An Cosantóir the official magazine of the Irish Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces.
Issue link: https://digital.jmpublishing.ie/i/285450
www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 33 Checkpoint duty. Personnel from the Canadian, Danish and UK Contingents with Armd Car Gp 5 Inf Gp at Limnitis in 1965.Pic courtesy of Sgt Dan O'Neill (Retd). Comdt P Quinlan and a Ford armoured car on patrol. In early 1970 the force underwent a major reorganisation when 13 Inf Gp moved from Xeros to zyyi, with positions at Lefka, Larnaca, Limnitis and later at Kopinou. As the demands for personnel for aid-to- the-civil-power operations increased at home, the contingent was reduced. On 8th October 1971, while 21 Inf Gp was in training in Ireland its armoured car group was stood down. Then, midway through its tour, 250 men were re- called from 21 Inf Gp for duty in Ireland, leaving just 129 personnel in Cyprus. Following the Yom Kippur War ceasefire in 1973, UNEF II was established and 25 Inf Gp was transferred to the Sinai in November at the request of the UN. This ended the contribution of Irish units to UNFICYP but the Defence Forces continued to participate in the mission by supplying staff at UNFICYP HQ. In mid-1974 the contingent num- bered three, rising to eight during the 1980s, and reaching 30 in March 1994 when Ireland took over Camp Command. The contingent remained at that figure until 1999 when it reduced to six. Following a review of overseas commitments in 2003, it was decided to end participation in UNFICYP and on 24th May 2005 Lt Col Paul Quirke, the last member of the Defence Forces to serve with UNFICYP, lowered the tricolour at a sunset ceremony to mark the end of 41 years of Irish peacekeeping in Cyprus. Over those years the Defence Forces made a substantial contribution to UNFICYP: a total of 6,655 tours of duty were carried out by the personnel of 22 units, HQ staff, MPs, observers and Camp Command staff. In addition, two Irish officers served as Force Commander UNFICYP, Maj Gen James J Quinn (December 1976 to March 1981) and Maj Gen Michael F Minehane (April 1992 to August1994). Nine members of the Defence Forces died serving with UNFICYP, though none through hostile action. As we mark UNFICYP's 50th anniversary we acknowledge the sacrifices of our nine com- rades and also remember the pain of their families and loved ones. Col George Kerton (retd) served in Cyprus as Military Assistant to the Force Commander in 1997 – 98.