Third Parachute Battalion Briefed on Airfield Objective
Paul Crook's Third Battalion of the Parachute Regiment prepared to seize El Gamil and hold the site against Egyptian counterattacks.
Role range: 1956-1956
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Paul Crook Biography and Timeline
Follow Paul Crook through 22 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Paul Crook, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
22Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1956–1956Years on this page
1956
Three Para Prepares for El Gamil
Crook briefs 3 Para before its airborne assault on El Gamil airfield.
Role range: 1956-1956
Crook Finalizes Battalion Landing Preparations
Paul Crook prepared his battalion for an assault in which securing the runway would enable reinforcement and a move toward Port Said.
Role range: 1956-1956
El Gamil Airfield Secured
Crook's 3 Para secures El Gamil airfield and establishes a base for reinforcement.
Role range: 1956-1956
El Gamil Airfield
Leads 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment in the assault on El Gamil Airfield
Role range: 1956-1956
El Gamil Perimeter Defended
Crook's paratroopers defend the captured airfield perimeter while reorganising after the drop.
Role range: 1956-1956
First Postwar British Battalion Parachute Assault
Crook leads 3 Para in Britain's first battalion-sized combat parachute assault since the Second World War.
Role range: 1956-1956
Paratroopers Advance from El Gamil
Crook moves 3 Para from El Gamil toward Port Said after the airfield has been secured.
Role range: 1956-1956
British Paratroopers Drop Over El Gamil
Paul Crook's battalion parachuted onto El Gamil airfield during the opening ground phase of the Anglo-French assault.
Role range: 1956-1956
Airfield Landing Zone Comes Under British Control
Paul Crook's paratroopers took the airfield and secured the immediate landing area so further British operations could proceed.
Role range: 1956-1956
Parachute Units Gather After Scattered Landings
Paul Crook's men reorganized their companies and equipment after the drop, bringing the battalion into a defensible formation.
Role range: 1956-1956
British Infantry Establish Airfield Defensive Perimeter
Paul Crook deployed troops around the captured airfield to protect the landing zone against nearby Egyptian positions.
Role range: 1956-1956
Paratroopers Clear Airfield for Reinforcement Aircraft
Paul Crook's force cleared the landing area for arriving aircraft, enabling the airborne foothold to receive additional personnel and equipment.
Role range: 1956-1956
El Gamil Force Advances Toward Port Said
Paul Crook's battalion moved east from the airfield toward the outskirts of Port Said after establishing its initial foothold.
Role range: 1956-1956
El Gamil Battalion Holds Against Egyptian Resistance
Paul Crook's paratroopers faced Egyptian resistance while maintaining control of the airfield and nearby ground.
Role range: 1956-1956
Seven Hour Clearance Opens Airfield Access
Paul Crook's troops secured and cleared El Gamil for incoming aircraft within several hours of the initial drop.
Role range: 1956-1956
Airborne Force Reaches Port Said Outskirts
Paul Crook's battalion advanced roughly two miles from El Gamil toward Port Said during the first day of ground operations.
Role range: 1956-1956
British Battalion Drops West of Port Said
Paul Crook led the Third Battalion of the Parachute Regiment onto El Gamil airfield to establish a foothold near the city.
Role range: 1956-1957
Paratroopers Link With Seaborne Assault Forces
Paul Crook's airborne troops operated alongside British troops arriving by sea as the assault on Port Said expanded.
Role range: 1956-1956
Captured Airfield Supports Allied Logistics
Paul Crook's captured airfield served as a means of bringing in reinforcements and supplies during the short ground campaign.
Role range: 1956-1956
British Parachutists Retain El Gamil Position
Paul Crook's battalion remained in the occupied area after the ceasefire while arrangements for the withdrawal were still unresolved.
Role range: 1956-1956
El Gamil Action Enters Parachute Regiment History
Paul Crook's battalion became associated with the successful seizure of El Gamil, a prominent British airborne action during the Suez campaign.
Role range: 1956-1956
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.