Cyprus Emergency Veterans and the
National Memorial Arboretum
By Chris Elliott……..
It seems hardly a week goes by now when we receive messages and information from readers who have stories to share or are looking to make contact with past friends and increasingly we are finding we are able to help them publish their memories of the past often after further research and also help unite people after almost a lifetime apart..
A fine example of this is the following message from David Littlemore that will be of interest to all cyprusscene.com readers who would like to understand those very difficult years when many men and women lost their lives trying to keep the peace or just live a normal life in Cyprus.
“From David Littlemore
I read with interest your article on the Suffolk Regiment. and was pleased that some veterans of the Cyprus Emergenc
y are keeping contact with each other. I attended the unveiling of the Memorial at Kyrenia in 2009 and visit it regularly as I have a holiday home in the TRNC.
I visited the National Memorial Arboretum in the UK and was told that they do not have a dedicated memorial to the 371 servicemen who lost their lives in the Cyprus Emergency. I am delighted to tell you that I am now organising the erection of one and hope to have it in place within the next 12 months.
Should anyone be interested then do please contact me on email; david.littlemore1@btinternet.com.”
Click here to read the article David was referring to.
Memorial to British Servicemen on active service who died during the Cyprus Emergency in 1955 to 1959
Bob Scott, recently received my DVD. of the wonderful memorial fronted David Littlemore, I thought in all a wonderful turn good service and all. that was until the recorded interviews in the DVD. And Service Intro by Air Chief Marshall Sir Michael Graydon GCB,CBE. Referring to the 2009. British Cyprus Memorial as the Idea had been conceived in 2004. 2004 was a resurrection of a first attempt in1998/9 after the Idea was floated on the Service Pals website and supported by Britain’s Small Wars website, the idea of Corporal David Cranston of the RUR. along with journalist David Carter myself and a few other, all started well with member signing up their support, until pressure was applied that it should not go ahead, in the end it was shelved. In 2004 out of the blue I received an email from an unknown source at that time, was I still Interested in reviving the Cyprus Memorial which was never about politics, but a place where families could meet and remember. We did not have the clout that was our only failing, it was far complex than we could of imagined. My reply was yes as I still wanted to meet what we had originally set out to do. For one moment not wishing to take anything away from the team of which I had now become a part of and know it would of been impossible to achieve without there support and all the difficult problems there overcame. I think in context those first attempters should be recognised for making in roads. Kind Regards Bob Scott.
Thank you Bob for a greater insight into the the development of this project.
Caveat? I don’t want people to read more into what I have previously written, But history has a beginning a middle and an end, but not decrying anybody who took part at what stage, I am not having ago at any body because all that tried to get the Memorial off the ground has to be very much appreciated, without the second attempt in 2004. there would not of been an memorial. One person I would like to mention who has little recognition for his negotiating skills behind the scene’s was Donald Crawford (Retd) Q.C.This gentleman first sought me out unbeknown me and kept me in touch with a lot of what going on behind the scene’s. As was David Carter who had carried out a lot of the ground work the first round! on who was Killed – where buried which unit they came from, then expanded that research on the second successful attempt.I for my small part had the privilege to be connected with both and others.
My reason! was my pal prior to joining up Ian Collins of the Royal Berkshire was killed after just a few months, I carried his coffin to what I thought was his last resting place, only to be told by David Carer whilst researching who was buried where, to find out in 1974. a removal had taken place for all remaining bodies to be repatriated to Wayne’s Keep Military cemetery
Though pleased all where united, I could not believe this had taken place. Bob Scott. .
Thank you for this further update Bob.