Page 85 - RADC 2016

ASSOCIATION
The Cyprus Emergency 1955–1959
by Colonel (Retd) G.D.Stafford TD, DL.
The Cyprus Emergency began in early April 1955 and ended with the departure of General Grivas from Nicosia Airport
on 17 March 1959. By the time he left it had lasted some 1590 days, since Grivas landed in Cyprus. His arrival heralded the beginning of a violent campaign to unify Cyprus with Greece, and at the height
of the Emergency in 1958 some 30,000 servicemen (mostly National Servicemen) from the Navy, Army and Royal Air Force were stationed on the Island. There were also a number of Colonial and British Police Of cers assisting the Campaign.
It became one of those many ‘small wars’ that have been fought over the years; largely forgotten, and inadequately recognised.
It was a dif cult, brutal period with all the facets of ghting, ambush, assassination, IED’s and terrorism that are common to War. The General Service Medal with a Cyprus Clasp was awarded to those who served
for 90 days between 1 April 1955 and 24 December 1959, but there was no effort
to recognise those who had died in this con ict. It is sad to record this, but general reluctance to remember small wars, and political lack of will probably all contributed.
371 died, but no memorial was erected to commemorate their sacri ce until a splendid series of slate, engraved panels were erected in the Old British Cemetery in Kyrenia. These panels were instigated by the Daily Telegraph and the Cyprus Memorial Trust and engraved by the sculptor Keith Rackham. They were unveiled on Armistice Day 2009 with a
large attendance. I had served in Cyprus for 18 months between 1955 and 1957, as a National Service Dental Of cer, and was
Cyprus rock at the NMA
pleased that I was able to attend.
There was no will to erect a Memorial
in the United Kingdom, although so many others have been placed over the years
at the National Memorial Arboretum to remember other events. It was not until Mr David Littlemore, a Cyprus veteran, initiated a campaign to rectify this omission that anything happened. Eventually a large rock from the Troodos Mountain area in Cyprus was shipped to the United Kingdom by the Royal Air Force, and delivered to the same sculptor, Keith Rackham, in Norfolk.
And so on 21 August 2016 I attended the unveiling of the Cyprus Rock at the National
Memorial Arboretum to commemorate, on UK soil, the sacri ces made all those years ago. This Memorial recognised the sacri ce of the 371 Servicemen and also of the 21 UK Police Of cers who lost their lives in the con ict. The Rock has been engraved by Keith Rackham with the Regimental and Corps badges of the major units that served throughout that time, and he also inscribed suitable words on the Rock. The Service was conducted by Revd. Canon David Wilbraham, the National Police Chaplain, and Revd. Alan Bowley, Chaplain of the RAF National Service Association. The Rock was unveiled by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon GCB, CBE. and a scroll inscribed with the names of all those who died was sealed into the back of the Stone. Air Chief Marshall Graydon and David Littlemore
gave addresses. A bugler sounded the Last Post and 2 minutes silence was observed, followed by Reveille. A Piper from the Gordon Highlanders played a lament, and the exhortation and Kohima prayer was given by Major John Gibbs, who had served for 3 years in Cyprus during the Emergency. There was a splendid turn out with some 500 present. There were many Standards on parade, and these included those of the Royal British Legion Branch of Kyrenia, and the British Cyprus Colonial Police Standard.
A large number of wreaths and crosses were laid and planted, both of cial and private, and then refreshments were served in a nearby Marquee. It was a suitable and tting conclusion to a project that was long overdue.
Old British Cemetery in Kyrenia
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