Battle of Crater (Aden) facts for kids
The Battle of Crater or Operation Stirling Castle was an important event during the Aden Emergency. This was a time when British troops were in Aden, a city in what is now Yemen.
Before this battle, local police had attacked British troops. Because of this, the British troops left the Crater district in Aden. But they soon decided to go back into Crater to bring back their fallen soldiers.
Quick facts for kids Battle of the Crater |
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Part of Aden Emergency | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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![]() FLOSY |
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Unknown | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 60th Squadron, Royal Engineers ![]() ![]() ![]() |
unknown | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
unknown 1 helicopter |
400 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
none | 11 killed |
The Battle of Crater
The plan to take back Crater began on July 3, 1967. A group of soldiers called the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders led the way. Their leader was Lieutenant Colonel Colin Mitchell, who was also known as "Mad Mitch."
Operation Stirling Castle
Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell named this mission Operation Stirling Castle. This name came from the headquarters of the Argylls’ regiment. The soldiers entered Crater quietly at night. The enemy was completely surprised by their arrival. Because of this, the fighting stopped very quickly.
To show how confident he was, Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell did something unusual. He ordered the regimental pipe band to march down the main street of Crater. They played their traditional tunes loudly. The leader of the band, the Pipe major, was later praised for his bravery. British troops stayed in Crater until the end of the Aden Emergency.