True Blue December 2023 by Countrywide Austral

December 2023

True Blue OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE UNITED NATIONS & OVERSEAS POLICING ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Edition 48 ISSN: 2203-8507

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True Blue

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The United Nations & Overseas Policing Association of Australia, (UNOPAA) is an Australian incorporated, non-profit organisation, whose members are both serving or retired Police Officers from Police Forces throughout Australia, who have served or are serving with United Nation Peacekeeping Forces or AFP International Policing Operations throughout the world! TRUE BLUE is provided to its members throughout Australia and worldwide to where Australian Police are serving. Our magazine contains welfare, legislative and social information relevant to the well-being and camaraderie of UNOPAA members who have, or are serving in Australia’s National Interest. Aims of the UNOPAA: 1. To maintain and foster the memory of UNOPAA members killed whilst serving with United Nations Forces or Overseas Policing operations. 2. To provide welfare, legal and financial support where and when appropriate to members. 3. To promote social occasions such as Reunions, etc., including United Nations and Anzac Day Marches. 4. To pursue and lobby industrial, legal and political avenues, when necessary in order to improve the welfare and industrial benefits to our members. We acknowledge the assistance of Countrywide Austral Pty Ltd, who, in conjunction with the UNOPAA, have made the publication and distribution of ‘TRUE BLUE’ magazine possible! Your financial contribution to the publication of our magazine is greatly appreciated.

Views and opinions expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the United Nations & Overseas Policing Association of Australia, the editor, the publisher or printer. “True Blue” is published by Countrywide Austral Pty Ltd, Melbourne from funds supplied by advertisers in this magazine. Please support our advertisers and their products.

Rod Walker True Blue Editor Email: enidandrod@tpg.com.au Mobile: 0411 953 966

UNOPAA Contacts National President Mr Mick Travers APM Mobile: 0418 297 086 Email: mt2976@gmail.com National Vice President Mr Rod Walker Tel: 0411 953 966 Email: enidandrod@tpg.com.au National Secretary/Treasurer Mr Peter McDonald APM 28A Dinah Parade, Keilor East Vic 3033 Mobile: 0418 131 352 Email: vp14970@gmail.com Australian Capital Territory State President: Dale Cooper RFD PO Box 7099 Karabar NSW 2620 Mobile: 0418 266 033 Email: unopaa@gmail.com New South Wales Acting Branch President: Dale Cooper Victoria/Tasmania State President: Paul van Gemert Mobile: 0431 963 016 Email: paul.vangemert@police.vic.gov.au

Queensland State President: John Walker APM Unit 230, 96 Village Way, Little Mountain QLD 4551 Mobile 0474 157 982 Email: whiskeywalker41@gmail.com South Australia State President: Garry Casey 40 Yarrabee Road, Greenhill SA 5140 Tel: 08 8390 3568 Mobile: 0427 188 449 Email: garryecasey@yahoo.com.au Western Australia State President: Darcy Boylan 21 Templemore Drive Heathridge WA 6027 Tel: 08 9402 0030 Mobile: 0408 120 299 Email: gdboylan@bigpond.com Northern Territory President: Allan Mitchell 5 Eureka Court Anula NT 0812 Tel: 08 8927 2676 Mobile: 0417 804 546 Email: almitch@bigpond.com.au

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True Blue December 2023

Contents 5

From the Editor’s desk

A Significant Day

Australian Peacekeeper Day

National Police Remembrance Day

20 Tense calm in divided Cyprus after UN says peacekeepers attacked

Reunion Update

Cyprus: Then ….. and Now

Vale

Membership Renewal or Application

Merchandise

11 Outcomes of the 2023 UNOPAA Annual General Meeting 15 Police Insignia Collectors Association of Australia (PICAA)

16 From Boy Scout to Battlefield and Beyond 19

Touchdown!

