Royal Sussex Regiment celebrate 60th anniversary of last operational tour in Chichester

On the 7th of April in 1965, Lt. Col. Snowden handed over command of the Battalion to Lt. Col. D. Russell just as the 15 Battalion was preparing to leave the comparative tranquillity of garrison life in Malta for a rigorous unaccompanied emergency six-month tour of Aden.

Veterans describe the moment of arrival in Aden as unforgettable. As the aircraft door opened, a wave of intense heat swept through the cabin—so powerful that it seemed to shut out all other thoughts. For many, this was the instant Aden’s harsh reputation was confirmed: stiflingly hot, dusty, and deeply uncomfortable.

The Battalion was stationed at Radfan Camp, a facility originally intended as a transit camp but hastily repurposed to house two infantry battalions—their own and the 4th (Leicestershire) Battalion of The Royal Anglian Regiment. The camp was made up of tents and remained under ongoing development, with full conversion not completed until July.

Their area of responsibility covered the northern part of the colony, including Khormaksar airfield, the married quarters, and the township of Sheikh Othman.

In addition to these duties, the Battalion maintained detachments at several remote locations: Monks Field in the Radfan region near the Yemen border at Mikeiras—situated over 7,000 feet above sea level—and Perim Island to the west. Through a system of continuous rotation, nearly every soldier had the opportunity to serve at one of these demanding up-country posts.

Now, 60 years later, a ceremony was held to remember those who are still with us and those who lost their lives on that tour in Yemen.

The day included a ceremony which took place at the Chichester Cathedral as well as a banquet afterwards.

Here are the photos we took on the day.