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The Battle of Dhala took place in March 1965 during the Aden Emergency.
On the night of 12 April, 300 Parachute Squadron of 131 Parachute Engineer Regiment was attacked by guerrillas whilst working with 24 Field Squadron on the construction of the Dhala Road at Al-Milah near the Yemen frontier. Squadron Sergeant Major John Lonergan of 300 Squadron and Sergeant Atfield, the pay sergeant of 24 Field Squadron, were both killed during the action and are buried at the Ma-Allah Cemetery, now within the Republic of Yemen. The Regimental Medical Officer, who risked his life to attend to those who had been wounded and to rescue two badly injured men caught out in the open, was awarded the MBE for gallantry. He had been recommended for the award of the Military Cross..
The base of 131 Engineer Regment's successor unit 131 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers is named Lonergan Lines in honour of SSM Lonergan