v. 2.0 August 19, 2001

This is an incomplete orbat. Readers are welcome to add details. With the exception of the British orbat, which has been thoroughly review by Dr. Graham Watson, you should not use this orbat as a reference without double-checking given sources and adding your own sources: this orbat is a journalistic attempt, not an academic study.

British bases at Malta and Cyprus were crucial to the operation. The British attacked Port Said, and the French attacked Port Faud. Jordan had a defense treaty with Britain, so Israel had to be very careful to ensure Jordan did not get drawn in. Otherwise Britain might have ended up in a unique situation, supporting Israel on Egypt, and fighting Israel for Jordan.

From a tactical viewpoint, the British amphibious helicopter assault was the first such operation in the world, and was conducted by helicopters carrying just 2 and 3 soldiers each, depending on type.

• Kadesh: Israeli Defense Forces seizure of the Sinai
• Musketeer: Anglo-French seizure of the Suez Canal; previously Hamilcar
• Toreador: Royal Navy task force based on Djibouti in support of Musketeer
• Telescope: British sea-borne landings in Canal Zone
• Cordage: British airborne landings at Port Said
• Steamroller: Israeli parachute drop on Mitla Pass

General Sir Charles Keightley (UK)

VADM Pierre Barjot (Deputy Commander, French)

General Sir Hugh Stockwell (Commander, UK)

MGen Andre Beaufire (Deputy, France)

Air Marshal Dennis Barnett (Commander, UK)

VADM Robin Dunford-Slater (Commander, UK)

October 29 to November 8, 1956

• Egypt: [Western estimates] KIA = 1650; WIA = 4900; POW/MIA = 6000
• Israel: KIA = 231; WIA = 890; POW = 4
• Anglo-French forces: KIA 23 - 33 (no agreement on exact figures)

[Moshe Dayan]

Mobilized: 450,000 (one in four of total population)

Ground Forces (30,000)

202 Parachute Brigade

• 1^st Battalion
• 2^nd Battalion
• 3^rd Battalion

890 Parachute Brigade

9^th Regiment

10^th Regiment

101 Fighter Squadron (Mystere 4, first and only squadron)

116 Fighter Squadron (Mustang, last squadron)

??? Fighter Squadron (Gloster Meteor)

??? Squadron (Mosquito)

Harvard

B-17 (two aircraft)

2^nd Air Regiment [Major St. Martin]

- 199 Fighter Squadron (Ramat David) 18 Israeli Mystere 4/43 pilots

- 201 Fighter Squadron (Ramat David) 18 F-84 Thunderstreak/25 pilots [Pressville]

Noratlas (transport) squadron (Lod AB)

(Israel had 60+ Mystere 4 on order and had received the first four in the spring of 1956. Because of the shortage of trained Israeli pilots, the French Air Force brought in Israeli-designated Mysteres with French pilots, in great secrecy. The large number of Mystere pilots indicates the French were prepared to fly for 101 Squadron as well. The Noratlas squadron transport participated in combat operations; the F-84s flew offensive missions against Egypt from Israel.)

130 Vampire/Meteor

20 Mystere 4

20 Dakota (at least)

Mystere - 1 (piloted by Major Peled, future air chief)

Mustang - 7

Mosquito - 2

Harvard - 2

Piper Cub - 3

Total - 15

Eliat (destroyer)

Great Britain [General Sir Charles Keightley, Cyprus, Operation Commander]

45,000 personnel, 70 warships including five carriers, 12,000 vehicles

• 1^st Battalion, Parachute Regiment
• 2^nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment
• 3^rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment
• 9^th Independent Parachute Field Squadron RE
• Guards Independent Parachute Company

• 40^th Commando
• 42^nd Commando
• 45^th Commando
• 166^th Battery Royal Marines
• 148^th Command Forward Operations Battery, RA

6^th Royal Tank Regiment

A substantial part of 3rd Infantry Division was deployed from the UK to Malta. After the initial Anglo-French attack, two brigades of that division landed at Port Said and remained there until replaced by UN forces.  The two brigades were:

- 1st Bn Royal West Kent Regiment

- 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers

- 1st Bn York & Lancaster Regiment

- 1st Bn Royal Scots

- 1st Bn West Yorkshire Regiment

- 1st Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

1st Royal Tank Regiment

33 Parachute Light Regiment RA

31 Field Squadron RE

42 Field Support Squadron RE

3 Divisional Signal Regiment

23 Corps Signal Regiment

52 Lines of Communication Signal Regiment

HMS Tyne (HQ ship for Muskeeter)

HMS Eagle

HMS Bulwark

HMS Albion

HMS Ocean (used as helicopter troop carrier)

HMS Theseus (used as helicopter troop carrier)

HMS Jamaica (cruiser)

HMS Ceylon (cruiser)

HMS Crane

HMS Diana

HMS Modeste

HMS Newfoundland (cruiser)

HQ 205 Group Middle East Air Force (Cyprus) [Air Marshall Dennis BARNETT]

No. 13 Squadron (Canberra PR7) Akrotiri

No. 37 Squadron (Shakelton) Malta

Hunter (Nicosia)

No. 1 Squadron

No. 34 Squadron

Venom (Akrotiri)

No. 6 Squadron

No. 8 Squadron??

No. 249 Squadron

No. 38 Squadron (Nicosia)

No. 208 Squadron (Ta Kali)

No. 9 Squadron Malta

No. 10 Squadron Nicosia

No. 12 Squadron Malta

No. 15 Squadron Nicosia

No. 18 Squadron Nicosia

No. 27 Squadron Nicosia

No. 44 Squadron Nicosia

No. 58 Squadron Nicosia

No. 61 Squadron Nicosia

No. 101 Squadron Malta

No. 109 Squadron Malta

No. 139 Squadron Malta

Valiant (Malta)

No. 138 Squadron

No. 148 Squadron

No. 207 Squadron

No. 214 Squadron

Valetta Nicosia/Akrotiri (carried 20 troops)

No. 38 Squadron

No. 84 Squadron

No. 114 Squadron

Hastings Nicosia (carried 30 troops)

No. 70 Squadron

No. 99 Squadron

No. 511 Squadron

Joint Helicopter Unit (Whirlwind)

34,000 troops, 30 warships including two carriers, 7,000 vehicles

7^th Light Mechanized Division

- 1^st Parachute Regiment, Foreign Legion)

10^th Airborne Division (Major General Jacques MASSAU)

11^th Demi-Brigade Parachutiste de Choc

• 2^nd Regiment Parachutiste Coloniale

Arromaches (carrier)

Lafayette (carrier, F4U Corsairs)

Jean Bart (battleship, but prohibited from using 16" main guns)

Georges Leygues (cruiser)

F-84 Squadron (Cyprus)

120,000, of which 30,000 were in the Sinai. One division was at Gaza

3^rd Egyptian Infantry Division

8^th Palestinian Infantry Division

Armored Division (south of Suez)

[BGEN Saleh eh-Din Moguy]

3 Reserve infantry battalions

600 riflemen (militia?)

Diametta (sunk)

Ibrahim al Awal (4.5-inch gun destroyer)

90-125 MiG-15

Some MiG-17

50 Il-28

44Allied air squadrons were deployed against Egypt. In 18 attacks against 13 targets 1962 tons of bombs were dropped. 260 aircraft were claimed destroyed, including 18 Il-28. These figures do not square with the strength of the EAF given above, approximately 190 aircraft at best, unless the entire EAF including transports, trainers, etc. was destroyed.