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The Middle East and Africa
64. The Army and Poyal Air Force contributed to several famine relief operations during 1974 in co-operation with voluntary aid organisations. Trucks were provided from Army
stocks and delivered either overland via the arduous trans-Sahara
route or by the Royal Air Force to the Sahelian region of West
Africa, where they were used to help distribute food.
65.
In May 1974 Royal Fngineers, supported by Army helicopters,
initiated a "Food for "ork" road construction scheme in Ethiopia, during
which over 100 km of basic road was built, and local inhabitants were
trained as supervisors to continue the task after the Royal
Fngineers returned to the United Kingdom. Later in 1974 Royal Corps
of Transport driving instructors ran courses for local drivers of
the British-supplied food trucks. Royal Engineers also undertook
road and bridging tasks in Kenya, Malawi and southern Sudan.
The Far East and Indian Ocean
66. In February 1974 the ocean survey ship HMS Hydra helped to
free the Japanese fishing vessel Hoyo-Maru from rocks near Nelson
Island in the Chagos Archipelago. In December 1974 two RAF
aircraft took part in relief operations following the destruction
of Darwin by Cyclone Tracy.
Aerial Surveys
67. Photographic reconnaissance aircraft of the Royal Air Force
have carried out aerial surveys in Kenya, the Yemen Arab Republic,
Oman and Fiji.
68.
EXERCISES
British forces have again taken part in a wide variety of
exercises outside the NATO area, either under the auspices of
III-31
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