SOUTH ARABIA: FIRST BRITISH SERVICE FAMILIES LEAVE ADEN AS "OPERATION RELATIVE" BEGINS

Record ID: 189628

  • Title: SOUTH ARABIA: FIRST BRITISH SERVICE FAMILIES LEAVE ADEN AS "OPERATION RELATIVE" BEGINS
  • Date: 3rd May 1967
  • Summary: 1. GV Maalla street, Aden 0.05 2. GV Servicemen's flats 0.08 3. SV Another block of flats TILT DOWN to British soldier 0.16 4. SV British soldiers guard entrance to flats 0.20 5. SV INT.Fan revolving 0.21 6. GV INT.Servicemen's wife packing clothes 0.29 7. CU Wife 0.33 8. GV Wife packing clothes 0.39 9. SV Guard searches Arab trader 0.51 10. GV EXT. Service couple leave flat for the last time 0.56 11. SV Couple walk past British guards 1.00 12. GV Aden airport building 1.03 13. GV Service couples out of coach with children 1.06 14. SV Ditto 1.10 15. GV Baggage on truck 1.15 16. GV Family walk towards building 1.20 17. SV Small child 1.22 18. GV Couple walk towards airport building 1.25 19. SV Building 1.28 20. SV PAN. couple kiss farewell, wife walks off towards aircraft 1.34 Initials PW/V/MGT/JG PW/V/MGT/MM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 18th May 1967 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ADEN, SOUTH ARABIA
  • Country: Yemen
  • Reuters ID: LVA8HUU017FBVGZ7FKQ9D4FWN9X6
  • Story Text: BRITISH SERVICEMEN'S WIVES AND FAMILIES BEGAN LEAVING ADEN-LAST NIGHT, AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF THREATS AND VIOLENCE FROM EXTREMIST GROUPS. THE PHASED WITHDRAWAL BEGAN WHEN A VC.10 AIRLINER LEFT ADEN ROYAL AIR FORCE AIRFIELD WITH 41 WIVES, 10 BABIES AND 37 OLDER CHILDREN ON BOARD.

    FAMILIES PACKED THEIR BELONGINGS AND LEFT THEIR HOMES UNDER THE SURVEILLANCE OF ARMED BRITISH TROOPS AND SECURITY PRECAUTIONS FOR THOSE REMAINING HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED.

    AMONG THE FIRST BATCH OF WIVES TO LEAVE LAST NIGHT WAS MRS. TINA LEE, WIFE OF A BRITISH SOLDIER, WHO HAD BEEN DUE TO STAY IN ADEN FOR TWO YEARS BUT IS LEAVING AFTER ONLY SEVEN MONTHS.

    BRITISH MILITARY AUTHORITIES IN ADEN HAVE EMBARKED ON "OPERATION RELATIVE" AND INCREASED SECURITY FOR BRITISH FAMILIES, FOLLOWING THREATENED REPRISALS AGAINST THEM BY EXTREMISTS FOR THE DEATHS OF SEVEN ARAB CHILDREN KILLED IN SUNDAY'S MINING OF A SCHOOL BUS.

    THE PHASED WITHDRAWAL WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF JULY, WHEN 8,000 WOMEN AND CHILDREN WILL HAVE LEFT ADEN BY SEA AND AIR.

    LAST NIGHT, 200 OTHER CIVILIANS LEFT IN THE LINER "STAR FAIR", AND A NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO ??? OUT TO THEIR PARENTS DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS WILL BE FLOWN BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

    THE EVACUATION OF THE FAMILIES WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE GRADUAL WITHDRAWAL OF BRITISH TROOPS, IF PRESENT PLANS FOR GRANTING THE SOUTH ARABIAN FEDERATION BY 1968 ARE CARRIED THROUGH.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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