|
|
| | HOME | ART's GALLERY | AIRCRAFT | | | GAZA | YEMEN | CONGO | NEW GUINEA | INDIA/PAKISTAN | KOREAN AIRLIFT | TANZANIA |
GAZA - UNEFHISTORYPart of the Canadian commitment to UNEF I was 115 ATU based in El Arish (click to view map). For a history (in progress) of 115 ATU, please see the following documents by Gord Jenkins (all reports require Adobe Reader to view):
If you have any suggestions or corrections for the above documents, please email Gord Jenkins (click here to email). Useful links and documents:
Aircraft assigned to 115 ATU included Dakotas, Otters, and Caribous. Additional RCAF aircraft provided support to 115 ATU and UNEF operations. Support activities including bringing personnel and equipment into theatre. Aircraft included the Canadair North Star, Fairchild CC-119 Flying Boxcar, Canadair CP-106 Yukon, and CC-130 Hercules. See our AIRCRAFT page for more information. CASUALTIESFatal 115 ATU casualties were (click on names to see information at The Canadian Virtual War Memorial site):
All are buried in the Gaza War Cemetery. F/O Paul M. L. Picard and F/O Richard V. Edwards both died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash of Otter 3678 while on a "a routine transport mission to two bases". For a brief overview of the incident, click on the following link (report requires Adobe Reader to view):
BASES, FACILITIES, LOCATIONSKey locations include:
El ArishFollowing El Arish photographs courtesy of National Defence Image Library, Canadian Forces Joint Imagery Centre (click on photos below to see larger image):
Photographs of Caribou C/N 1 (303) at El Arish in 1965. Photographs courtesy of Gord Jenkins.
El Arish photos, circa 1967, courtesy of Garry Harding:
MarinaPhotographs of the Marina - the Canadian living quarters. It was located about 10 miles north of the airfield on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. First row of photos include living quarters, movie theatre, PX, Officers Mess (Gord Jenkins and the Chef) and lowering the Canadian Red Ensign prior raising of the new Canadian Flag in 1965. Photographs courtesy of Gord Jenkins.
Additional photographs at Marina courtesy of Gord Jenkins.
Photograph of El Arish's mascot "Dollie" courtesy of Bob Bridges (Sapper, RCE):
Sharm El SheikUNEF base located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. More information coming... RafahRafah was a former British Army WW2 and post-WW2 base. It became headquarters for all Canadian UNEF Units (except RCAF) including:
Following Rafah photographs courtesy of National Defence Image Library, Canadian Forces Joint Imagery Centre (click on photos below to see larger image):
Photographs of the 56th Canadian Transportation Company camp at Rafah. Photographs courtesy of Gord Jenkins.
Rafah photos, circa 1967, courtesy of Garry Harding: 
UNEF HQ (Gaza) and Gaza Air StripFollowing Gaza photographs courtesy of National Defence Image Library, Canadian Forces Joint Imagery Centre (click on photos below to see larger image):
Following photos of UNEF HQ in Gaza in 1960 from Johannes Vennix (courtesy of Jan Vennix, son of Johannes Vennix):
Gaza Commonwealth CemeteryPhotographs of Gaza Commonwealth Cemetery courtesy of Garry Harding taken in 1967:
Photographs courtesy of Gord Jenkins:
REMINISCINGPlease enjoy the following collection of photos and memories. Click on images for full size pictures. Please use your browser "Back" button to return to this page. If you have anything to add this page please email Gord Jenkins (click to email). Diaries from UNEF I (requires Adobe Reader to view):
If you see this message, you need to download the latest Adobe Flash Player or change your security settings. 1957-61Jan (John) Vennix (Martinborough, NZ) - As kids we travelled around with the family as Dad was working for the UN Field service at UN missions like UNTSO, UNEF, UNFICYP, UNMOGIP and later on UNDP in Nairobi. I have fond memories of the RCAF crews and Caribou flights in the Middle East and Asia. On one of the 6 monthly shifts between Srinagar and Rawalpindi the crew asked me to come into the Caribou cockpit and put a pair of raybans on my nose and let me sit in the co-pilot seat for a while. For a ten year old, it could not get better than that. Maybe us kids reminded them of the folks back home in Canada. Whenever Gaza, El Arish and Rafah are in the news it is hard to imagine that UN personnel actually lived in those places. I spent several weeks at the Dannor Norwegian hospital in