Below the Radar - Cyprus Summer of '74

Chapter 34 : 23 Alexandra Hill (Sunny Afternoon)

The closure of the M1 and re-routing of hundreds of vehicles to RAF Akrotiri had created a slow moving continuous stream of cars. On reaching the camp Don drove slowly through the RAF Akrotiri base gates, nodding as the interior of the car was briefly scanned by the combination of RAF Regiment Airmen and Military Police, before being waved through, there was no time for detailed identity checks.

Ten minutes later they arrived at the start of the familiar built up area of the camp and were directed to park the car and join the long queue of people waiting to be processed. In the queue they joined hundreds of RAF and British service families, as well as a similar number of relieved, exhausted and anxious tourists from a variety of nations.

More people continued to pour into the camp, most having little or no knowledge of RAF Akrotiri. Alex and his family were fortunate. Though evacuated from their home in Berengaria, Akrotiri was almost a second home to them. Worryingly for the tourists, though happy to be safe, their holidays had been abruptly cut short and they had no idea what was going to happen to next.

The same administrative, logistical and human challenge was being faced at Army and RAF bases across the island. In response the MoD, Army and Royal Air Force did what they did best. Long written contingency plans, adjusted where appropriate, were dusted off and implemented with practicality, common sense and determination. The large and effective machine that supported high profile Air Force and Army Regimental Operations moved up a gear. In addition to the obvious front line of pilots, navigators, air and ground crew, soldiers and police, multiple backroom sections played a vital role. Administration, logistics, engineering, technicians, mechanics, security, supply, catering, medical, welfare, signals, air traffic, transport and hundreds of supporting civilian staff rolled up their sleeves to process and support the thousands of stranded tourists and evacuated service families.

If this challenge was significant it was as nothing compared to the upheaval and turmoil felt by native Cypriots across the length and breadth of the island. As fighting continued, sketchy tales of the scale of clashes and resultant casualties from further north and east around Nicosia and Kyrenia had begun to filter through, as had rumours of the evacuation of the large town of Famagusta on the East coast. At the same time a tragic and confusing contra movement of people, primarily of Greek Cypriots from North to South and Turkish Cypriots from South to North had begun, in the process creating many more thousands of homeless refugees in their own land.

* * *

Four hours later Don returned having queued patiently with hundreds of other families or heads of families whilst waiting to be registered.

Firstly, he'd only got a partial answer to the immediate priority of re-uniting their two young evacuees with their mum.

*  It turned out Michael and Catherine's Hughes mum - Alison - had not arrived at Akrotiri. The boys had roamed up and down the huge queue trying to find her and had monitored new arrivals in the car park, but with no luck. Don had eventually confirmed that the M1 and route to Episkopi had only been closed for a short period and many cars had been re-routed as planned back to Episkopi. Whilst it was impossible to know for sure, it was highly likely that Alison Hughes was now in RAF Episkopi, no doubt distressed that her two children were not. As hard as he had tried, the processing team were swamped with thousands of issues and Don could not be sure his message that the children were safe in Akrotiri would get through to their mum.

Secondly, he'd addressed their logistical and accommodation challenge, unknowingly making someone's day in the process.

* The six Beresford's plus, for now, Michael and Catherine Hughes in addition to another service family of four from Limassol had been assigned to a nearby residence. Including the four normal residents of the three bedroomed bungalow, tonight 16 people would bed down at 23 Alexandra Hill.