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Military Actions in Egypt around Suez Canal Zone

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by FormerlyOldHermit (U3291242) on Monday, 9th February 2009

  Can anyone give me further information regarding British military presence and actions around the Suez Canal Zone before 1956 and the Suez Crisis?
  
  The usual basic information of Wikipedia is not that good.
  
  I'm particularly interested in the importance of a bridge either called or around a place Al (or el) fidan.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Nielsen2 (U13686196) on Monday, 9th February 2009

  Old Hermit,
  
  Personally I don't know so much, but previously I was shown this site which I hope will prove useful
  
  Sincerely, Nielsen

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by flipacross (U9997641) on Tuesday, 10th February 2009

  Old Hermit
  
  The bridge, which is to the north of Ismailia, is called al/el-Firdan (also seen as Ferdan) and is important as the only rail crossing over the canal. The current one, which was completed in 2001, is the fifth to be built, the previous one having been destroyed in the six day war of 1967. This was itself a replacement for one destroyed during the Suez campaign by an RAF air strike. There is an article in English from the al-Ahram newspaper about the new bridge which gives a potted history of the previous bridges although it does not go into any great depth:
  
  In addition to the site mentioned by Nielsen2, there is also which is dedicated to conflicts involving Britain's armed forces since 1945. There is a section on the Canal Zone from 1951 to 1954 as well as one about the Suez crisis. I've had a quick skim through this and the only reference to action around the bridge that I could see was in a paragraph about 1 Bn the Loyal Regiment on the Regiments and Units page:
  
  

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by JB on a slippery slope to the thin end ofdabiscuit (U13805036) on Tuesday, 10th February 2009

  The El Ferdan Railway Bridge near Ismailia in the middle of the canal was the longest swing bridge in the world and the only of the canal before the 1980s.
  
  The Canal Zone was voluntarily handed back to Egypt by Eden shortly before the conflict, suggesting that the later reasonings about a strategic threat were as dishonest as every other aspect of the 56 Crisis.
  
  This point is important because Wiki and every other summary account continues to repeat the false statement that Nasser 'seized the canal' when it was already Egyptian freehold territory.
  
  All Nasser did was nationalise (on the model of the postwar Brtish Labour Govt.) the Suez Canal Comapny which ran but did not own the canal.
  

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Tuesday, 10th February 2009

  Old Hermit
  
  The bridge was not vital to defence of the Canal Zone, but was in the area effectively controlled by the British.
  
  It was however, important for Egypt and especially for the Egyptian Army after 1948, when the bulk of it was in Sinai facing Israel. The quickest route to Cairo ran across it. Thus, British denial of passage across it was a source of considerable friction. The Small wars link flipacross has posted shows a plan of the Canal Zone, and mentions the Loyals deploying a company to prevent the Egyptians crossing.
  
  LW

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• Message 6

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  Posted by RSS_643_IKWIG (U13662597) on Tuesday, 7th April 2009

  Tuesday. 7th April, 2009. 13:21BST
  Re. 'Old Hermit'
  NB. With regards to the so called 'Suez Crisis'; think TELEPHONE EXCHANGE': Charge call...
  ps. What was IKE's reply?

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Nik (U1777139) on Tuesday, 7th April 2009

  Correct JB. In fact the canal was built in the 1850s and there was a deal with the then Egyptian newly formed (out of the fragmentatin of the Ottoman Empire) state according to which "Suez"-the French-Bitish company running the canal, would "rent" the place for 90-100 years or so if I remember well. Thus in 1950s Nasser all he did was to declare that "Egyptians did not wish to renew the Suez contract" (meaning that the canal simply passed as it was to the Egyptian state) as a part of his nationalisation programme (Nasser was of those Arab leaders that followed a form of locally developed socialism and while neutral was more close to USSR than Britain or France, afterall he then gave the Assouan dam project on the Nile to Russians).
  
  There was really a lot of talk between Britain, France, USSR, USA and Egypt but also so many other countries about what should happen to Suez and part of the seemingly "hesitant atmosphere" was because of too many strong actors trying to speak.

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by ambi (U13776277) on Tuesday, 7th April 2009

  In fact the canal was completed in 1869 and the Suez Canal Company was to have held the concession for 99 years from that year.
  
  The Egyptian goverment unilaterally withdrew from the Anglo-Egypt Treaty of 1936 (which had effectively given Britain control of the canal) in 1951. After Britain and the USA withdrew support for the Aswan project, Nasser nationalised the canal in 1956 ostensibly to fund Aswan. Though no friend of the West, there is a case to be made that Nasser was driven into the arms of the Soviets.
  

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• Message 9

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  Posted by JB on a slippery slope to the thin end ofdabiscuit (U13805036) on Tuesday, 7th April 2009

  Please check my earlier post, Dukes.
  
  Nasser did not nationalise the canal. The canal was freehold Egyptian real estate and the Canal Zone had been returned to Egypt the previous year.
  
  The Egyptians took over the Suez Canal Company which had back in the 1860s raised the funds to build the canal and which operated the locks and tugs and collected the tolls.
  
  In 1956 it was generally assumed by the British and Americans that the Egyptians were congenitally incapable of running the canal without white assistance, but this proved not to be the case.
  
  The real reason for Eden's agression against Egypt was regime change.
  

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by Old Hermit (U2900766) on Tuesday, 7th April 2009

  History really does repeat itself.
  
  As for TELEPHONE EXCHANGE, are you referring to the fact that Ike didn't lend us the expected support? Personally I can't decipher the RUBBISH you SPOUT.

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