BACK PAGES: MAY 13th, 1964:The Irish Army's first major deployment with the United Nations was in the Congo in 1960, an operation that left 26 soldiers dead including nine who were killed in the Niemba ambush in November that year. Its next major operation was in Cyprus after an outbreak of violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots in 1963, which turned out to be a much longer but much less violent mission. In a report from Famagusta on this day in 1964, Tom McCaughren described its move into the port area of the resort.
Irish troops occupy port
In a surprise action in the hours of darkness this morning, Irish troops moved down to the Famagusta waterfront and occupied the strategic port area. The move was made to prevent any attempt by other forces to take it over and to preserve peace in the port, which because both communities have to use it, is considered to be the key to peace in the area.
After yesterday’s flare-up, the final count was four dead, two injured, 10 Turkish Cypriots abducted, and several minor shooting incidents. The Turkish Cypriot port workers have remained inside the old walled town and entrances from the port have been sealed.
Reports that they have been dismissed, however, were denied today by George Louisides, chairman of the shipping association, who told me that it was hoped that they would be back at work tomorrow. This is the height of the shipping season with potatoes and carrots being exported, some to Ireland . . .
The port was occupied between three and four o’clock this morning when a contingent from B Company, under Comdt Bill O’Callaghan, moved quietly out of Wolfe Tone Camp, the battalion headquarters on Salamis road.
Dawn was less than an hour away and already cocks were crowing in the darkened villages to the left and right of Salamis road as the convoy drove towards the land gate of the old walled town, where yesterday two Greek soldiers, a Greek Cypriot constable, and a Turkish Cypriot bystander were killed.
Driving straight through the sleeping town, the contingent deployed itself along the top of towering battlemented walls that overlook the port.
At the same time a contingent from C Company under Comdt Thomas O’Neill took up positions at the gates to the town and around the remainder of the ramparts, completely sealing it off from the modern Greek Cypriot quarter.
With the coming of dawn, the blue UN helmets could be seen in every strategic position of the old walled town. Lieut Jim Connolly of B Company was commanding an infantry platoon and a machine-gun platoon on the ramparts commanding the harbour.
The machine-gun crews were covering the area from behind sandbags and positions high in the towers.
Up at the famous Othello Tower I met Pte Thomas Phelan (18) of Kilkenny, who was standing by with his field radio as loading operations in the port got under way again. He told me that he had been there since three o’clock. Pte Arthur Sheridan, of the Curragh, told me as he scanned the docks with field glasses that everything had been very quiet during the morning.
Patrolling the docks below was another platoon under Lieut Rusty Keane, and a section of military police, while a platoon of C Company, under Lieut Eddie Haskin, was guarding the three gates into the old town...
Fearing that Greek Cypriots might attack the village, the Irish unit . . . was heavily reinforced during the night. Armed villagers also kept a vigil from the surrounding orange groves.