True Blue December 2023

Do we have your Email Address? UNOPAA maintains a membership database and communicates with its members from time to time by email. If you haven’t been receiving these communications, it may be that we don’t have your email address, or it is out of date. If uncertain, or it appears we don’t have it, please send your email address to the Secretary, Peter McDonald, at vp14970@gmail.com

PHYSICAL FITNESS

PURPOSEFUL VOLUNTEERING

SOCIAL EVENTS

VIRTUAL EVENTS

We are a community where you can get fit, be inspired, learn, connect and help others in the community. We do this because we are proud veterans and first responders. It’s living life with the same Aussie spirit that made us want to join the military or emergency services in the first place.

https://www.facebook.com/buddyupaustralia

True Blue December 2023

From the Editor’s desk Welcome to the final edition of ‘True Blue’ for 2023. As usual the UNOPAA Executive have been very busy attending to business on behalf of our members. In October we held our AGM and the previous National Executive was voted back in. Among many other things, we have been continually lobbying government to ensure that Police Peacekeeping veterans are included in the new MRCA and we have continued to liaise with the Australian War Memorial in relation to the new Peacekeeping gallery which is anticipated to be open in 2024. On Monday 13th November I was honoured to attend the Administration building of the Australian War Memorial for the presentation of 1st Constable Ian Ward’s Dag Hammarskjold Medal to the War Memorial’s Assistant Director of the National Collection. Ian’s medal is now part of the National Collection and we are hoping that it will be on display when the new Peacekeeping Gallery opens (see article in this issue). At this year’s National Police Remembrance Day ceremony another three ‘touch stones’ were added to the Police Wall of Remembrance at the National Police Memorial in Canberra. These three young constables (two from Queensland Police and one from West Australia Police) were senselessly killed while undertaking their day-to-day duties. Allan Mitchell and his team have been very busy organising our Reunion and conference in Darwin next May. For those that haven’t registered yet and

are wishing to attend, please see Allan’s update in this issue and contact him for registration forms etc. Judging from Allan’s update the program is great and if it’s anything like the last reunions Allan has organised – we should be in for a fantastic time. One of our members - Ray Carlin, has turned his hand to writing and his book ‘From Boy Scout to Battlefield and Beyond’ will shortly be in print. Looks like it could be a good read – so if you see it on the shelves in your local bookstore, pick up a copy. Included in this issue is an overview of Ray’s book and his life. Our Victoria/Tasmania State President, Gavan Ryan has stood down due to health reasons. Senior Sergeant Paul van Gemert has been elected in his stead. Paul’s contact details have been included on the Branch President’s list at the front of this issue. Our Queensland President, John ‘Whiskey’ Walker has been quite ill of late and we send our best wishes and prayers to Whiskey and Julie. As I write this our National President (Mick Travers) and our ACT Branch President (Dale Cooper) are both recovering from reconstruction surgery. I hope all goes well for them. Well – that’s another year done. Enid and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Prosperous New Year. Enjoy the festive season.

True Blue December 2023

A Significant Day November 12th marked the 49th anniversary since Constable 1st Class Ian Ward – formerly of the NSW Police Force Traffic Branch - was killed whilst on secondment to the United Nations performing peace keeping duties in Cyprus (UNFICYP). Constable Ward was a passenger in a Land Rover that was conveying a man and his two daughters through a cease fire zone when the vehicle struck a landmine. The explosion killed Constable Ward and the father of the girls instantly. The two girls and the driver – also a NSW Police Force officer attached to UNFICYP – later recovered from their injuries. Following Constable Ward’s death, he was posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal which is issued to all UN personnel killed in the line of duty. The medal is named after the second Secretary‑General of the UN who in 1961 was killed in a plane crash.

1st Class Constable Ian Ward.

Major General (retd) Brian Dawson (Assistant Director National Collection AWM) accepting the Dag Hammarskjold Medal into the National Collection from Superintendent Bradbury

Since 2010 1st Class Constable Ward’s Dag Hammarskjold Medal had been on display at the NSW Police Academy.

UNOPAA National Vice President Rod Walker, Superintendent Bradbury, Sergeant Hyde & L/S/Const Bold.

NSW Police Superintendent L. Bradbury, NSW Police Protocol Sergeant R. Hyde and NSW Police Leading Senior Constable A. Bold (NSWP Media) transported the Medal from NSW Police Academy (Goulburn) to the Australian War Memorial.

Superintendent Bradbury, Ms Melissa Cadden (Senior Curator and Concept Developer Peacekeeping AWM), Major General (retd) Brian Dawson (Assistant Director National Collection AWM), Sergeant Hyde and Mr David Sutton (Senior Historian and Concept Developer, Peacekeeping AWM).

Since 2010, Constable Ward’s medal has been on display at the NSW Police Force Academy. On Monday 13 November 2023, in a moving ceremony in Canberra, the medal was transferred to the Australian War Memorial by NSW Police personnel on behalf of Ian Ward’s family. The medal was accepted into the National Collection by Major General (retd) Brian Dawson (Assistant Director National Collection AWM). It will be placed on permanent display at an exhibit dedicated to those men and women who have served on Peace Keeping missions. This exhibit is scheduled to open in 2024. Constable Ward was one of three Australian officers killed in separate incidents whilst performing peace keeping duties in Cyprus with UNFICYP.