Rafah with hepatitis as there was no proper medical care in Gaza. As a little Dutch boy I was soon learning Scandinavian songs and phrases. I have now been living in New Zealand since 1982, but the place of birth of Jerusalem in my passport has always given me hassles when travelling in certain countries. The picture of UN HQ in Gaza is where Dad had his office. Opposite this building across the road was the UNEF Gaza transport dept with their fleet of trucks and cars. Great interest for us as kids all these mechanics, grease and trucks. Dad's "company car" was one of those Citroen 2CV deux chevaux, in white UNEF colours. For the movies we went to the B-mess on the Gaza foreshore. One memorable movie we saw there was Lawrence of Arabia. The El Arish airfield pictures brought memories of a trip to El Arish to take some crates with our personal effects and our most prized possession, a fridge, for our move to UNMOGIP. Dad was already in Pakistan and Mum was gingerly watching that forklift loading the crate with our fridge into the Caribou. A lot shops and homes in Gaza in those days still had metal ice boxes with daily delivery of large ice blocks instead of refrigerators. By the time this fridge got to Srinagar it was too wide to fit through the narrow houseboat door opening. Dad worked for the UN for 27 years of which 14 were for UNEF/UNTSO. Dad left me the book between Arab & Israeli by Gen. Burns and he made some interesting handwritten notes in it. He regarded Gen Burns as the only truly impartial and neutral commander in those 14 years of different UNTSO/UNEF commanders. This of course did not make Gen. Burns job any easier working with all the warring factions. Dad worked closely with Gen. Burns, liaising and organizing secret meeting with top civilian and military officials on Arab and Israeli sides and also dealing with the delicate issues of currency and gold smuggling by UNTSO staff. Dad saw General Burns as a man with great organizational skills in chaotic situations, in the dangerous territory of the Middle East. My first flight was when I was only a few weeks old in a UN Dakota from Jerusalem to Beirut. Women and children from civilian UNTSO staff were evacuated to Beirut at the start of the 2nd Arab-Israeli war 1956. Your St Catherine's UNEF excursion Caribou photos (see Gord Jenkins photos in 1965 below) are very interesting... including the picture where the locals are wearing their traditional gowns, but for the top half they are wearing western suit jackets and sweaters - most likely courtesy of UNEF personnel. When shifting to yet another UN mission our family would always have a clear out of clothing and furniture to pass on to the locals. I visited St Catherine's in 1975 and we slept in the dormitories of the monastery before climbing Mt Sinai. When I revisited the place in 2005 to my horror there were tar sealed roads, an airstrip, Club Med style hotels on the valley floor. The monastery was overrun with busloads of Italian tourists and the monks had become very commercial, allowing only limited access to the monastery. Following photos from Johannes Vennix (Jan's Dad)in 1965 and 1966:
UNEF Christmas Card courtesy of Jan Vennix. On the left side of the inside image, “alle goeds voor 1966” is in Dutch and means all the best for 1966:
Arthur Cox - I'll pass on an El Arish story here - as related to me. An incident that occurred circa early '61. When we arrived we were met by the staff officer who would take us over to Ops to file our return flight plan to Athens - he had this to pass on. Evidently, a few days before, one of the Otters was returning (I forget where from) when, suddenly, it was set upon by an Egyptian MIG also coming home. Apparently the MIG Pilot wanted to play around a little and started making passes at the Otter. The upshot of the whole thing is, the MIG made one pass too many and, after buzzing the Otter for the last time, misjudged his altitude and flew into one of the hills south of the field and blew up. As told to me, Jock Hutchinson, the Otter pilot, a WWII vet with ribbons, came into the Officers Mess claiming he "got one confirmed!" The El Arish Otter/MIG incident came back to mind quite forcefully one day when I was with Royal Jordanian airlines - on a Cairo turn-around from Amman. Leaving Cairo in the a.m., heading back home, we'd just leveled off at cruise when we noticed two Egyptian fighters ahead, streaking straight up through our level, on the airway! At