Short cut to Remembrance
BRITISH military veterans and relatives of those killed during the Cyprus Emergency — many in their 80s — will now be spared “convoluted” passport checks at Metehan border crossing when attending a Remembrance service this year.
The development came as three TRNC expats became the first to be allowed direct access to Waynes Keep cemetery, where most of the 372 servicemen named on the British Cyprus Memorial in Girne’s Old British Cemetery are buried.
Royal British Legion (RBL) Kyrenia branch chairman Brian Thomas, vice-chairman Les Evans and British Residents Society (BRS) deputy chairman Peter Wilkins used a military gate near the Metehan crossing point to enter the cemetery last Friday. The trio received formal permission from the TRNC Foreign Ministry to test the route and were escorted by the Turkish Army direct to Waynes Keep cemetery where they were met by two British officers from the Royal Lancers who are on a six-month tour of duty with the UN.
Explaining the trailblazing move, Mr Wilkins said: “The BRS organised an open forum meeting for our members with some TRNC ministers last December . . . and one of the questions . . . was [whether it was] possible to gain access directly from the TRNC to Waynes Keep cemetery, bypassing all the convoluted passport control checks at . . . Metehan . . . This is a necessity as coaches from the TRNC are not allowed access into the [South].”
Mr Thomas and Mr Wilkins met a Foreign Ministry representative last month to discuss the request.
Mr Thomas said: “I then formally applied for the RBL to hold a Remembrance service at Waynes Keep cemetery on Monday, November 12, 2018 using the military protocol gate for access instead of the Metehan crossing. Permission was granted . . . in writing by the director-general of the Foreign Affairs Department, Kemal Köprülü.
“This is a significant step forward for the branch as it means that the UK-based Cyprus veterans can now have a much smoother and quicker passage directly from the TRNC into Waynes Keep, as well as our RBL and BRS members.
“Bearing in mind that most of the veterans and their relatives who travel from the UK to commemorate their fallen comrades . . . are in their 80s, this is a real bonus for them and we are truly grateful to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their assistance.”
Mr Thomas said agreement had also been reached for a contract with a local coach firm to cut the cost of the return journey between Girne and Waynes Keep to some 15TL per person instead of the current 10 euros.
“On top of that, they have guaranteed that as long as the detailed manifest for the coaches is given in advance, the military will allow direct passage through the protocol gate and escort the coaches to the cemetery,” he said, calling it “a massive improvement” over the time-consuming practice of having to get off buses twice at Metehan for passport checks.
“I will be writing to all the veterans shortly to give them the good news”.
Mr Thomas said that if the new route to Waynes Keep proved successful, the RBL — this year organising its 10th annual Remembrance service at Girne’s Old British Cemetery — might consider moving the ceremony there from 2020.