True Blue December 2023

AUSTRALIAN PEACEKEEPER DAY THURSDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2023

76th Anniversary of Australia’s Involvement in Peacekeeping The Australian Peacekeepers and Peacemakers Association of Australia (APPVA) hosted the 2023 commemorative service for the 76th anniversary of Australia’s Involvement in peacekeeping at the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial on ANZAC Parade, Canberra. This years’ service was well attended with the ‘Address’ being provided by Ms Alison Frame, Secretary, Department for Veterans’ Affairs. The Peacekeepers’ Requiem was delivered by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director of the Australian War Memorial.

Mr Matt Anderson PSM, delivered the Peacekeepers’ Requiem.

Ms Alison Frame, Secretary, Department for Veterans’ Affairs delivered the ‘Address’.

True Blue December 2023

NATIONAL POLICE REMEMBRANCE DAY

29 SEPTEMBER 2023

It was another solemn day as hundreds attended the National Police Remembrance Day Service at the National Police Memorial in Canberra.

National Police Memorial of the eve of National Police Remembrance Day.

Regretfully another three ‘touch stones’ were added to the Wall of Remembrance recognising the supreme sacrifice made by three Australian Police Officers in the line of duty. Last year, for the first time, the images of the fallen Australian Police Officers in 2022 were projected onto

the National Carillon. This year, that concept has continued with the projection of the images of Constable Rachel McCrow, Constable Matthew Arnold, both of the Queensland Police, and Constable Anthony Woods from West Australia Police.

All three needlessly lost their lives in the execution of their duty. It was another solemn day as hundreds attended the National Police Remembrance Day Service at the National Police Memorial in Canberra.

True Blue December 2023

Overview

Constable Rachel McCrow (QPol).

On the afternoon of Monday 12 December 2022, Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold from Tara Police Station and Constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough from Chinchilla Police Station, responded to a request for police assistance relating to a missing person investigation. The officers were tasked to attend an isolated rural address at Wains Road, Wieambilla. This area consists of remote large acreage properties of heavy scrub and bushland with limited public services and limited visibility of residences from the road. Upon arrival at the address, the Constables parked their police vehicles outside the boundary fence and jumped a locked gate across the unsealed driveway. The Constables walked together in the direction of the residence, which was situated several hundred

metres along the driveway and not visible from the front gate. As the Constables walked towards the residence, they came under fire by offenders armed with high-powered rifles who had concealed themselves at the side of the driveway, Constable Arnold was fatally shot. Constable McCrow was also shot at this time and commenced treating her own wounds whilst using her body worn camera to record her observations at the scene. She defended herself by firing her service Glock in the direction of the offenders and was then fatally shot. Constables Kirk and Brough were able to escape the initial gunfire and call for back-up. Constable Kirk shot at the offenders and withdrew from the property under heavy gunfire. Constable Brough was able to take cover in bushland until her extraction from the property. Source: Qld Police

Constable Matthew Arnold (QPol).

Overview Constable Anthony Woods, 28, died in hospital four days after he was allegedly dragged under a car in Ascot in east Perth during an arrest. Constable Woods and his partners were following a vehicle with allegedly stolen plates.

Constable Anthony Woods (WAPol).

His partner then had a desperate few minutes to not only put three suspects into custody inside that vehicle but also try to save the life of his partner. Other officers arrived soon after and rushed to assist.

The vehicle came to a stop on Ascot Place before police approached the vehicle and the three people inside.

Police used a nearby resident’s carjack to lift the car off Constable Woods before performing CPR.

It is alleged the car suddenly reversed while police were dealing with the driver.

Constable Woods was resuscitated before being rushed to hospital soon after in a critical condition.

Constable Woods was subsequently pinned by that vehicle.

