Page 20 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2018

18 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
During his three years on the island, the English writer Lawrence Durrell commented on the Cypriot style and approach to life, work and the heat, notably how one seeks the shade cast by “Tree of Idleness; it’s shadow incapacitates one for serious work”. Though I am pleased to report that the Influ- ence Team did not fall into this trap, it is worth noting that most Cypriots do.
The Influence team deployed to the divided island in the Medi- terranean early March this year, following a chilly week of build- up training in Nescliffe, Shropshire. The transition from bitter winds and falling snow to dry heat and roasting sun as much an analogy for the team’s transition from Divisional Reconnais- sance to making friends and influencing people. For the most part, the team were double hatting with the Operations Officer (Captain Charlie Gray) leading the Influence team and Officer Commanding LAD (Captain Dougie Muir) the Civil Affairs sec- tion. Early in the deployment, Captain Stew White (Deputy Mil- itary Observation and Liaison Officer) performed amicably in his initial command appointment as Chalk Commander, adding poetic license to mandatory briefs and keeping the RAF movers second guessing our future intentions.
With impressions upfront and in spite of its frustrations, the role of influence and liaison was both fascinating and engaging. The liaison officers could expect telephone calls at all hours bringing news of the latest episode in the Buffer Zone (BZ), which could require anything from a late night patrol to a courtesy conversa- tion over the phone – all the while ensuring that any action tak- en with one side was reciprocated with the other. It is often easy to forget that the part we play is so minor in the grand scheme of things. On the 28th rotation of this deployment, the oppos- ing forces (comprising the National Guard from the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) and the Turkish Forces in the occupied territory) had seen it all before and the challenge for us was to avoid the temptation of effecting great change and instead managing the existing tensions to facilitate a political solution. And yet the small things really do matter in Cyprus, as we were to discover.
The National Guard (NG) were a friendly, laid-back organisa- tion, seemingly unperturbed by the need to plan. They carried
Captain Kellard famously sees the funny side of things
the weight of hardship and the victim flag. The liaison officer, Captain Alex Humphreys (Intelligence Officer) worked hard to develop lasting relationships with his counterparts-a task facilitated nicely by exploring the many coffee shops and cafés in central Nicosia and enduring the infamous Orange Cake. Po- litically sensitive and acutely aware of the small details; the NG presented a unique challenge: immediately understand the pic- ture and show empathy-or fail. So Captain Humphreys was left to immerse himself in this deep rooted problem whilst avoiding the frustrations of the lack of momentum rife in the NG, a result of their lack of mission command. We would regularly round the same buoy only to discover the existence of a smaller, shinier buoy.
The Turkish Forces (TF) by contrast, were a much more seri- ous organisation and consisted of the Turkish Mainland Army (TMA) and the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces (TCSF). The former displayed all the hallmarks of the modern NATO army that it is, whilst propping up the latter – a more budget and local version. Both took an instant liking to Captain Will ‘Scrappy- Doo’ Kellard (Second-in-Command B Squadron), the liaison officer who, instead of coffee and orange cake, enjoyed ‘toast’ (a sort of no-holes-barred panini) and an overly friendly, jolly Turkish Cypriot liaison officer for company. The TF were guard- ed in work related conversations preferring instead to speak of family, hobbies and other stalling topics. Rarely would the com- manders stray from the party line and it was fascinating to ob- serve how the TF would avoid one-on-one meetings at all costs, instead always man-marking each other and downplaying their grasp of English.
The Sector Civil Affairs Military Liaison Team (SCAML), formed the civilian branch of Influence. Contrary to popular belief, both sides permit a modicum of civilian activity to exist in the BZ. To what degree this takes place is often up for debate and it was the job of the SCAML to adjudicate. Led by Captain Muir the team was responsible for everything from inspecting farming permits in the BZ and escorting civilian contractors to conducting estimates on suggested projects and hosting bi- communal events in Ledra Palace Hotel. Captain Muir handed over to Major Matt Davies (OC Headquarters Squadron) just
Captain Kellards If I can’t see you you can’t see me technique
Influence Team
“In the spirit of goodwill and cooperation”