Operation Shed - Aftermath

Aftermath

By 29 April the danger of a coup had passed so Operation Finery was scrapped and Shed stepped down to 24 hours readiness. On May 21 the Chiefs of Staff acknowledged that Karume's agreement probably would not be gained and that a landing may be opposed. Intelligence sources also stated that Karume's 300-strong police force were now outnumbered by other security forces of unknown loyalties and that elements of the Zanzibari Army and a Soviet training team guarded the airfield by night. The Zanzibari army was known to be in possession of light anti-aircraft guns, heavy machine guns, 120 mm mortars and 57 mm anti-tank guns. Karume's police were also expected to side with the army against any foreign intervention unless specifically ordered not to by Karume. A 300 strong Tanganyikan police unit was already on the island to keep the peace and was expected to support the British intervention, however it was of negligible use as a fighting unit. In light of this information Shed was modified on 9 June to an airborne assault by Royal Marine commandos from HMS Centaur which would then be supported by the landing of the battalion and cars from Kenya. Despite these modifications the Minister of Defence, Peter Thorneycroft, stated that losses amongst British and Zanzibari forces would likely be high if the plan went ahead. The continuing presence of 87 British citizens and 40 "friendly nationals" in the country also complicated matters as British troops would be expected to protect these civilians from violence. Thus Shed was replaced by Plan Giralda around 23 September 1964.