Boy from the Farm

At the time there was serious tension between the Greeks and the Turks over the Island of Cyprus, I was sat at home watching television and suddenly the programme was interrupted, and a news item saying the Ships Company of HMS Ajax should report to the ship. This was a shock for both of us as Fran was 3 months pregnant with our first child. The next day the ship was despatched to the Mediterranean, initially to Gibraltar, and then to the eastern Mediterranean to be on standby should the situation deteriorate into full scale war. HMS Ajax would evacuate British personnel out of the war zone back to the British Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri on the southern side of the island. Our preparation apart from being in all respects ready for sea and war,was to draw and paint the largest possible Union Jack on top of the bridge roof, where it would be visible to all aircraft, Greek,Turkish, UK, US,and Soviets to identify us as neutral in this conflict. The ship had been away from Plymouth for two months and with the daily updates on talks and invasion threats our families were anxious at home.Especially Fran who was beginning to wonder if I would be back for the birth of our child in December. We just waited! On July 20th 1974 the Turkish invasion started, it cost 3000 lives and injured thousands of others, while 1619 were reported missing. The country is still divided by a green line 42 years on. Our mission started! We sailed to Famagusta where there were many evacuees waiting for us. Can you imagine the chaos and confusion, trying to mount an operation like this. Although we are neutral we now have to enter the war zone. I was the Radio Operator on watch when we sailed close to Famagusta harbour. Our briefing was there were evacuees waiting for us there. So the order came from the Captain "Away Seaboats crew" which was the Coxswain of the boat, a Seamen in the front, and me with a 634 portable radio on my back for communications with the ship.HMS Ajax stayed outside the harbour and we in the very slow 20 man cutter chugged into the port. As I saw the way the port had been demolished by bombs,missiles and gunfire, I became very tense, afraid and vulnerable. I thought, is that the sound of gunfire in the distance or is it close. We are sitting ducks in this boat and I don't even have a gun to defend myself.Chug! Chug! Even closer to the harbour wall. As we neared the point for the pick up there was an eerie silence and nothing. No gunfire! No evacuees! Nothing, just silence.I radioed the ship with the news and the Captain ordered us back to the ship immediately and no reason was given, but it was good news for us. When we returned to the ship we were told that the evacuees could not get to the rendevous point and the operation had been delayed by 24 hours. The next day the right people were in the right place and we picked up 200 evacuees with British passports and transferred them to Akrotiri. We were in area for another month till the end of hostilities. We arrived back in Plymouth a month before Christmas and Fran heavily pregnant now was relieved, I would be home for the birth. Rachel Eve Folland was born at 1159 Am on the 17th December 1974. weighing in at 7 lbs 6 oz a beautiful healthy baby girl. The sad aspect of this, is that as soon as Fran is out of hospital and home with Rachel, I sail away with HMS Ajax for another deployment.