CAN any Looking Back readers help Lancashire resident Les Smith in his search for relatives of the 371 British soldiers who died in Cyprus between 1955 and 1959?
Les is searching for the relatives of Pte Colin Vivian READ, whose name is among those remembered with honour on the British Cyprus Memorial. Serving with the Wiltshire Regiment, he was shot dead on September 28 1956 in an ambush in the Kyrenia Mountains while escorting Mrs Margaret Holton of the WRVS who was also shot dead. Aged 21 from Weymouth, Dorset, he is buried at Wayne’s Keep, the British military cemetery in Cyprus, Plot 23 Row B Grave 10.
He is also searching for relatives of leading Aircraftman James Reginald RICE, one of the 371 British Servicemen who died on active service during the four-year Cyprus Emergency April 1 1955 to April 18 1959, and whose name is among those remembered with honour on the British Cyprus Memorial. Serving with 502 Squadron RAF he died in Nicosia on September 19 1955. Aged 23 from Weymouth, Dorset he is buried at Wayne’s Keep, the British military cemetery in Cyprus, Plot 19 Row A Grave 3.
Les is trying to find the relatives of the 371 to let them know that their loved ones have not been forgotten by their comrades and that we now have a memorial in The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire also that the next of kin of the 371 are entitled to receive The Elizabeth Cross.
He would also like to hear from the relatives of any other British soldier who died in Cyprus 1955 to 1959 or from any Cyprus veterans of the same years. Get in touch with Les by emailing cyprusveterans@gmail.com
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