this point they winged over and came right toward us. I had about two seconds to make up my mind whether to bunt the a/c over (an L1011) or haul back in a climb. It seemed futile to attempt either so I did neither, gritted my teeth, as did the F/O and F/E, and held course, hoping they saw us and we wouldn't meet up at 29000'. They passed within 100' or so, one on either side, so close that the F/O said he could hear the engine noise from the starboard one. We tried to identify the make of a/c for a future report (late model MIGs), notified ATC of the incident, and filed a report as soon as we landed. I never expected to hear another word but I'll say this for the Egyptian military; evidently it reached the higher echelon and the two pilots were severely reprimanded - according to the reply we received some three weeks later, anyway. I related the El Arish incident to my F/O, a very capable pilot (Jordanians aren't like the Egyptians), and he wasn't a bit surprised. Robert Coulter - was Stationed in Trenton (Training Command) from December 1955 to Oct 1958, as an Air Frame Technician. Volunteered for Egypt in 1958 where he spent a memorable year. Robert flew into El Arish on October 1958 in a North Star. First photo is taken in the Chapel of Moses at the St Catherines Monastery Apr '59. Second photo includes Robert on Mount Siani at 21 years old. The crest was made in Egypt for their group. At the bottom it says "UNEF EGYPT, MIDDLE EAST." Click on following photos to see larger images:
First of the following photos was taken when Bob was exiting the main gate at Rafah when his friend Jan was on duty with the Swedish Guard at the gate - one of the other Swedes took the picture for Bob. Second and third photos are of Bob's friend Erickson of the Swedish Battalion on duty at Rafah.
Sharm el Sheik convey (place pointer over picture for descriptions).
Photo of North Star 08 taken by Bob at Athens just before departing Athens:
Tour through Israel to Jerusalem:
Additional 1958/59 photos from Bob Fraser and one from 2012:
We flew to Gander and were boarded in a couple of motels - the Saturn and Neptune as I recall. The mattress was full of goose down and the best bed I had slept in in a long time. Next we flew to the Azores - Lajas Field as I recall. We had a sleep - visited the small village next to the US base - were given box lunches and flew to Gibraltar again in the North Star with 4 foot flames shooting out of the 12 in line exhaust ports until the engines warmed up. At Gib we watched the RAF guys play cricket and I stole a beer mug from the wet canteen which I still have. Next we flew to Naples. The first to arrive greeted us and we were all bused off to the Grille Hotel several kilometres away (Now a Ramada I believe) where we were berthed until operations ceased around January 1958. (Not 1957 as I read somewhere) Most of us had 6 or 8 airmen to a room. Some of our equipment was driven down from German air bases. (Unimog vehicles etc) I was there twice - after helping set it all up, I was sent back to Namao. I asked to return to Naples and was sent back until near the end. I was then sent up to Germany by train (I was the only one who managed to stay in Europe) We were all given beer steins painted with a Neapolitan scene and the words UNITED NATIONS - EGYPT -ITALY 1956 . i have two (One marked 1957) as I came back a second time. I also have the Christmas dinner menu from 1956 with messages from Air Commodore F E Carpenter and Group Captain H A Morrison (commanding Officer). I visited the HMCS Magnificence in the Naples harbour after it had taken supplies to Egypt. I had a UNEF uniform insignia and UNEF pass in 3 or 4 languages but I gave these to the Legion in Niagara Falls. I have a good friend who had a tour in Egypt. He was sent down to repaint the aircraft. He may know how the otters arrived. 