The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

A Snapshot of Service
in 'A' Company
Paphos, Cyprus 1958

Map of Cyprus

Cyprus, military intelligence informed us that Colonel Grivas was in a Greek Cypriot mountain village. Operation 'Kingfisher' was mounted and a massive cordon of troops surrounded the village during the night. Each soldier was lying 10 yards apart with instructions to shoot anyone who moved. Middle of the night, a machine gun goes off. Everybody was petrified, but no one dared move.
Next morning we found a dead donkey, shot by an 'A' Company bren gunner.
Later that day when 'A' Company went into the cookhouse, the whole Battalion chanted - 'Hee, haw! Hee, haw!'

These trucks were perfect for commandeering the centre of the narrow mountain road when the melon trucks came toward us.

This manoeuvre 'encouraged' the driver of the melon truck to slow down. It was then a dawdle for each of us to fix bayonets and acquire a fat juicy melon as the truck squeezed-by.

The Platoon Commander, 2nd/Lt Jack Wilson can be seen, head and shoulders above everyone