Below the Radar - Cyprus Summer of '74

Chapter 3: Homes from Home (Wherever I Lay My Hat)

The large British military presence on Cyprus was split primarily between two geographical areas; to the west the bases of RAF Akrotiri and RAF Episkopi formed the Western Sovereign Base Area (WSBA), the army base at Dhekalia forming the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA). A few smaller bases were scattered across the island, but tens of thousands of British military personnel and their families were stationed in these three strategically important UK bases, many living on base whilst a larger number lived in surrounding Cypriot towns and villages.

A significant United Nations peace keeping force was still scattered across the island, a low key but visible acknowledgement of what was loosely referred to as the ongoing Cyprus 'Emergency'. Patrolling areas where tensions remained between the local Greek and Turkish communities, the UN forces fulfilled a serious and essential role. Having said that, to Alex and his friends even their presence had a relaxed and reassuring feel. The impression was enhanced by the eye-catching light blue caps with the United Nations badge, allied to the blond hair and cool dark sunglasses associated with UN detachments from predominantly Nordic countries.

Alex's family and friends were in the Western SBA region of the island, but most lived off base. Like many others, Alex and his family had moved house several times, most recently from an apartment in Limassol, the largest town on the south coast of Cyprus, into the nearby but much smaller camp of RAF Berengaria.

So called after Richard the Lionhearts' wife Princess Berengaria of Navarre who had been stranded and captured on Cyprus in the late 12th Century on the way to join her husband in the Holy Land. She had soon been rescued by Richard who conquered the island, overthrowing the ruler Isaac Comnenus in the process. Colourful historic testament to the fact that for many centuries the island had been no stranger to invasion and conquest.

RAF Berengaria, for the moment, was home to; Alex 15, his two brothers, Simon 17, Philip (Pip) 9, sister Georgina 12, Mum Francesca and his Dad Donald.

In the six years they'd lived in Cyprus, they had lived in six different homes. Three private rented houses or apartments in Limassol and an equal number of different married quarters in RAF Berengaria. Not that they had actually gone anywhere in between, but in the military rules were rules. When one 'tour' was completed, they had been required to move out of camp and then move back in at a later date. They had also moved by choice when larger more suitable accommodation became available.

RAF Berengaria was a small compact friendly camp, capable of housing just over a hundred and fifty families when full, but it enjoyed all the key facilities needed. These of course included a NAAFI store, the no frills but essential hub of most British military communities abroad, a Church, Medical Services, infant and junior schools. The nursery school on camp was run by Alex's Mum Francesca. Add to that a cinema, Youth Club, Sergeants mess plus several smaller shops, dusty football pitch, swimming pool, squash and tennis courts and the little base was complete.

All roads being named after native flora, over the last five years the Berresford's had lived in Oleander Avenue at number 2, moving to 8 Jacaranda Drive before ending up in one of the largest quarters on base at 10 Mulberry Mansions.

Basic in nature, having been built in the 1950's, from the outside the single storey 'bungalows' looked more like nondescript single storey grey nissen huts. Oddly shaped, their current Mulberry mansion had a low pitched corrugated roof and was located in the 'posh' northern section of the camp. The communal areas such as kitchen, lounge etc. were all located at the western end. The remaining rooms, including five simple bedrooms, three bathrooms or shower rooms and a store cupboard flowed to the east. All of these rooms were situated on the left hand side of a single and ridiculously long hall, resembling a railway carriage, which had a small dogleg halfway along its' length.

The ample distance from the lounge at one end to the older boys' rooms at the far end of the hall had facilitated many late night, covert, entries and exits. Strangely for a family house the long hall also provided a unique venue for the sporadic Berresford individual and team sprint championships. All six members of the family, including Mum Francesca, would race individually down the full length of the hall, touching the handle of Simon's bedroom door before racing back again.

All of this against the clock, the final click of the stop watch as each 'sprinter' broke the virtual tape across the doorway into the lounge on the return leg. The combination of narrow hallway and dogleg evened the playing field somewhat, short legs and agility being just as important as pure speed or long stride. Events were closely contested and timings and results challenged. Alex was the current, hotly disputed, reigning champ.

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RAF Berengaria was just a couple of miles north of Limassol town. RAF Akrotiri and RAF Episkopi were about sixteen miles away and the same distance from each other, forming a loose equilateral triangle. Episkopi being furthest west, Limassol to the east with Akrotiri sitting at the southern point of the triangle on a large peninsular.

All military bases have their own distinctive character and atmosphere, Akrotiri and Episkopi being no different. RAF Episkopi though clearly military being relaxed, sprawling over too large an area to have a formal perimeter fence or even a permanent entry gate. The open civilian road running through the middle of the base served St. Johns' senior school whilst also being a primary local route from west to east along the south coast. Episkopi was also home to the sprawling green fields of Happy Valley, a huge valley, home to sports facilities of all kinds running down to the sea. Akrotiri, as home to the major Royal Air Force airfield and multiple resident operational fighter, bomber, helicopter and transport Squadrons was more isolated and secure, encompassing the whole of a large peninsular.

The feel of life on the bases differed from the large thriving Cypriot town of Limassol and nearby RAF Berengaria. Each generated a natural sense of belonging in the resident British Forces communities, with a matching vigorous and normally healthy rivalry between the teen inhabitants. Teen rivalries simmered between the British populations surfacing primarily in the form of healthy and vigorously contested sporting and Youth Club based events. In addition, for those living in Limassol and RAF Berengaria there existed a mainly tolerant but wary relationship with local Greek and Turkish Cypriot youngsters. For ease and brevity, perhaps naively, but certainly optimistically, the Brits considered the local Greeks and Turks jointly as Cypriots. By that token nearly all Cypriots were incredibly friendly and welcoming to the British Forces and visitors alike.

But, as with co-existing teenage populations the world over, it needed little to turn the 'live and let live' approach into seemingly dramatic but mainly minor conflicts.