62 Cyprus Support  Squadron Royal Engineers

Click Here for Pictures of 62 Cyp Sp Sqn RE in action.

Capt Ironton, Ops Offr 

Squadron History.  The history of Sappers on island is as varied and contrasting as the history of Cyprus itself. There is evidence of a Royal Engineer contingent as far back as 1882, but where once there sat a Major General Chief Engineer now the Commander Royal Engineers is a Major.

Although the Squadron itself cannot claim such ancestry as being the first Sapper contingent on island, its history is both varied and interesting.  First raised in 1914 as 62 Field Company it initially served in France until it was disbanded in 1919.  It then reformed as a wartime Chemical Warfare Company at Bulford in 1940, where the unit deployed to France and then India with 1 Chemical Warfare Group. 

In September of 1944 there was an amalgamation with 58 Field Company to form 58 Mechanical Equipment Company, but some two months later the entire organisation was disbanded.  Four years later in April 1948 the Squadron was reformed in 35 Army Engineer Regiment based at Crowborough, and finally renamed 562 Engineer Squadron.  In various guises it saw service in Burma, India, Egypt and BAOR before it finally formed as Cyprus Park Sqn based in Dhekelia in 1966.  The squadron was re-designated to 62 (Near East) Support Squadron in 1967 and to its present title, 62 Cyprus Support  Squadron, on 1 April 1976, when the Commander Royal Engineers (CRE) was disestablished.

Roles.  The period covered from the Squadron first appearing on island in 1966 through to its re-designation ten years later is probably the period of greatest change and challenge since Sappers first arrived in 1882.  They were exceptionally busy, mainly constructing OPs, sangars, VCPs, barricades and barbed wire fencing.

Within the ESBA in 1974 the squadron was involved in building the Greek Cypriot refugee camp that was situated on the Dhekelia to Larnaca road, which was home to approximately 24 000 refugees.  In 1974 the Sapper contingent consisted of a CRE, two Survey sections and Map Depot; a Postal Unit with its Forces Post Office detachments and 62 (Near East) Support Squadron RE.  There was also a contingent of staff who held various appointments at both the Dhekelia Distillation Plant and the Power station.  Fortunately they were reinforced by troops from 8 Field squadron, 24 Field Squadron, 59 Independent Commando Squadron and 60 Field Squadron.

The Royal Engineers have had a long and successful association with Cyprus and there are a number of permanent and less permanent marks that have been made on the island during their stay, including the swimming pool which was built in the 1970s.  The manning and organisation of the Sapper contingent on island may have altered over the years, but the Squadron, as it stands now, mirrors on a micro-scale most of the activities of the Corps world-wide.  The Squadron has field, field support, field park and plant squadron capabilities and it therefore provides a full contribution to the military role on the island.  Individuals are in constant demand for their artisan trade skills, combat engineering capabilities and specialist qualifications that complete the range and spirit of the term ‘military engineer’.  

62 Sqn also plays a full role with regard to Security issues, providing Search teams, Dive and Plant teams on reduced notice to move in support of operations.  the Sqn also has an "over the horizon" comitment to Op Telic.

During the winter months the Sqn supplies a snow and ice Clearance team in support of the retained sites up Troodos Mountains. 

62 Cyprus Support  Squadron Royal Engineers