Cyprus
1957 - 1960
(aborted
Suez Posting)

http://www.britains-smallwars.com/cyprus/war.html

The Suez debacle began on 31st October 1956.
In the House of Commons on 1st November, William Yates, a Conservative Party MP, interrupted on a point of order and said,
"I have come to the conclusion that Her Majesty's Government has been involved in an international conspiracy".
Later that day representatives from the United States and the Soviet Union at the United Nations joined forces and demanded
a cease-fire. The British and French vetoed a cease-fire in the Security Council but the General Assembly passed it by a vote of 64-5 vote.
Faced by a united international community, the governments of Britain, France and Israel agreed to withdraw.
They were then replaced by UN troops who policed the Egyptian frontier

At some point(when?)1LF orders were changed as the Suez Crisis had ended.
The Bn were then posted (what exact date and from where?) to Cyprus.
Anyone KNOWING (if you are vague I would prefer not to record it)the answers to any of the dates/places/times/numbers involved

This photos found on another website by Peter Swensson he was wondering if anyone knew the Lancashire Fusiliers

This is a photo of Tommy Rocky Rochford brother of Jack Rochford


Geoff, we returned from Cyprus a few days ago. We hadn't been back there since about 2007 and things have totally changed. We spent some days at Coral Bay, which used to be our rest camp and a place where we would go to swim if we weren't doing some task. Coral Bay as the vets from Polemi Camp know is just north of Paphos. From being a totally deserted place back in 1957 is now full of hotels and up-market housing. I wish that I had bought a plot of land there back in -57 as it would have been worth a fortune today. I can still recommend it for a holiday. One day I drove up to Polis on the north-west coast to see the old place again. We were stationed just up the road from there at Limni, that was from the autumn of 1957 until Febuary of 1958. I often visited the town after midnight when I was on duty. The last time I was there I didn't need a map to get around but now I did as the expansion of the area is, like other places extensive, and I needed a navigator. We had also discussed the detention centre called by the Greeks - The Polemi Concentration Camp, where the Greek suspects were subject to ill treatment. It is built adjoining the Polemi Camp and is not very big. It was built after the LFs left the area and I believe that it was run by the Argylles who took over after us. The Jocks treated their prisoners with extreme harshness. Between the so called Concentration Camp and Polemi Camp is a large winery. This is partly built on the area where our sh.. house was - which if the hole is connected with a pump can give the wine a picant taste. Stroumpi is very much bigger than we remember it. We stopped to drink coffee there. The roads are excellent, thanks to EU contributions. I didn't get to Nicosia to visit Kermia, which may be in the Turkish zone (anyone know?). Limassol is overrun by Russians and so is the Island which obviously gets a lot of dirty money.
The photos are from The Concentration Camp -ie Detention Cenre and Coral Bay .

Sent in by Malcolm C. McDonald

 





 

These are William Stamps Photos


Presentation made by the CO Lt Col Lash MBE


His winning Medal


William was a despatch rider



My name is Keith Fisher ex WO1 ( ASM ) REME.
I was attached to 1 LF at Kermia Camp Nicosia from early 1959 & moved to Quebec Barracks Osnabruck BAOR with them in Jan 1960 The MTO was Bill Bowman & MT Sgt Paddy Buffine. I was a full Cpl I/C REME attached whenwe left Cyprus as our Sgt ( Gordon Littlecott ) was posted earlier. I saw the query on your site ref Why is Peter Bickerstaffe not shown on the Kyrenia Memorial . I was honoured to be a member of the bearer party for Petes Funeral which took place at the British Military
Cemetery Waynes Keep Camp , Nicosia. Perhaps that is why his name is not recorded at Kyrenia !!
I recently visited the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to see the newly installed Army Apprentice Memorial as I am an ex Chepstow Apprentice Vehicle Mechanic . I had researched beforehand & discovered Peter Bickerstaffe is listed on that main memorial under 1959. I attach a photo of me at the memorial & a small cross I placed with Petes name on it, I also attach the Certificate taken from the listings on the National Memorial Website. Pete was always smiling & a great lad who got on well with all us attached guys, it was a shock to us all that he died in that traffic accident on the way back from Kyrenia to Nicosia when the Landrover came off the road that day !
I have some black & white photos of REME lads at Kermia in those days if you would like me to scan some & send them in !!

