withdrawal from Aden at the end of the Emergency
Aden Emergency
The Aden Emergency was an insurgency against the British crown forces in the British controlled territories of South Arabia which now form part of the Yemen. Partly inspired by Nasser's pan Arab nationalism, it began on 10 December 1963 with the throwing of a grenade at a gathering of British...
, the remaining British Forces in the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
were reorganized as British Forces Gulf.
Aden Command
- 8 March 1928 Group CaptainGroup CaptainGroup captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
W G S MitchellWilliam Mitchell (RAF officer)Air Chief Marshal Sir William Gore Sutherland Mitchell, KCB, CBE, DSO, MC, AFC was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force and the first RAF officer to hold the post of Black Rod.-RAF career:... - 5 September 1929 Group Captain C T MacLeanCuthbert MacLeanAir Vice Marshal Cuthbert Trelawder MacLean CB DSO MC was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Middle East Command.-RAF career:...
(later Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
) - 7 August 1931 Group Captain O T BoydOwen Tudor BoydAir Marshal Owen Tudor Boyd CB, OBE, MC, AFC was an officer in the British Royal Flying Corps during most of World War I...
- 20 January 1934 Group Captain C F A PortalCharles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of HungerfordMarshal of the Royal Air Force Charles Frederick Algernon Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford KG GCB OM DSO & Bar MC was a senior Royal Air Force officer and an advocate of strategic bombing...
(Air Commodore from January 1935) - 2 December 1935 Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
E L GossageLeslie GossageAir Marshal Sir Ernest Leslie Gossage KCB, CVO, DSO, MC . He was a former artillery officer who become a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps and later a senior officer in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War...
British Forces Aden
- 1 July 1936 Air Commodore W A McClaughryWilfred McClaughryAir Vice-Marshal Wilfred Ashton McClaughry CB DSO MC DFC was a senior Royal Air Force officer who commanded British Forces Aden.-RAF career:...
- 28 September 1938 Air Vice-Marshal G R M Reid
- 10 September 1941 Air Vice-Marshal F G D Hards
- 12 January 1943 Air Vice-Marshal F H MacNamara (RAAFRoyal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
) - 12 March 1945 Air Vice-Marshal H T LydfordHarold LydfordAir Marshal Sir Harold Thomas Lydford KBE, CB, AFC was a World War I pilot in the Royal Flying Corps and senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II and the post-war decade.-RAF career:...
- 8 March 1948 Air Vice-Marshal A C StevensAlick StevensAir Marshal Sir Alick Charles Stevens KBE CB was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Coastal Command.-RAF career:...
- 1 March 1950 Air Vice-Marshal F J FressangesFrancis FressangesAir Marshal Sir Francis Joseph Fressanges KBE CB was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Far East Air Force.-RAF career:...
- 11 March 1952 Air Vice-Marshal D MacfadyenDouglas MacfadyenAir Marshal Sir Douglas Macfadyen KCB CBE was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Home Command.-RAF career:...
- 12 October 1953 Air Vice-Marshal S O BuftonSidney Osborne BuftonAir Vice Marshal Sidney Osborne Bufton CB, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the middle part of the 20th century. He played a major part in establishing the Pathfinder project, over the objections of Arthur Harris.-RAF career:Bufton joined the Royal Air Force in 1927...
- 17 September 1955 Air Vice-Marshal L F SinclairLaurence Frank SinclairAir Vice Marshal Sir Laurence Frank Sinclair GC, KCB, CBE, DSO & Bar was awarded the George Cross for rescuing a severely injured airman from a crashed and burning plane.-RAF career:...
British Forces Arabian Peninsula
- 30 September 1957 Air Vice-Marshal M L HeathMaurice HeathAir Marshal Sir Maurice Lionel Heath KBE CB CVO DL was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Commander of British Forces Arabian Peninsula.-RAF career:...
- 19 September 1959 Air Chief MarshalAir Chief MarshalAir chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Hubert PatchHubert PatchAir Chief Marshal Sir Hubert Leonard Patch KCB CBE RAF was a senior Royal Air Force commander.-RAF career:Patch joined the Royal Air Force as a flight cadet in 1923 and served in World War II.... - 3 August 1960 Air MarshalAir MarshalAir marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Charles ElworthyCharles Elworthy, Baron ElworthyMarshal of the Royal Air Force Samuel Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy KG, GCB, CBE, DSO, LVO, DFC, AFC was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force...