WORLD peace, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies told BBC radio in August 1956, required that the United Kingdom “retain power, prestige and moral influence”.
The challenge to British prestige had blown in from the Sinai on July 26, when Egyptian president Gamal Nasser nationalised the French-British owned Suez Canal Company.
Despite Nasser’s compensation offer to shareholders and assurances international shipping would continue, although Israeli ships were blockaded, Britain and France joined Israel in secret plans for a military attack.
On the evening of October 29, 1956, 10 Israeli brigades were air-dropped into Egypt, taking control of the Mitla Pass to advance on the canal. Encountering heavy fighting, they planned to reach the canal a day later.
Read the full article by Marea Donnelly at The Daily Telegraph.