Cyprus 1972-1973 2 PPCLI
I remember leaving Winnipeg in October for Cyprus.It was cold and we were wearing winter combats .When we got to Cyprus the temperature was so hot.We were stationed in Nicosia at Beaverlodge and Maple Leaf Manor.We relieved the Lord Strathcona Horse .We spent our 6 months on the observation posts .I believe there were eight.I remember Roccus Bastion,Phasphos gate,Electrahouse and Hermes 2.We did 24 hours on,24 hours standby,24 on 24 standby and 48 hours off.We played a lot of fusball. The plane would come over once a week a bring us a movie which was shown outside during the hot weather.I remember visiting the Finns when we were on leave.We never paid for drink at the Finn camp.They would take us to the sauna.Our platoon was the forced march team and we did a lot of cross country treks as a platoon on standby days.A lot of us got suits made there on the Turkish side by Songur tailors.The government at Christmas sent us each a 12 pack of beer and I believe we also got a carton of smokes.We ran a lot over there as well.When we left in March the whole plane erupted in applause as the plane departed Cypriot airspace.