§ Mr. Wiggasked the Minister of Defence whether he will make a statement on the operation in the Port Said area with particular reference to co-operation between the air and ground forces.
§ Mr. HeadThe operations culminating in the capture of Port Said were a notable example of co-operation between all three Services.
The success of the landings depended in the first place on the establishment of air supremacy. This was the purpose of the attacks against Egyptian airfields which were carried out with great skill and accuracy by both land-based and carrier-borne aircraft.
The landing was preceded by an air drop, the close support for which was supplied mainly by naval aircraft. The success of this avoided the necessity for any preliminary bombardment of Port Said. The British landing operation, which consisted of a seaborne assault by 2 R.M. commandos and the landing of a third commando by helicopter, achieved a rapid success.