Journal 2008 - The Journal Royal Highland Fusiliers - The Royal ...

Entertainers started to visit the Island and tour the camps. Wehad visits from Lita Rosa who really went down a bundle, FrankieHoward, who cheered us up with patter not his television stuff,and Elsie and Doris Waters who were getting to the end of theircareer but were still prepared to entertain the troops. Betty Driveralso visited the Island. I remember seeing her at Golden SandsLeave Camp.Golden Sands Leave Camp wasavailable for five days leave if onewanted (and could be spared frompatrols, guards and fatigues). Itwas a beautiful setting just outsideFamagusta giving a well-earnedbreak from the constant routineof guards and patrols to any OtherRanks if they wanted to go. It waslimited to six to ten personnel fromeach Company at any one time andwas quite popular. There was nolimitation on drinks within reason,good entertainment by visitingshow-business people and dancingat night with a small amount ofWRAC personnel. The camp wassurrounded by a barbed-wire fence,but outside the fence were orangegroves. The odd bomb was thrownin. As the living and entertainment Recreation at Golden Sands.areas were well inside the perimeterno real damage was done. It was however a great break from theeveryday routine of the camps.Inter Company SportsAll the Companies had their own football teams and the competitionwas great. The teams were not all Junior Ranks. Some companiesfielded players right up to CSMs (who could take it as well as give it)and 2Lt Best was one of the A Coy team’s stalwarts. (CSgt Ramsaywas of course a notable player as well as trainer.)Inter Battalion SportsThe Battalion was represented at most inter-Battalioncompetitions but the crowning glory was the winning of theCyprus Mail Cup. The team played and beat the 10th Hussars,Pay Corps, 2 Para and Durham Light Infantry – and 3 Para (1-0)in the final. The team was Pinkerton, Kinney, McCulloch (scorer– penalty), McGill, Daniels, Baxter, Scoular, McEwan, Phin, Duffyand Graham, and the subs Thompson and Benton.DisciplineMilitary discipline continued to play its role in our lives althoughthe penalties were mainly loss of pay. I only fell foul of it once.A patrol had just returned to camp and the signaller had left hisFN rifle in the Signals tent. I noticed the action was cocked andassuming the weapon had been cleared I squeezed the trigger – tofind there was a round in the breech. Fortunately I pointed theweapon at an unoccupied area of the camp and at least the magazinehad been removed. The camp was immediately on stand-to as shotshad recently been fired into HQ Coy at Dhavlos. My misdemeanourwas quickly brought to light and the signaller and myself were upbefore the Coy Comd. I got reprimanded and he got seven days lossof pay, which under the circumstances was pretty light.The Sad TimesThe sad times started when the Gordons, who were stationed inthe Troodos mountains, were involved in fighting a forest fire.The wind changed and blew back on them causing 22 deaths. Asa Regiment our hearts went out to the Gordons. I myself was veryworried because I had pals in the Gordons at the time.The football teams before the game.Our own personal sad times came whenwe lost three of us, of A Company, in abombing incident in Lefkoniko. Theywere Privates J Beattie, M Neely and PDoherty. The Company used to make uptwo teams for a game which was played ona school playing field in Lefkoniko. Whenthe game was finished everyone gathered Matt Neely.round an adjacent drinking-fountain. Thelocals used to come down and watch thesegames because they were always played ona Sunday afternoon. This particular Sundayno one noticed that the locals had alldisappeared before the end of the game. Asthe teams ran to the drinking-fountain MattNeely was the first to touch the spout. Therewas an immediate explosion and he wasJ Beattie.killed instantly. Beattie died next day of hiswounds and Doherty died six weeks later at Cowglen Hospital– although it had been hoped he would make a full recovery. Ifthe “bombers”, the terrorists at the other end of the detonatingcable, had waited another 30 seconds it could have been 2 or 3times that number. I suppose they wanted to be quickly awayand that saved lives.Word was quickly relayed to the camp and two platoons weresoon on the scene. [Editor: The Brigadier ordered their immediateremoval but the CO, Lt Col F B B Noble OBE, did not comply.]The following day the town and the whole immediate area wereintensely searched and the next few days were spent scouring thesurrounding areas, but they were long gone. A Coy did not haveany more serious incidents and I am sure it was because of thequick on-the-spot reactions. (The earlier death of Pte G Cullenof B Coy was the result of a most unfortunate accident. In thedarkness on the night of 7/8 Jun 56 two observation post partiesfrom the same B Coy patrol clashed. A challenge was issued butthere was no response. The challenging party then opened fire– and Pte Cullen was shot dead.)THE ROYAL HIGHLAND FUSILIERS 71