The Household Cavalry Regiment, stationed at Ward Barracks in Bulford, is preparing for a crucial role in the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.
The Regiment will patrol the buffer zone, known as the “Green Line,” which has separated the Turkish Cypriot North and the Greek Cypriot South for over 40 years.
The peacekeeping mission is among the UN’s longest-running operations, with around 260 soldiers forming the British contribution known as Op TOSCA. The buffer zone, spanning approximately 180km, is divided into three sectors.
British soldiers will be responsible for Sector 2, covering the city of Nicosia.
The area is off-limits to the public, and neither Greek Cypriots nor Turkish Cypriots can enter without a permit.
Often described as “frozen in time,” the zone contains relics from the past, including abandoned homes and closed businesses left behind when residents were forced to flee due to the escalating conflict.
Soldiers will maintain a constant watch over the zone via vehicle, foot, or mountain bike patrols, working to preserve peace and stability while performing an essential liaison role with local residents and authorities.
The British Army say that building relationships with opposing forces to address issues without escalation will be a critical aspect of their role, you can read more on this here.
Loved my time in Cyprus (Based at Dhekelia) The interesting thing here is the main road from Dhekelia (BFPO 58) to Ayios Nikolaos (BFPO 59) and home to a huge signals base follows the border between the Turks and the Cyps and as you drive east towards Ayi Nic , you pass on your left loads of abandoned villages and towns which are now in Turkish held areas. When I was there every now and again the Turks would set fire to a house in which to piss off the Greeks on the other side. As squaddies we could… Read more »
Beat me to it. I was going to mention the fact Ayios Nikolaos is close to that border line.
One of the most critical defence installations we possess, along with Troodos far to the west.
Always struck me as strange that they did not try to have the Sovereign base areas in a contiguous location.
Akrotiri makes sense as it’s on a peninsula with access to the sea and it’s own access to international air space.
It’s also easy to isolate from the rest of Cyprus much like Gibraltar. But Dhekelia seems a bit different. No airfield and it’s kind of in the middle of Cyprus.
Any idea why it is the way it is?
Jim wrote:
At the top end of Dhekelia is the SBA Police station. running alongside it is a road that took you to Pergamos village and on route is a runway (Used by a private club now) but when I was there it was used by the (based on the Island) Army parachute centre and 16 flight AAC. And I did see a few Hercs land on it.
https://i.postimg.cc/mDRcgQZz/Opera-Snapshot-2023-04-10-191834-www-google-co-uk.png
Sure but it’s really short, way to short for anything other than light aircraft or military aircraft with STOL capability. I meant no airbase or significant runway.
Not sure.
Of the ESBA and WSBA retained sites, 4 out of 5 have a strategic function
Akrotiri Airfield, and the SLS with the benefits you say.
Ay Nik is closest to ME so geography plays a part.
The 2 Troodos sites high up in the mountains.
Episkopi is next door to Akroriri so virtually the same area.
Dhekelia is the one I know the least about. I was aware it had the airfield Farouk references, though I forget it’s name now. Kings something ?
Not every army base needs to have a strategic runway next to it, of course.
It might have been to spread the British army out across the island a bit – some in Dhekelia and some in Epi (next to RAF Akrotiri).
Very interesting post Farouk – thank you.
I find it incredible that there has been a UN presence in Cyprus since 1964. I believe it’s the longest continuous deployment. This disagreement being between two NATO members who joined in 1952. Erdogan still believes Turkey was ‘stung’ by Greece being in NATO and uses similar rhetoric to delaying/blocking Sweden. The Greeks appear to be happy with the status quo. Will there ever be a way forward for Cyprus as a unified Nation?
Done my UN tour attached to Dancon in Skouriotissa as engineer support maintaining the green line in their sector up in the mountains😄 Boy those boys could drink😂
I was born in Nicosia in ‘57 during the EOKA uprising. Dad was RCT and went off to Suez. Mum used to take us kids to the beach ( cordoned off) with a .38 Webley in the picnic basket. Happy days😳
Ian, RCT was not formed until 1965. Might your Dad have been in RASC?
You are correct Graham, during WWII he was Devonshire Regt, then re-joined as RASC, then RCT till retirement. Cheers
Ah it’s not that important! That’s a job that a private security firm could do, maybe the cadets, or if push comes to shove the RAF Reg! Waste of decent manpower but a good jolly! Driving around in the buffer zone, in white LRs, counting down the hours till you’re on the pop, and trying to climb up billy the bomber on the way back at midnight, without getting shot by angry half trained Cypriot National Guards!!!! Was fortunately attached to a unit which did this tour early 90s, but sadly not all of it 😤!!!! Had to go back… Read more »
I enjoyed my time with UNFICYP Support Regt in Blue Beret Camp in ’81. Then we had an armoured recce sqn in Ferrets (the Force reserve) and a AAC Flt together with Inf Bn, sp units etc. The AAC ran the airfield facilities vacated by RAF Nicosia on its demise (which had operated SH, Puma I suppose).