Regards
Keith Fisher


 

Click here
The unveiling of the British Cyprus Memorial Kyrenia 8 November, in Kyrenia, North Cyprus


British Cemetery, Kyrenia
N. Cyprus.

sent in by

John Hickie


Click on photos to enlarge them

Does anyone know why Peter Bickerstaff is not on here

LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS
Killed in Action in Cyprus

Bickerstaff
Peter
Fus
23426205
25/07/59
Rochford
J
Fus
22808850
07/01/59
Walters
B.F.
Fus
23374640
13/09/57

The Funeral of 23374640 Fus Brian Walters killed in a Traffic accident

Brian Walters
In October 2011, Brian's friend, Bill Lee, of Hyde, visited the grave of Brian
See pics:- .....Click Here



   
Hello Joe,

Have been reading through the LF website with great interest, what an excellent resource and fitting 'home' you have created for Fusiliers past and present. I take my at off to you all.

Anyway, the point in me writing is to say that I was researching a Lancashire Fusilier medal (Cyprus) which is new to my collection. I haven't found him, but enjoyed looking! Perhaps you would like his details to add to your nominal roll:

23428616 Fusilier W. Booth, Lancashire Fusiliers. Given his Regimental number, I believe he would have enlisted around the last quarter of 1957.

Owen Dobson
A Lancashire Lad (Morecambe)


We think this is the lad whos medal it is


 
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Brian Oldham, Roy Childs 1959
Foreman and McEvoy
9 Pln. C Coy aboard Empire Ken 1957
Domino Bar 1959
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Cyprus 1958
Patrol at Khoulou 1957/8
Nicosia 1958
1958
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Troodos Mountains
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Jim Gibbons 1966
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Photo sent by Malcolm McDonald
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Photo sent by Malcolm McDonald
Photo sent by Malcolm McDonald
Photo sent by Malcolm McDonald
Photo sent by Malcolm McDonald
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Photo sent by Malcolm McDonald
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Martin Bewley 1957
Martin Bewley 1957
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Martin Bewley 1957
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These two photos taken in 1958, shows LF patrolling the Turkish quarters after
a shooting incident
sent in by
Willie Angus
.

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Alec Mifsud has presented a Minden day 1959 copy of the Gallipoli Gazette to Joe for research.
The mystery is solved by seeing in the write up that the 1st Bn provided most(not all) of the Queens Birthday Parade held at "The Moat" of the walled City of Nicosia Cyprus.
The Bn provided one guard(HQ Coy).
On the Bicenenary of Minden the Bn trooped the Colour at the English School Nicosia(probably on the sports field ) .
The Governer Sir Hugh Foot took the salute on both parades.
End of Mystery.
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the next 8 photos have been sent in by Enda Todd Edward (Toddy) Todd's wife they are now in contact with Bill Lee since seeing the website
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These next 9 photos sent in by Richie Gilbert
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These 15 photos have~ been sent in by
Brian (Fred) Fish

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Cliff Tilley
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Jim Farrar and Mick Phelan

Anthony Bowles
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The Next 21 photos have been sent in by
Barrie Wheatley
A Coy in Cyprus

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"Roy Langford tranferred from Royal Signals into 1LF in September 1955 and left in May 1958"
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Anthony (Tony) Stamp
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The next 6 photo's have been sent in by
George Brown from Middleton
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Sgt George James Pilkinton's red book

Sgt George James Pilkinton

Sgt Pilkington's Wedding Day
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This fell out of The Gallipoli Gazette for Spring 1960.
Was it yours and what was the picture you went to see ?" Joe
The next 5 photo's are from
Ray Longworth
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Peter Delahunty
A Coy then Bn Butcher

this 70D and all row 71
are Sgt B.P.Diver docs
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Sgt B.P.Diver Medals
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Left to right
Clifford Tilley, Tommy Hardman, Peter Bickerstaff
and Jimmy Lovelady


Evening Chronicle
29th Sept 1958

Sgt George Warne
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this photo was taken at Kyrenia beach in Cyprus 1959 they are members of the signal platoon . I am on the left ken banks

George Flaherty

George Flaherty and Ged Walker
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LFs away from Bn at Nicosia HQ 50 Ind Bde Cyprus 1958.
Guard of Honour for General Sir Roger Bar. KBE. MELF.
HQ 50th IND INF BDE - EKKO East Camp - Nicosia. 18-4-58.
Sergent 5th Dragoon Guard's - Pte. Royal Berks. Fusilier
Medowcroft - Lancashire Fusiliers. Pte. Royal Berks. Cpl. Royal Signals.

