Operation Nutcracker
By January 1964, a significant force was in position to oppose the Radfan tribesmen, with No.45 Commando sent to quell an Army mutiny in Tanganyika, then Brigadier Lunt prepared Operation Nutcracker to penetrate the country east of the Dhala road and quell the more intransigent Radfan tribes. For this task, Brigadier Lunt had at his command three battalions of the Federal Army, some light tanks, batteries of field artillery, Wessex troop carrying helicopters from the Commando carrier H.M.S. Centaur and ground-attack Hunter fighters.
Within four weeks, this force had driven the tribesmen away from the Dhala road and enabled the Royal Engineers to build another road up into the heart of the Radfan itself. This advance into the centre of the Radfan was greeted with great enthusiasm by the loyal tribes and Brigadier Lunt was presented with an engraved sword by the Emir of Dhala. Unfortunately this effort could not be maintained, and when the force withdrew, the tribes reverted to their old haunts and attacks.

Back to Radfan Index

IndexE-mailSite SearchBooksForumCreditsChat RoomVeterans AffairsdonationsGuest BookMedalsSitrepNewsLinksSign InNAAFIAnecdotes DeploymentsMuseumMemorialJoinHome
© 2002 James Paul & Martin Spirit. All rights reserved.
Copyright Disclaimer