Cyprus

1956-57, 1964

.....In late 1955, Greek terrorists (EOKA) opened their campaign for Enosis (union with Greece and in January 1956 1 and 3 PARA were flown to Cyprus to augment the island's security forces.
They were followed, in July, by 2 PARA and 16 Independent Parachute Brigade, prepared for trouble expected in Egypt and the Middle East. The brigade was engaged in a continuous round of anti-terrorist operations in the Troodos mountains and the Kyrenia hills. These operations were interrupted in November 1956 when the brigade took part in the Suez campaign. In December 1956 1 and 3 PARA returned to England while 2 PARA remained in Cyprus on

operational duties where it scored two notable successes in the EOKA campaign until, in February 1957, it too returned home.....The escalation of political violence in the now independent Cyprus (1960) in late December 1963 saw 1 PARA recalled from leave to arrive in Akrotiri by 4 January 1964. They first took over responsibility for the Western Zone, keeping rival factions apart while based in Episkopi, until moving to Nicosia on 26 February where they remained until early April. They then became the island's mobile reserve. On 21 March when the United Nations Truce Force (UNFICYP) took over the task of keeping Greek from Turk, 1 PARA then became part of that force.

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