Fusilier Bunny Warren, on fattening up exercises

sent in by Bob Scott
I have in the past tried to find the guys, all to no avail. Regards Bob.


Click on here to go to the Tommy Dalton Photos
CYPRUS 1958

It was June 1958 when I took over Command of B Coy 1LF stationed at Kirmia Camp just outside Nicosia. Joe Kelly, the Lancashire full back was 2 i/c, Paddy Haines a regular subalterns and two N.S. subalterns, one of them destined for greater things as 2/Lt Konrad Schiemann later became famous as Sir Konrad Schiemann Privy Councillor in 1995. Gerry Lyons was the CSM and Les Lamb one of the Pl Sgts.
The Internal Situation in Cyprus was really on the boil so we had brilliant opportunities for soldiering. We were on a routine of three weeks in the Greek Sector of the Old City, rushing from burning church to burning church, followed by three weeks in the Turkish Sector of the Old City, rushing from burning Mosque to burning Mosque (we were not biased). Then for a change, three weeks in the suburbs enforcing curfews, following funerals, attending shooting incidents and generally keeping the natives off each others throats. Finally upto the mountains for three weeks to tap into telephone wires with our Greek speaking interpreter listening in to conversations between the monastries so that we could try to intercept EOKA weapons on the move and soft shoe patrolling around the villages in dead of night. After the mountains we went back to the Old City again on a never ending routine; 24 hours a day, seven days a week as infinitum......it was fun and there was hardly ever a complaint from a marvellous bunch of XXth soldiers.
Two Fusiliers are etched in my memory from those far off days Norman Hurst a national serviceman, my batman/bodyguard. He was a body builder, Mr North West, Great Britain at one stage. He could lift a rioting Greek or Turk with one hand whilst holding his rifle in the other. Peter Bickerstaff was my driver regretably he was killed shortly after I left the Battalion, he really was a splendid, brave, cheerful young man and great company to have around no matter whatever the circumstances. One night I remember, alone on vehicle patrol, we intercepted some seven coach loads of Greeks intent on burning down a Turkish village and with the help of a passing Ferret disarmed and arrested a couple of hundred men (the folly of youth there were at least two dustbins full of knives and axes). The Bn 2i/c Major James Martlew then came to our aid and we trundelled them all off to the Central Police Station in Nicosia and handed them over to the Police.
Happy days, almost 50 years ago with great soldiers from a truely great Regiment.

Maurice Taylor

Then


2/Lt Konrad Schiemann

Now

Sir Konrad Hermann Theodor Schiemann
Judge of the European Court of Justice

 

"Cyprus Agreement!
Sent in by
Maurice Taylor

 

This set of photo came to us by Capt John Campbell they where sent to him by
Jim Brooks
We were in Turkey for two weeks survival expedition Oct 59.
We had to go in civvies as were not allowed in uniform.
We stayed in a hotel which turned put to be the red light ditrict, and Capt Campbell sat outside our room so as we could not go out 'sightseeing by night' with a shotgun across his knee, I really dont know what he thought we would get up to!!!!! do you ?

One day we came across a large snake, and one of the lads threw stones at it and killed it chopped it's head off then skinned it he put the skin in salt and later made a belt.
We went to Instanbul and went to the Museum of the 'Whirling Dervishes' I think Capt Campbell was trying to educate us.
I nearly got knifed on a train, because I was looking at some Turks, we kept the compartment door well shut after that!!!
We lived of the land but Capt Campbell
was given £75 for essential's, which every penny had to be accounted for.
we had a good time and a very good experience was had by all, with 'Capt Campbell' and the lads.
Story by
Brian (Fred) Fish

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