PORT SAID CLEAR

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28155, 19 December 1956, Page 15

PORT SAID CLEAR

Allies Begin To Leave

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) PORT SAID, Dec. 18.

All British troops in the Port Said area have been withdrawn into a wired-off perimeter covering about one-third of the city in preparation for their withdrawal.

The build-up of the Anglo-French evacuation fleet in Port Said was completed with the arrival this morning of more Allied troopships and cargo vessels. - A naval spokesman said: “We have enough ships in and outside Port Said harbour to lift all remaining troops, vehicles and equipment.” A French troopship, the 34,000-ton Pasteur, sailed out of the harbour this morning, carrying about 3000 troops and 500 civilians. Planes from an aircraft-carrier gave air cover as the Pasteur headed into the Mediterranean.

The British troopships, Asturius and Dunera, arrived at Port Said this morning to join the big French troopship and cargo ships, screened by warships. The Navy is taking all precautions against any last-minute Egyptian attack. The carrier, Eagle, with rocketfiring planes, is standing by ready for action and naval riot squads are ready to give covering fire if necessary as the last soldiers board the ships.

The Allied commander in Port Said (Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh Stockwell) said today that the United Nations forces in the city had proved their worth and he did not expect any further Egyptian attacks on British troops. He said that more than 100 grenades had been thrown at British troops in the last four or five days. Asked whether anything could be done if the kidnapped Army officer, Lieutenant A. G. Moorhouse, was not returned before the evacuation was complete, General Stockwell replied: “There is quite a lot we can do.” He declined to give details. He said that in the final phase of the withdrawal his object was to prevent one single soldier from being killed. Israelis Pull Back The Israeli forces will pull back about another 15 miles in Sinai today the United Nations Commander (Major-General E. L. M. Burns) said. He told a press conference that United Nations troops will follow the Israelis, but the rate of advance would depend on the condition of the roads. He refused to answer a question on whether the Israeli forces will withdraw from the Gaza Strip and the Tiran Islands. “If they are prepared to withdraw, the United Nations forces will follow,” he said.

He added that the Israeli command has assured the United Nations Sec-retary-General (Mr Hammarskjold) that road destructions in Sinai will stop General Burns said that United Nations troops were repairing the roads in Sinai where possible, but tar-sealed roads would have to be repaired by the Egyptians. “We are considering the possibility of going to Gaza either by air or sea,” said General Burns.