Medals awarded to Cyprus peacekeepers 11.02.13
15Hundreds of soldiers in Cyprus have been awarded UN operational medals for their deployment as a peace-keeping force on the island.
Members of 101 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers have been overseeing the buffer zone around the capital Nicosia since September, working with Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot forces.
They joined troops from Hungary, Slovakia and Argentina for a ceremony within the UN Protected Area.
The soldiers from around the world marched in together - the British side by side with those from Argentina and personnel from Hungary and Slovakia all sharing the same peacekeeping mission.
The UN has been working in Cyprus for nearly 50 years, maintaining order between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot forces. While 101 Bn Reme is made up of Regulars from Germany and territorials from the UK, there are personnel from 21 different units making up the British force. These include platoons from the 3rd Battalion the Royal Welsh, 1 SCOTS, 1 LANCS and the Scottish Transport Regiment.
British troops will be returning home over the next couple of months - taking with them their medal and their memories from this unique mission.