Cyprus Memorial Rock – Latest news
By Margaret Sheard…..
Great news, the date for the unveiling of the Cyprus Memorial Rock has now been confirmed as Sunday 21st August 2016 at 11am and we are sure many Cyprus veterans and families of those who served in Cyprus will attend this momentous occasion.
Following is the further update from David Littlemore who has worked so hard to bring this wonderful memorial to fruition. He still needs support with funding so please try and help if you can by making a donation which can be done either directly with David by contacting him on david.littlemore1@btinternet.com or through the gofundme account by clicking here
“Things are happening now at a faster pace, with more funding coming in through the “gofundme” website, thanks to “cyprusscene.com”. We do need to continue with the fundraising as we still have some way to go to achieve our goal. Keith Rackham, the stonemason who was responsible for the Cyprus Memorial in North Cyprus, is now working on ‘0ur Rock’ and I am contacting all of the 46 regimental associations to ask them to donate £100 each to enable Keith to engrave all the regimental badges on the base that he is going to make at the NMA.
The other big news is that the date has now been agreed by the NMA for the Unveiling of the Memorial Rock, this going to be on Sunday the 21st of August 2016 at 1100hrs.
When I first started to plan the Cyprus Memorial for the NMA I considered the possibility of including the 19 British police officers who also lost their lives in the Emergency, but thought that the idea though appropriate would probably be even more bureaucratically challenging, so did not continue with it. However a number of our colleagues have since suggested that the Memorial should include the 19 police officers. Last week I was informed that the body representing those 19 police officers would be attending the Unveiling with their memorial banner. You may recall that two years ago they had a separate memorial to the police officers placed next to the military memorial in Kyrenia North Cyprus. I now plan to include the names of the 19 British police officers, who gave their lives at the same time as our lads, in the same capsule to be laid to rest inside “Our Rock” together. I do hope that you agree.”
We have received news from Major Brian Thomas BEM, the Chairman of Royal British Legion Kyrenia Branch that they will be sending back the Kyrenia Branch Standard for the unveiling as well as the Police Roll of Honour Trust Standard.
We would have very much liked to be present for the unveiling but unfortunately this will not be possible, although we intend to visit the Arboretum on our next visit to the UK later in the year to see this wonderful memorial to the British personnel who lost their lives in Cyprus between 1955 and 1959 and have not received recognition in the UK until now.
hi dave , do you know if anything else is being organized for that week end a get together of all comrades. I am hoping to get a few of the old members of The Welch Regiment to get a mini bus to come and stay a night some where. Keep up the good work you are doing
Kind regards Brian Taylor
Glad you had the idea to include the police officers who lost their lives, I’m sure their families will appreciate it.
Absolutely a first class effort!
So pleased for the efforts behind this project and as we at the time of the previous Memorial said, that a Memorial should be Inclusive of all those on active service who died in Cyprus 1955/56. should be fully inclusive on the same Memorial. Only to be told by the MOD. that British Service Memorials! where just that for the purpose of Service personnel only, and the Police where classified as a Civilian occupation, we tried our best at the time but the Government at the time were having none of it. So I hope this attempt succeeds where we failed. Bob Scott.
I agree that the police officers should be honoured ,they did enough in my opinion to warrant their inclusion. Peter Eckersley
I patrolled with the UK policemen who were taking the same risks as we were so it is only right that they should be included. I was in attendance at the unveiling of the police memorial in Kyrenia and met up with some wonderful people from the force representing their fallen comrades.
What a really wonderful job you all have done, in bringing this lovely Rock back here to Great Briton, so all who served, and gave their all, can be honoured in this way. Thanks a million for all you have done.
Well done to all involved in this project, To remember all those who made the supreme sacrifice in Cyprus. Ex 40 Commando R.M. 1956-1957
John, Are you one of 40 Commando that sailed from Malta to Suez, to which the Anti Tank platoon, Royal Berkshire Regiment, were attached along with the French Forces, prior to arriving in Cyprus. Bob Scott.
Great to have a memorial at the N.M.A..I always look up the names of those who died out there whilst serving with me in 45 Commando R.M. each time i attend a parade there The N.M.A. just keeps on getting better and better.
Great job by all concerned with this project.if not for Peter Eckersly I wouldn’t have heard of this.Thanks to Peter, what of those who don’t have a laptop?
I served in the Royal Horse Guards of the Household Cavalry Regiment and I’m sure I speak for many (if not all) of the ‘Cyprus Veterans’ and the families of those who served there, in thanking David and all the others who were involved in the soon to be inclusion of the ‘Cyprus Memorial’ at the NMA in Staffordshire, England.
Thank you for your comment which David Littlemore is aware of. We have had many comments of praise for the memorial which have all been sent on to David. We are sure there will be a great number of people who will attend the unveiling ceremony in August and although I can’t be there on that occasion I hope to be able to visit the Arboretum in November to see the memorial for myself.
I served in Egypt also Tripoli 1950 then 1953 to 1955 Royal Signals Radio Operator.,We used to go to Cyprus on exercise also the leave centre was there.I will be sending information ref the ROCK to Army friends in Australia also Canada.Cyprus a wonderful Island,Last time there a couple of years ago called in on a cruise,took a bus from Limassol up to the Troodos mountains,it was 65f in Limassol,ha ha when we got to Troodos it had snowed for three days,really wonderful..
Thank you for your comment and for sharing the news of the Cyprus Rock Memorial.
A pity that no mention is made of Turkish and Greek Cypriot Cyprus Police Officers who died serving alongside British Cyprus Police Officers and British troops, or as a direct result of their service.
We understand your comment, however, the Cyprus Memorial Rock was an independent project to commemorate the British personnel who lost their lives during the Cyprus Emergency. You may be interested to learn that all of the Police (including Turkish/Greek/Maltese) are commemorated on a memorial at the Old British Cemetery in Kyrenia, which is an additional memorial to the main memorial commemorating the 371 British personnel.
You can view the article covering the unveiling of the Police Memorial in Kyrenia by clicking here
We are also showing below a photo of the Cyprus Police Memorial in Kyrenia.
The names of the British police who died during the campaign 55-59 are being inscribed on the Rock and in my opinion rightly so. Peter Eckersley
Charles, I wish people would check their facts before commenting, as someone behind the first project for ten years or more, we at the time fought to have all incorporated with our own Services Memorial, But were told at the time, Forces Memorials are just that? to record names of Service Personnel only. No not one single person was forgotten, as you see by the photograph above, a dedicated team sought to right that injustice and achieved a wonderful separate Memorial close to the Military Memorial. All is never what it seems! we are lucky to have two Memorials one in each Country, I am certain the Police and others will not be left out. Cheers Bob.
Hi I was wondering if there was something planed at the memorial onon the 21st August 2017
I have sent your comment to David Littlemore and no doubt he will be in touch with you.