Introduction by Margaret Sheard ……
The Highland Light Infantry left for Cyprus in 1956 and we have recently received some memories from Hugh Henderson who served his National Service with the HLI. Hugh remembers some of the names of his ex-army buddies which are shown below, together with photographs. If anyone recognises them we would be pleased to hear from them so the information can be passed on to Hugh.
By Hugh Henderson …….
My time in Cyprus was short due to being injured but I do remember names of some of the lads who served with the 1st Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry and wonder if they are still around.
l-r R Sinclair : Joe Little : Willie Flaherty : John McDonald
l-r ???, John McDonald and myself (Hugh Henderson)
I was called up for National Service on 8th December 1955 and did 10 weeks training at Maryhill Barracks and early in 1956 I arrived in Cyprus and was stationed at Dhavlos Camp (now called Kaplica).
On 13th November 1956 we were returning from a 5-day patrol which started in Akanthou (now called Tatlisu) and involved making our way to the other coast by foot. On returning to our Base Camp at Dhavlos, I was manning a LMG on a 3-ton RASC truck which had picked us up and at Trikomo Village (now called Yeni Iskele) the truck in front of us stopped suddenly, causing our truck to swerve throwing me and the weapon onto the ground. I have no idea why this happened.
The officer in charge, Jeremy McNish Porter gave first aid to me and I was then rescued by helicopter and transferred to the Nicosia Military Hospital and was there until 20th December 1956. While in hospital I remember either Kate Adie or Katie Boyle asking for requests for a programme called A Xmas Card from Cyprus which was to be on BBC1 on 25th December 1956.
Following my stay in hospital in Cyprus, I was then sent to Cowglen Military Hospital in Glasgow and on 4th April 1957 I was discharged.
