Batley solider keeps guard in Cyprus

Dec 29 2008 by Emma Davison, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

BATLEY soldier Damien Spence will see in 2009 on the holiday island of Cyprus.

But he, and many others, will not be relaxing.

Corporal Spence, a Territorial Army soldier, is spending the festive season surrounded by bullet-marked buildings, faded flags and abandoned cars from the 1970s as he patrols the Green Line Buffer Zone.

The 36-year-old is serving with 32 Signal Regiment Group as part of the UK contingent to the United Nations’ longest-running deployment.

He has also served in Iraq and is now a section commander responsible for eight men.

More than 250 soldiers are on a six-month deployment on the island.

They are responsible for sector two of the Green Line, which separates the Turkish and Greek sections of the population.

The Green Line runs through Nicosia, the only remaining divided capital city in the world following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

Their mission is to prevent new fighting, maintain a stable environment and lower the military presence.

All that is geared to enable a lasting political solution to be found.

In addition to their peace-keeping and mediation duties the soldiers also make regular humanitarian aid visits to communities in the Turkish north of the island.

Former Batley Boys’ School pupil Damien joined the TA in 1997. He is married to Cheryl and they have a five-month-old daughter, Charlotte.