Post by Diarist on Sept 27, 2015 15:57:52 GMT 1
It wasn't really a party yesterday evening - more of a get together with a few drinks. I knew that I had some work to do this morning.
Thomas Shaw and I have been putting together the finishing touches on the draft plan for an airborne operation in Eritrea. Thomas knows what serviceable aviation assets we have in Sudan and which are suitable for airborne operations. There are Vickers Valentia transport aircraft in Egypt and Iraq - four would be enough to transport our troops and equipment so we are planning for eight aircraft. Our ground forces consist of 4 squads of nine personnel plus a HQ and support section with communications equipment and two Lewis LMG teams. Each squad will include a sniper. To the east of the airfield are fields which will make an excellent landing zone. The airborne forces will start from Khartoum to avoid showing a build-up forces in Kassala which is ca. 30 km west of the border.
There are rarely combat aircraft stationed at Teseney - normally there are only a few general-purpose/reconnaissance aircraft present. Apart from an Italian command and communication section most of the troops there are native Eritrean troops. It is considered a quiet sector.
The runway, 2000 yards long, is bottom-left and the light feature at the top of the photo is the Gash river. Teseney itself is west of the airfield and is ca. 30 km east of the Sudanese border.
That should be enough for a draft - hopefully we can convince Secretary Churchill tomorrow afternoon. Time for a late-lunch.