Source: News.com.au

True Blue December 2023

Reunion Update With a little over six months to go, and good numbers around 100 now registered we have moved the focus to support, sponsorship and donations. The amount of fund raising we can secure will have a direct affect to the registration fee we will have to pay. I’m encouraged by the donations from some of the State branches and we’re hoping that the other states will come on board. An application has also been submitted to DVA, through their “Supporting Their Service” grant. 2024 will be the 60th Anniversary of the first Australian Police Contingent to Cyprus, as well as the 25th Anniversary of our first members to East Timor. We will honoured to have members from both those events coming to Darwin. It can’t be too easy to travel at 85, but they are. The organisers are very aware of the cost of travel to Darwin from interstate and the general higher costs in Darwin and are looking at keeping the costs as low as possible, whilst still delivering a fantastic 5 days. The registration fees will cover most activities including the Welcome Function, day trip to the Adelaide River War cemetery, Mindil Markets, Cypriot evening and gala dinner. More free time has been added this time, recognising the age of many of our participants and the opportunity to see some of Darwin’s other site, e.g. a sunset harbour cruise, the WW2 Oil Storage Tunnels, the RFDS display on the wharf and more. The excellent Top End Holiday Guide has been posted out to all who have registered, to give you some ideas. Tourism Top End,

is the official information office in Darwin can be contacted at Tourism Top End: https://www.tourismtopend.com.au/ What is especially exciting is that we have two members and the wife of a passed member, from the 1st Contingent to Cyprus in 1964. The 40 members

from every State and Territory force, set foot on Nicosia airport on 26 May 1964, exactly 50 years ago. They’re all in their 80s and looking forward to Darwin.

Allan Mitchell 0417 804 546 darwinreunion2024@gmail.com

True Blue December 2023

Outcomes of the 2023 UNOPAA Annual General Meeting The 2023 Annual General Meeting of UNOPAA was held on 20 October 2023, in the Boardroom, Police Federation of Australia, Griffith ACT. Members attended in-person and by Zoom dial-up. The following is a summary of the matters discussed:

President’s Report Mick Travers provided an overview of UNOPAA’s activities since the last AGM. He spoke of the success of the Norfolk Island Reunion in October 2022, and planning towards the Darwin Reunion scheduled for May 2024. UNOPAA was continuing to make representations on behalf of its members, including a presentation in September to the Ex-Service Organisations Round Table (ESORT) convened by DVA. Rod Walker had also attended an RSL National ESO Forum in Sydney in May. Progress has been slow, as it is difficult to gain interest in our issues at government level, however it is important we not give up. He thanked the National Executive for their work, and also members of the National Committee, in particular Dale Cooper for his efforts to re-invigorate our NSW Branch, and Allan Mitchell and his committee for their work to date on the Darwin Reunion. Particular thanks should also go to one of our WA members who made a successful approach to government and gained approval for recipients of the Jordan International Police Training Centre (JIPTC) Medal to wear it on the left breast. UNFICYP is proposing to hold a ceremony in Cyprus in March 2024 to recognise the 60th Anniversary

of the United Nations Force in Cyprus. UNOPAA has been in discussions with the Australian High Commissioner in Cyprus and was proposing to meet with her in Canberra when she was here this month, however she has been recalled due to the Israeli Conflict so the meeting has been deferred. A number of our Cyprus veterans have expressed interest in attending the ceremony, but we are still unsure of what’s planned.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES

Organisationally, our Rewards & Recognition Committee has not met for some time, and is now regarded as defunct. The National Executive is also looking at ways to go back to the production of at least some hard copies of True Blue.

• Finance

Peter McDonald advised that there were no outstanding action items from the last AGM. Life memberships had been awarded to Mick Travers and Shaun Young, and certificates had now been presented. And the date and place of our next UNOPAA Reunion and Conference had now been settled.

Secretary’s Report During the 2022-23 financial year, UNOPAA had income of $6,858 (mainly membership fees and revenue from the production of True Blue) and expenditure of $17,912. A loss of $11,054.

The National Executive members were returned unopposed, that is:

This was due principally to one off expenditure of $5,095 for the Norfolk Island Reunion, an advance of $5,000 for the 2024 Darwin Reunion, plus $5,006 for travel, including a contribution to the cost of attendance at the 75th Anniversary of Australian Peacekeeping Commemoration in Canberra in September 2022, and travel and accommodation for the President and Secretary relating to the unveiling of the Tasmania Police Overseas Honour Board in April 2023.

• President – Mick Travers • Vice President – Rod Walker • Secretary/Treasurer – Peter McDonald

At the end of the financial year, we had total assets of $33,837 (cash in bank, a term deposit, and a small amount of merchandise).

In keeping with usual practice, the UNOPAA National Committee will comprise the National Executive and each of our State/Territory Presidents.

A summary of UNOPAA’s financial report will be submitted to the NSW Office of Fair Trading in accordance with our statutory obligations as an incorporated association.

