Sixty years ago, along with 50,000 troops, I was in Cyprus for our airborne and land invasion of Egypt on 5 November. We had been told that we needed to help little Israel against the bullying tactics of “big” Egypt, and of course we were a generation of young men for whom the Holocaust had real meaning and parallels were drawn between the Egyptian leader, Nasser, and Hitler. Furthermore, we were told we were protecting “our” Suez canal for the world. Hence we all went willingly and, as young men do, with some macho. We believed what we were told and, as there was a censorship from Britain to us, we heard nothing about the political controversy raging in the UK. Hence my surprise on returning to Blighty proud with kitbag and mementos of conflict to be told: “You’re no better than the Nazis.”
It took me 10 years before I learned that the British, French and Israeli governments had arranged for a joint attack on Egypt. Maturity brings reflection and I now appreciate that I was part of a war crime, an unprovoked planned attack. I wonder will today’s servicemen and women have the similar reasons to regret their unquestioning patriotism as active service will have taught them that war brutalises in a week?
Professor Colin Pritchard
(Former corporal, RAF) Southampton
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