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| Tom's Story: |   |
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Lighter side of things: Many of us have served in area's that were not of the best makings, how we chose to alienate ourselves from these situations is one that we concocted for ourselves. To day the "lads" receive counselling, it was never heard of in our days. Not that I am being disrespectful to the "lads" of today it just highlights how things change. Anyway back to my story on "lighter side of things". This particular story takes place in Cyprus, circa 1959. I was on 34 L A A Sqdn and along with all the other sqdn's on the Island we had various duties to carry out, numerous as well. 34's tally of these duties were, Nicosia Airport Guard, Main water Pumping station for the camp and the main "Homer" device up in the Troodos Mountains. This story relates to the Troodos detachment. We had a two week detachment up in the mountains, up there at the time was 42 Commando unit, they used to patrol the hills whilst we guarded the homer. Sometimes to break the monotony we used to go out on patrol with them. This particular time we were there it was winter time and plenty of snow in "them there hills"!! I actually had my first ski-ing lesson up there. I diversify once more. The site that we used for this guard was the old NAAFI holiday camp, which had been used quite a lot when there was no trouble on the Island. Singles and families used it. This particular detachment got marooned up on Troodos because of the snow, which instead of two weeks ended up as four weeks. The lads ran out of monies and it was set up so that they could obtain stuff from the NAAFI shop and their pay would come up with the relief guard and they could settle their bills before returning to Nicosia. This system worked perfectly, all the fun began on the way back down the mountain. The relief guard arrived, headed by P O Mike Green, Deputy Flt Comdr., along with Flt Sgt Bill Matthews. Fred Smith, ex Marine drove their Land Rover. Someone, I can never remember who suggested that on the way back down the mountains we stop and give the lads a chance to have a break at a local Taverna, everyone was in favour of this. Anyway we stop at this Taverna and we are having a quiet drink, I was sat With Bill Matthews, Mike Green & Fred Smith. Then someone suggests that we have a game of something. 7,14,21, was suggested, I'd never heard of this one. So it was explained that it is played with Crown & Anchor Dice and for "ale". Using only the ace's on the dice you count them as they are thrown, 7 orders, 14 pay's and 21 drinks it, whatever it is!! Needless to say I do not remember leaving the Taverna, the next thing I remember is the "Red Caps" stopping the convoy, for the want of a better word, one3 Tonner & a Land Rover. Bill Matthews is then instructing two of the lads to support me to stop me falling over. The "Red Caps" do they're bit, look a bit strangely at me in particular but allow us to go on our way. As they departed, I remember sliding down the rear wheel of the 3 tonner, as that is where they had propped me, We get back to Nic and I am duly handed over to my pal Tommy Slater, we were in the same bunk. His instructions were to get me sobered up as best possible and let me sleep it off.
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| CYPRUS WAR: |
The strained relations between the Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus erupted into open war in Nicosia on 21 Dec 1963. Regiment forces were immediately deployed to protect British lives and property, and when the political decision was taken to employ British forces to restore peace, Nos.26, 28, and 34 Squadrons were the first British units to enter Nicosia, on 27 December. They were joined on the next day by No. 27 Squadron, and the following day No. 16 Squadron arrived from Britain to reinforce the Regiment in Cyprus. On the 30th December, the two warring communities were separated by the so-called "Green Line" drawn across Nicisia, and No.3 Wing (Nos.16, 26, 27 and 28 Squadrons) were used to establish this demarcation line and control passage across it. No.5 Wing Headquarters, having just been disbanded, was not available to assist in the task of command and control. |
Tom Feeley
e-mail feeley@easynet.co.uk
"Once a Rockape always a Rockape"
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