Mick also paid tribute to the members who had passed away during the past 12 months. Every loss is hard felt, but some had played significant roles, and all will be missed.

ELECTION OF OFFICER BEARERS

True Blue December 2023

• Welfare Sadly a further 15 members are known to have passed away during the year. Of the 483 police who served in Cyprus with the first 12 contingents, 289 (or 59.83%) are now known to be deceased. 33 are “whereabouts unknown”. The health of our older members is a matter of concern. Many are undertaking treatment and are not in good health. Our best wishes to all of them, and many thanks to their wives and families for the support they are providing. • Organisation & Membership Following the resignation of Dale Cooper as a National Vice President, UNOPAA’s National Executive in 2022-23 comprised our President (Mick Travers), National Vice President (Rod Walker) and National Secretary/ Treasurer (Peter McDonald). They were supported by our National Committee, that is, the Presidents of our State & Territory Branches. Dale Cooper, our ACT Branch President, has also assumed responsibility for our NSW Branch. During the year, Gavan Ryan stood down as our Vic/Tas State President, and has been succeeded by Paul van Gemert.

to simplify and harmonise the framework for veterans’ compensation, rehabilitation and other entitlements. This follows a similar recommendation made by the Productivity Commission in its report A Better Way to Support Veterans. The government accepted the Royal Commission recommendation and has since progressed it through a “Veterans’ Legislation Reform Consultation Pathway” announced by the Minister for Veteran’s Affairs in February 2023. The proposed pathway envisages a move to a single Act governing veterans’ rehabilitation and compensation, through an updated Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (MRCA). Both the VEA and the DRCA would be closed off to new applicants and new claims. Following his announcement, we wrote to the Minister expressing our concern that police peacekeepers who have not yet made a claim might be disadvantaged by this approach, as they do not currently fall within the ambit of the MRCA.

• Government Reform of Veterans Legislation

On 14 March 2023, we received a response to say that the Minister’s Office and DVA were aware of the issue and are working to resolve it during the consultation phase. And further, that “Under the proposed pathway, it is intended that police officers with existing VEA coverage will retain eligibility and be able to submit claims under the MRCA. It is proposed that police officers will have access to the range of benefits available under an improved MRCA.“

The Interim Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide recommended that the Australian Government develop and implement legislation

This approach is surprising, as previous reviews have recommended that police peacekeepers not be included in the MRCA.

We currently have over 700 persons on our membership database, however only 239 were fully paid up or life members at the end of 2022-23. This is lower than the previous year, but hopefully will improve in 2023-24.

Issues Progressed

• Relationship with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs UNOPAA has benefited from “Saluting Their Service” Commemorative Grants from DVA but has otherwise had difficulty gaining traction on the issues we have raised. This was highlighted in correspondence we received from the previous Secretary of DVA in which it was stated that UNOPAA was not considered to be an ExService Organisation (ESO) as its membership does not “consist primarily of veterans, past and present members of the ADF and/or their dependants” – despite our inclusion in the VEA. When we asked how we could engage with them on their research priorities under DVA’s Strategic Research Framework, we were advised that DVA’s research program is developed by its business areas, and there are “no processes for seeking external input”. And we have found that access to their “Grant-in-Aid” funding (used to fund the activities of ESOs) has been gradually closed off, so it is now only available to ADF focused organisations, and only at the invitation of DVA. A closed shop, mainly benefitting ESORT. On the plus side, we were invited to make a presentation to ESORT, which we did on 18 September 2023. Our presentation set out the matters of concern we believe should be addressed by DVA. These are principally: • Anomalies and omissions in our coverage under the Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986 (VEA) • Recognition by DVA of our status as an Ex-Service Organisation (ESO) • Our desire for membership of ESORT

True Blue December 2023

• Our entitlements as “members of peacekeeping forces” in comparison to military personnel • Our access to funding and other support from DVA. A copy of our presentation has been published on our website (www.unopaa.org). • Victorian Veterans Card During the State Election Campaign last November, the Victorian Labor Party announced the introduction of a Victorian Veterans Card, entitling veterans in Victoria to discounts on car registration, free trailer and caravan registrations, free fishing and boating licences, etc. We wrote to the Labor Party and received a response that eligibility for the card “will be determined in consultation with veterans’ associations, including UNOPAA”. On the re-election of the Labor Government, a new Minister for Veterans Affairs was appointed. She, coincidentally, is of Turkish Cypriot origin. We wrote to her on two occasions, but did not receive a response, nor were we consulted. That is, until 5 May 2023, when we received a letter stating that the Veterans Card would be introduced in July but only be available for ADF service. We have since made further contact with the Minister’s Office and pointed out that, under the Victorian Veterans Act 2055, a “veteran” is defined as a person who performed service or duty and who now resides in Victoria “but does not include current members of the Australian Defence Force rendering continuous full time service”. Despite this, eligibility for the new card has been extended to all serving members of the ADF in Victoria. If them, then why not all of the categories of persons regarded as veterans

