Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders History

1st Battalion

The Argyll and Sutherland

Highlanders

Cyprus 1982 - 1984

Part 1

All photographs are the property of RHQ Argylls and may not be reproduced or copied without permission from RHQ Argylls.

Twenty-two and a half years after leaving Famagusta on the SS Dilwara, the 1st Battalion flew into RAF Akrotiri during March and April 1982 to start a two year tour as resident battalion in the Western Sovereign Base Area (WSBA) within the Republic of Cyprus. The battalion had been back for three short training exercises since 1959, twice in 1968 and once in 1974. Much had changed in these years. For a start the island is partitioned, training is only permitted in limited areas, and then only after giving two months warning. Non-military movement within the Greek Cypriot half of the island is otherwise unrestricted. There is still plenty of scope for adventure training and recreation, even though the days of a platoon camp in some secluded cove are over. Operationally, the Battalion's role was low key and were responsible for guarding Ayios Nikolaos, Troodos (shared with UN battalion) and for the security of the Western Sovereign Base Area. It must seem far fetched to the reader to suggest that there is any similarity between life here and in Ballykelly, nevertheless there is. Guards and Duties Company has become IS Company. The latter has a shorter degree of notice to move than the former! The Companies detached to Ayios Nikolaos have many new faces in them but most of the others merely add this new name to Strabane, Dungannon, Magherafelt, Armagh, and Auchnacloy. Training Two Company has its training time interrupted as frequently as did the Brigade Reserve Company, so again not much change. Even Training One Company, in theory sacrosanct, has had to stand in for IS Company, while the latter desperately tried to snatch some training before being hauled off to do some Garrison task. Despite this the battalion managed to organise and compete in the Near East Skill at Arms Meeting, in early May. The two bands put on a creditable performance also in May. The Military Band played with their brand new instruments, and the Pipes and Drums played after two years as a rifle platoon in Northern Ireland. Both are extremely busy and in good fettle. Meanwhile Mortar, Anti Tank and Assault Pioneer Cadres were held and these platoons were returned to fully fledged platoons again, after an absence of nearly three years. At least two rifle companies, and the bands again, were much involved in the preparation and performance of the Queens Birthday Celebration on 4th June. During late June Ex “Venus Rock” and island wide IS exercise was held.

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Cyprus was an ideal station to resurrect many familiar aspects of battalion life; one, which loomed up was the Champion Company Competition. With this in view, the Battalion Swimming Gala was held at Berengeria Pool on 27th July in which Headquarter Company narrowly defeated A Company. Football, Hockey, Boxing, Athletics and the McEwan Cup, on the military side, Patrol, March and Shoot Skill at Arms and Drill Competitions are all included. Recreation is mostly water-orientated and the battalion soon had a number of competent wind surfers, sub aqua divers, canoeists and water skiers. Dinghy sailing was also on offer, while a dozen or more soldiers went for a week sailing off-shore.

The Wives Club flourished, and families and single men discovered a freedom hardly tested in the past two years by car, motor bike and bicycle. The married soldiers and officers settled down to the rhythm of life in their respective communities and the routine of living up to 16 miles from camp (Berengaria) or on an RAF Station. For those who lived in hirings, who tended to be the younger families, married life was not so easy due to the separation from friends and families. Every Army Board member who visited Cyprus was made aware of the difficulties caused by the spread of families. 1 A and SH were based in Salamanca Barracks in Episkopi and that is where the social hub of the battalion was to be found in its respective messes and the Sovereign Club, yet despite this the battalion had only 24 families in Episkopi. There were 181 families in Berengaria and up to 90 families spread throughout Limassol. Finally there were approximately 30 families in RAF Akrotiri. This spread of families created special difficulties that were largely overcome by the commonsense and good humour of the vast majority of wives and the continuing grey hair produced from the families’ office.