1962 to 1964Mike Williams - In 1961/62... I was stationed in UNEF 1 (El Arish) as a young (19 year old) Cpl. Obviously a green type as I hung out with the airmen who were young as opposed to the much older Cpls of the Airforce. I thank them today for the association of those types and the pilots I talked to passing landing info to in Sharm el Sheik. I gained an interest in Aviation there that lead to an Airforce and Airline pilot career lasting 35 years and on into retirement. Funny the things you remember like playing softball where if you missed a grounder on our El Arish ball field you watched it run on over hard-packed sand like cement so far we sent a jeep after it! My job in El Arish was to maintain the Beacon. The ground was so hard we had to lay a metal screen under the antenna to give it a ground reflection so as to get any range. Good times, good memories. Arthur Cox - (the North Star painting at the top of the web site) is more or less a generic creation, based on one of my own flights. The aircraft is no. 17504, which I flew many times, so decided to base the illustration on it. The crew, besides me (capt.), included F/L George Harrow (f/o), F/L Frank Lisgo (nav), F/O Sam Belanger (r/o), Sgt. Wood (flt. eng.), and LAC Hjorth (load technician). We made two rotations from Pisa to El Arish that month, July 1962, arriving on the 11th the first time, and the 14th the second. We also shuttled down to Kano, Nigeria twice; the flights carrying on to Leopoldville. All this after originally being scheduled for a single seven day trip from Trenton - Pisa, Athens, El Arish and back. We were away from home for a total of 22 days, but situations like that weren't uncommon! On another occasion, when on an El Arish rotation, our aircraft experienced a flat nose tire. W/C Carr dispatched a Caribou to fly up to Beirut to get a replacement, reassuring us that we'd be on our way in a few hours. Well, the "few hours" turned into an overnight sojourn when the crew returned with the wrong sized tire and had to go back for another. We really didn't mind as this translated into a very entertaining evening spent in the Mess, telling stories to one another amid the downing of copious quantities of ale. January 1962 excerpt from Art Cox's log book (click on image to see larger version):
Doug Poole - When I first arrived at El Arish we worked at the airport 7:30 AM until noon. A couple of techs would go in the afternoon to service any late arrivals. Back then, only mad dogs and Englishmen went out in the midday sun. Our hours were always pretty flexible. We didn't mind going to work, it took your mind off other things. I had yet to master the ancient principles of Wu-Wei (the art of doing nothing). If we did have to work in the afternoon we always went back to Marina for lunch. On the odd occasion when a Caribou was coming back after dark we would fill the flare pots with kerosene and set them out before heading back to camp. When we went back to light them half the pots were always empty. We didn't run out of spare parts very often, it was a bigger problem in Ottawa than it was in Egypt. I only changed a couple of tires on the Caribou and none on the Otter the whole time I was there. We employed the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" approach to maintaining the A/C. We used the grease guns very sparingly; the grease attracted sand and wore out bearings and moving parts. Once, one of the Caribous had to fly around for about a month with the nose gear extended before we figured out how to fix it, the pilots didn't seem to mind. I'm not sure, I think there were some North Star parts stored in the back of the hangar, but they were never used to my knowledge. Dennis (Denny) A. Grimster - 115 ATU photographs courtesy of Barbara Grimster, wife of late Dennis (Denny) A. Grimster. Includes a photograph of Dennis Grimster taken at El Arish in 1964 (Photo 1), while Photo 2 is captioned "AOC's inspection, Nov 1963 El Arish (Airport) Egypt CO-A/WC Harper".
Group shot taken in 1964 of 115 ATU. W/C Hartman in the middle (article on Hartman and flight of Silver Dart 2 in 1959). Officers Mess bar man "Mr Nick" has his hat on and is honourary member for services rendered. Gord Jenkins is second from righ in the back back row. Photograph courtesy of Gord Jenkins.
1965Canadian Caribou 303 in a whadi near St Catherine's Monastery (click to see aerial image), Sinai, 1965. Mount Sinai is in the background. Photographs courtesy of Gord Jenkins. Gord's 115 ATU diary is available by clicking here.
Following slideshow shows additional photos from the 1965 visit to Mt. Sinai. Photographs courtesy of Gord Jenkins. Photographs will change automatically every 5 to 7 seconds - or you can press the advance button at the bottom of the slide screen. If the slideshow does not play, you may need to download the latest Adobe Flash Player or change your security settings. If you see this message, you need to download the latest Adobe Flash Player or change your security settings. Caribou 322 being loaded in Gaza, 1965. Photograph courtesy of Gord Jenkins.