at federal level? That is, police peacekeepers, nurses and medical staff who worked in Vietnam, members of other Commonwealth armed services, or the merchant marine. Or is it another example of an ADF only approach? • Overseas Service Honour Boards Following the successful unveiling of the Tasmania Police Overseas Honour Board in April, other jurisdictions are showing interest in doing something similar in their own States/Territories. WA, for example, has received approval from the Commissioner of Police and is proposing to apply for funding. NSW has also discussed extending their honour board at the Police Academy in Goulburn, so it includes all missions involving NSW Police. We would like to have honour boards in all of the States and Territories, but it will take time. • RSL National ESO Forums The RSL has convened three national ESO forums to discuss common problems and issues across the veteran community. This has morphed into a proposal to establish an ESO Peak Body, staffed by paid employees and with an unknown source of funding. Their definition of an ESO is, again, ADF focused. UNOPAA (Rod Walker) attended the second forum in Sydney, but is not participating further. Our view on its value is similar to the APPVA.

Other Issues • Darwin Reunion This has also been mentioned elsewhere in this summary. Further information can be obtained from Allan Mitchell at darwinreunion2024@gmail.com Updates on the reunion are also being regularly published and can be found on Facebook page “UNOPAA DARWIN REUNION 2024”.

• AFP Publication on Peacekeeping The AFP is proposing to publish a book and series of podcasts about Australian police overseas service, to coincide with the (just passed) 20th Anniversary of deployments to the Solomon Islands, the 25th Anniversary of the first deployment to East Timor in 2024, and the 60th anniversary of the first contingent to Cyprus (also in 2024). Superintendent Jason Byrne in managing the project. He was previously the Editor of the Australian Police Journal. • UNFICYP 60th Anniversary Commemorations This is also mentioned in the President’s Report. The Australian High Commissioner expects that UNOPAA and the AFP will receive invitations to attend. The current UN mandate for UNFICYP expires on 31 January 2024, so arrangements are dependent on its renewal. • Watching Briefs We are also keeping an active eye on: • The expansion of the Australian War Memorial • to ensure Australia’s involvement in police peacekeeping is appropriately recognised • The development of the new National Museum of Australian Policing • for a similar reason

Activities of the State & Territory Branches Allan Mitchell (NT) provided an update on planning for the Darwin Reunion. Over 100 had expressed interest at this stage, which was very encouraging. He has been issuing a monthly newsletter, and is intending to send out a registration form shortly. A fee

True Blue December 2023

for attendance is yet to be set, and may not be finalized until his attempts to gain some external funding were complete. Dale Cooper (ACT/NSW) spoke of his work to date with the NSW Branch. This had had very limited success. John (Whiskey) Walker (Qld) was an apology for the meeting. He is not in good health, and the AGM expressed its best wishes.

Other Business • The National Executive advised that it was looking at options (and volunteers) for our 2026 Reunion (that is, following Darwin)

• Mick Travers also advised that the Ward family had agreed to a proposal that the Dag Hammarskjold Medal (posthumously awarded to Sergeant Ian Ward when he was killed in Cyprus in 1974) be relocated from the NSW Police Academy to the Australian War Memorial. This is to occur on 13 November 2023. Discussions were also taking place on moving the Land Rover he was in from Cyprus to the AWM, but had not yet been agreed by UNFICYP. • No other general business was discussed, pending a Special General Meeting to be held in conjunction with the Darwin Reunion in May 2024.

It has been usual to conduct an AGM during our reunions, however the timing of the Darwin Reunion falls outside the required statutory period (i.e., within 6 months of the end of the financial year). Hence the need for the two meetings.

