45 Commando was formed in the first week of August 1943 from the 5th RM Battalion and after the war became 45 Commando RM. From 1950 – 52 it served in Malaya .In March 1952 sailed for Malta where it remained until 1960 when it transferred to Aden. The main body landed on the 4th April and the unit remained there for the next seven years. The last elements leaving on the 29th November 1967

I joined the unit in September 1960 and was posted to ‘A’ Troop where I remained until September 1961. This is a short pictorial history of my year there which I hope will bring back some memories to others who served there.

    
                                                                                                            A’ Troop hut

45 were based at Little Aden on the site of the BP oil refinery and were housed in the accommodation originally built for the staff who constructed the refinery.


The beach club

The were very few ‘amenities’, the cinema, NAAFI, and the BP beach club where I remember some of the civvie members complained because we went into the sea sweaty, after a turn around the scramble course. Egg banjos and cold milk and Bill Maynard (now Greengrass in Heartbeat) came out with a forces show, and runs ashore in Aden.

There were of course ceremonial duties to be done in down town Aden….. But after 40 years I'm sod if can remember what this was for.

 

And a floodlight Tattoo to practice and perform in November 1960

    

The Ceremony of Colours was carried out by ‘A’ Troop, I think with 2/Lt MacDowell I/C

Rehearsals for the Drill Squad display provided by ‘A’ and ‘Z’ Troops under the watchful eye of RSM J.P. McDonnell

Rehearsal for the finally together with 3rd Commando Brigade band.  The judo team was led by Sgt K. Wilson.  The arena was built over the road from 45’s camp and if I remember right it was put on for a few nights and drew large crowds.  As the note from Lt Col Marsh the C.O. said inside the programme referring to the participants “Their rewards will be in Heaven or elsewhere according to the measure of your applause” Great !!

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