Bob Bridges (Sapper RCE) - I was with RCE Detachment there from Nov 65 to Sept 66 and I recognize some of the people on your pictures. The Engineer working on the roof trusses is none other than Sapper Wally Hagen who was posted back to Field Squadron RCE. I met up with Wally again at 1CEU in Winnipeg. I remember when the trip to the monastery was organized but I didn't make it. I wished I had. I remember there were issues about the area the Caribou landed. You must have been at Marina when we had the donkey. Dollie was her name and made the rounds of the camp. The CO ordered her gone. Your pictures bring back memories of my youth. The RCE Detachment consisted of a SGT I/C, L/Cpl 2 IC, and 5 Sappers - electrician, mason, plumber, field engineer and a driver/mechanic. We were mostly involved with construction projects at the main Yugo Camp down the road. We did also go out to the IF to repair stuff at there outposts at El Amar, El Quasima, and El Kentilla. Do you remember the pilot shooting at the trains going by with there whistles full on early in the morning? There was the drunk LAC blowing a trumpet from the row of empty flat cars parked along the siding in front of our quarters. I have slides somewhere of the place we called home. I was sent back to Ismailia Egypt in Oct 1976 with 1CEU on a project. We also had a crew in the Golan who were behind on there project. I remember quite vividly on the 22nd of Dec. going to QM stores and drawing a steel helmet, respirator, SMG and 65 rounds of 9MM ammunition and loaded onto the back of a deuce &1/2 and pointed to the Golan. The trip was quite interesting to me as we went right through the area I served. There was Marina and most of the older buildings still standing. The compound was full of captured Egyptian equipment. The water tower was gone as was the kitchen, mens club, power house and the guard quarters. We drove by the main Yugo camp and it was still intact for the most part. Lots of blown up armour and vehicles along the way. The antiaircraft battery that was located on the Port Said side of Marina had all there gun barrels split open. We went by Rafa village and through the checkpoint to the strip. We turned of towards Israel at the Gaza turn off and the rest was all new. I remember Air Marshall Reno talking to us in El Arish about unification. I knew I was going get out at some point. Just a bunch of unnecessary bullshit. 1966CO of 115 ATU W/C "Andie" Anderson (in the middle with his hands folded and towel around his neck) with several 115 ATU pilots. The person at the extreme right is F/O Paul Picard who died along with F/O Richard Edwards when their Otter crashed near El Kuntilla after encountering a sand devil - a mini tornado caused by heat on sand. F/O Picard and F/O Edwards are buried in Gaza Commonwealth Cemetery (see above). Photograph courtesy of Gord Jenkins.
Gord Jenkins - Paul Picard was a real character. Once he was ordered to land by Egyptian Air Force after we saw troops on the DMZ. Paul refused and we were met at the airstrip by some Egyptian Army machine guns and our CO, Andy Anderson. We stayed aboard until peace was restored. Paul later crashed and died with F/O Richard Edwards at Ras El Nab or El Kuntilla in '66. These were two stops along Egypt/Israel DMZ on the way to Sharm El Sheik . The former two were manned by Yugos poor SOBS and Sharm at the time by Swedes. Edwards was new and Paul was showing him "the route". The Otter hit a sand devil - a mini tiny tornado caused by heat on sand that scurried across the desert and were quite common. He must have hit a bad devil as plane crashed and burned. The pilots wore no regulation flying suit but shorts and shirt - so he got very badly burned. The 115 ATU doctor did his best - I went around to hospitals and medical supply stores in Beirut to get more burn bandages till I got a message from Andy Anderson - to forget it as Paul had died from burns. His funeral is in a Commonwealth War Grave beautifully kept - I have a picture - but in a lonely corner - beside WW1 and WW2 British and Oz casualties. I had to meet and escort Paul's father in Beirut to El Arish and return as the Canadian Forces did not repatriate their dead then to Canada. Bob Bridges (Sapper RCE) - I remember when the Otter pancaked and the only survivor was the crewman. A sad day at Marina. I remember when we lost one of our own sappers there as well. 1967Garry Harding at Rafah:
Gaza and surrounding area photos courtesy of Garry Harding:
Photo of F/O Robert Burke (RCAF Capt RET) on the left, shaking hands with MGen Rikhye. F/O Burke was the finance/pay officer at El Arish for a one year assignment ending with the evacuation in 1967 (click on image to see larger version of photograph):
Exodus El Arish - 1967For the exciting story of the final withdrawal of 115 ATU, read EXODUS EL ARISH (click here) by Michael G. Belcher (F/L-Ret). Story courtesy of Michael Belcher. |
| Click here to Email |