THE CYPRUS WALKABOUT - The Cyprus Walkabout is the highlight of the sporting year on the Island. Taking place in the relative cool of October it was a rugged two-day orienteering event covering some 70 miles between Episkopi and Mount Troodos. It was open to Service competitors from all theatres and always attracted a very strong field. Three out of the Battalion's (three man) teams managed to finish in the top ten of the seventy-seven teams who entered. This was a tremendous achievement considering that they had only three weeks concentrated training. Special mention must be made of the team consisting of Capt Keate, L/Cpl Sinclair and Pte Maguire which came second to the 7 RHA team of semi-professional runners. The Second-in-Command masterminded the many battalion resources that were necessary to ensure the success of the organisation of this event and it is to the credit of all his staff that the local 'pundits' proclaimed it the best Cyprus Walkabout for many years.

TUG OF WAR - The Inter-Company Championships for 1982, unlike the previous competitions which were decided by knockout, were organised as a pool competition. Each team had to pull against each other for pool points, 3 points were awarded to the winners for two straight pulls and for a two-to-one pull 2 points were awarded to the winner and 1 point to the losing team. The winning team was the team with the most points at the end of the day. There were two classes in which teams could compete, the 640kg and the 560kg, and the winning company was to be the company obtaining the highest number of points in both competitions. The honour of the first pull went to A Coy Lightweight team coached by Cpl Carroll who championed over B Coy, who were coached by Cpl Dunlop, and what a draw it was! The first end lasted a cracking 3 1/2 minutes and really had the spectators on their feet shouting themselves hoarse for their favourites. The standards having been set by those good teams remained high throughout the Lightweight competition, but it soon became obvious that Sgt Simpson’s D Coy team were tied into second place. D Coy still had to pull against A Coy, but as they had only lost one end to C Coy, they could not lose the competition. However, A Coy could be outright runners-up if they could pull D Coy, and could share second place if they took one end. A Coy started off with a tremendous heave and took D Coy by surprise and almost over, but D Coy held firm and their steady rhythm eventually took them one up. Cpl Carroll obviously had words with his team because they came straight back again with another tremendous effort, and the score went to 1-1. The final end was another magnificent effort but D Coy were too good and emerged as the worthy champions. The Heavyweight competition again produced all the drama we had expected. This time it was C Coy, with the strength of the Anti Tank and Mortar Platoons and the coaching of Sgt Muir who were emerging as favourites. A Coy, coached by Sgt Ogilvie, and D Coy, again coached by Sgt. Simpson made valiant attempts to hold C Coy, but the sheer strength of this team allied to their superb drill saw them through as worthy winners without losing a single pull. The competition for second place was fierce with A Coy edging out D Coy by a single point. The final placings and positions for both the Tug of War Shield and the points towards champion company were as follows:

C COY. 18 POINTS 1st. D COY. 16 POINTS 2nd. A COY 13 POINTS 3rd. HQ COY. 7 POINTS 4th. B COY. 6 POINTS 5th

Both winning teams, D Coy Lightweights and C Coy Heavyweights represented the Battalion in the Cyprus Championships, and both teams exceeded our expectations. D Coy were beaten in the final by two pulls to one by an excellent RAF team, and C Coy went out in the semi-finals to the eventual winners, a very good RAOC team.

In Cyprus the Resident Battalion had to be all things to all men, and in addition to operational and sporting commitments the battalion was tasked with administering the All Island Horse Show and putting the rest of the Army in Cyprus through their paces during the annual minor units military skills competition. It also provided assistance to visiting units from UK and C Company produced a very realistic terrorist force in the recent RMA Sandhurst exercise. Both the Military Band and the Pipes and Drums were much in evidence performing at Service and local Cypriot events. Toward the end of October the battalion had a most welcome visit from Major General C. P. R. Palmer, CBE, prior to his taking up the appointment of Colonel of the Regiment. General Palmer, accompanied by his wife Joanna, saw most aspects of Battalion life, attended the Balaklava Ball and met many old friends. In December the battalion had a brief visit from the Chief of the Defence Staff, Field Marshal Bramall. In his walk around the Battalion he was shown companies training for a variety of tasks and was clearly impressed by what he saw. Sadly the last months of 1982 were marred by the tragic deaths in road accidents of Pte Davie Russell of the Pipes and Drums and Mrs Jacqueline Mahon, wife of Cpl. Mahon D Coy. To their families and friends we extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences. The year ended on a high note with sport and entertainment including potted sports, the Battalion show, six-a-side football, the McEwan Cup and, of course, the traditional Hogmanay celebrations.