P McD Peter McDonald National Secretary/Treasurer United Nations & Overseas Policing Association of Australia (UNOPAA) 28A Dinah Parade, East Keilor 3033 Victoria Phone: (mobile) 0418 131 352 E-Mail: vp14970@gmail.com

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True Blue December 2023

POLICE INSIGNIA COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (PICAA) The Police Insignia Collectors Association of Australia (PICAA) is dedicated to the collection, documentation and preservation of items of memorabilia from Police, Fire, Ambulance, Emergency Services, Corrections, Military, Security and Federal departments and agencies throughout Australia. PICAA membership is open to all persons who are interested in or are involved in the collecting, exchanging or preservation of law enforcement, police and / or emergency services insignia, subject to assessment. PICAA aims to promote the hobby of law enforcement and emergency services insignia collecting in Australasia by; • encouraging the research, collation & collecting of historical facts & insignia; • collecting and disseminating information of interest to members; • liaising with other interested bodies who may be of assistance to the members of the association; • promoting and maintaining contact with police, law enforcement and emergency services insignia collectors throughout the world, and; • encouraging the display of collections by members. PICAA produces a quarterly magazine, which is provided via email or direct download from the PICAA site at www.picaa.org.au. Are you a collector, have a passion for preserving uniform and insignia history, are seeking information on collecting, or are looking to start in the hobby?

Download a Membership Application at:

Contact and Member Applications

https://www.picaa.org.au/ dues/

www.picaa.org.au - ‘Contact Us’

Enquiries can also be sent to:

Michael Austin - PICAA Secretary

PICAA Secretary General PO Box 1070 Gymea, NSW 2227 Australia

Rob Brown - PICAA President

True Blue December 2023

From Boy Scout to Battlefield and Beyond “The story of a Balmain Boy who chose to lead an adventurous life” FROM

FROM

BOY SCOUT BATTLEFIELD TO

This is the story of an intelligent Balmain boy who finished High School in 1958 with low marks which prevented him getting the trade job he wanted. In 1959, at age 15 years he was employed by a Sydney Paper Merchant and Printing Supply Company for eight years.

AND BEYOND

As a Boy Scout he achieved the Queen Scout Award before enlisting into the Citizens Military Forces at age 17, where he later qualified as a Sergeant. He resigned from his employer to follow his childhood dream to be a soldier, serving in both 102 Field Battery and 104 Field Battery in the Republic of South Vietnam in 1968-1969. On leaving the Army in 1974 he enlisted as a Constable in the Commonwealth Police (later becoming a Federal Agent of the Australian Federal Police) where he qualified as a Detective and was promoted to Sergeant. Seconded from the AFP he served three tours as a United Nations Civilian Police officer in Cyprus in 1986, 1992 -1993 and as an International Police Monitor in Haiti in 1994–1995.

He also took up an offer to serve in East Timor in 2000 as a UN Civilian Police Officer.

ISBN 978-098736799-0

9 780987 367990

AND BEYOND

RAY CARLIN

On retiring from the Australian Federal Police in 1998 he started a business as a Private Investigator and worked with a number of organisations until retiring in 2002 on medical grounds with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The story of a Balmain boy who chose to lead an adventurous life.

RAY CARLIN

The author and his mate Richard (Dick Gray) served together in the C.M.F., the Australian Regular Army and in the Commonwealth and Australian Federal Police Force. In this photo Dick is shown on the extreme right taking part in a Fire Mission as a member of 104 Field Battery RAA.

True Blue December 2023

Preface This book is the story of a Balmain boy who did really well in Primary School but, did not do so well at High School, and as a result not being able to obtain an apprenticeship. Following seven years employment with a Sydney Paper merchant and printers Supply Company, during which time the author enlisted into the Army Reserve (CMF) where he became a detachment commander (Gun Sergeant) in an artillery unit. Whilst employed at BJ Ball Limited Ray met his first true love, Fay Harris, and dated for three years before splitting up in 1962. In 1967 Ray married his first wife Pam and they had two children, both boys, Steven and David. The marriage only lasted nine years and they were divorced in 1977 After seven years he enlisted into the Australian Regular Army to serve in South Vietnam. During his regular army service he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and received higher duties to the rank of Staff Sergeant. During his army service he learnt skills that helped him throughout his service and beyond. Skills such as self-discipline, self-motivation, initiative, personnel management, methods of instructional technique, leadership, report writing, improvisation, the ability to work as part of a team, or, to work alone unsupervised, safe driving. communication skills, forward planning, and work prioritisation, all skills that help a person perform better at anything they do. On taking his discharge from the army the author became a member of the Commonwealth Police Force, where character, honesty, determination and reliability were necessary attributes as a police officer. He later became a Federal Agent (with the rank of Detective

