About 3,000 men of the Aden Striking Force, comprising the 1/2nd Punjab Regiment and 3/15th Punjab Regiment of the British Indian Army (1895–1947), which had fought in the colony during the Italian invasion, a Somali commando detachment and the 1401/1402 (Aden) Companies, Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps Group and 150 motor transport (MT) would be transported 140 nautical miles across the Gulf of Aden.