Sergeant) of the Australian Federal Police, where all of the above attributes were applicable in the police service. He served in Airport Security, Major Crime, Close Personal Protection, with service in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1986 and again in 1992 – 1993 as a United Nations Civilian Police officer, a six months posting to the International Police Monitor Force in Haiti 1994 – 1995, and following his retirement from the AFP in 1998 was offered a seven months contract in 2000 to serve with the UN Civilian Police in East Timor. After retiring the author obtained a private Enquiry Agent’s Licence and started his own business investigating insurance fraud and Bank Card fraud before obtaining employment with the Health Insurance Commission. In 2002 he retired with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Ray’s story is a story of service to the Australian community, it is a story of determination and dedication to ideals instilled into him by his parents and the Boy Scouts, whose Scout promise and Scout Laws inspired him throughout his life. He hopes that young readers, particularly teenagers and school leavers who read this story would be influenced by these examples throughout their lives. The author admits that he has never been devoutly religious however, he does have a deep respect for those who are and he has always tried to live his life by Christian principles and values. As a Boy Scout, the Scout Law and Scout Promise I upheld the principles of both scouts and nonscouts, they portrayed the ethical rules which reflected community values at the time, and still do. The founder of the Boy Scout movement, Lord Baden Powell, had identified the Principles of Scouting as duty to God, duty

to others and duty to self as a framework to encourage service to, and the care of, others and themselves throughout their lives. That is why he chose to use various parts of the Scout Law at the start of each Chapter, hoping that young readers who don’t achieve academically can see that there are worthy alternatives which can lead to constructive lives. His advice to school leavers is that you can do anything you set your mind too, if, you put enough effort into it to make it happen, people are only limited by their own imagination, or lack of it.

About the Author Ray Carlin was born during the Second World War, a war baby, the second child of Scottish emigrants who came to Australia in their teens. His sister Irene (Catherine) was born ten years before him. He thinks that he was lucky to have been born before the pharmaceutical development of ‘The Pill’. He grew up in working class Balmain and attended Balmain Demonstration School at Gladstone Park (referred to then as Pigeon Ground). He considers honesty, loyalty and friendship as three of the most important things in life. Ray excelled at Primary School and as a result of an IQ Test he was deemed suitable to undertake a Medical Course at University. Ray attended Drummoyne Boys High School from 1956 to 1958, where he subsequently lost interest in school due to a desire to serve in the Army. However, he attained the Intermediate Certificate despite low marks, and in early 1959 he commenced employment at a Sydney printers supply company and paper merchant as a stock records clerk. As well as performing duties as a stock records clerk, he also gained experience as a warehouse storeman before coming a sales representative.

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Boy Scout Activity

Policing Career

Ray joined the 1st Balmain Scout Troop before he left school where he learnt navigation and map reading skills as well as bush survival skills. He quickly became a Patrol Leader, Cub Instructor, Troop Leader and Senior Scout Patrol Leader. He also attained scouting’s highest award, the Queens Scout Award. Skills he learnt in the boy scouts were helpful to him when he joined the army as well as when he served overseas with the UN police.

Four (4) months later Ray was accepted into the Commonwealth Police Force, which later became the Australian Federal Police Force. He first performed duties in Uniform where he was promoted to First Constable and served as a uniformed officer at Lucas Heights, St Mary’s Ammunition Factory and in the Warrant Squad, Family Law Squad, Airport Duties, Major Crime Squad, Drug Squad and as a Close Protection officer. Ray was designated Detective in 1979 and promoted to Sergeant in 1984. He also served twice in Cyprus with the UN Police, For a period of six months in 1986, and for twelve months during 1992 – 1993 and again for six months in Haiti as a member of the International Police Monitor Force in 1994.

Army Career When he turned seventeen, his mother finally relented and let him join the Citizens Military Forces and he enlisted into 9 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Unit at Haberfield Depot. By age 19 he had been promoted to Lance Bombardier, and when the Regiment converted to 40 mm Bofors guns and became 9 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment he w as appointed a detachment commander. He was soon qualified and promoted to Bombardier in command of his gun detachment (a Sergeants posting) Following his promotion to Sergeant, and the start of Australia’s contribution to the Vietnam war effort, Ray volunteered for service in the Australian Regular Army (ARA) and was posted to 102 Field Battery in SVN. When the Battery returned to Australia, after its twelve months deployment he remained behind to serve with 104 Field Battery until it also returned to Australia at the end of its tour. Before leaving the army, he applied for a position as Constable in the Commonwealth Police Force. When he left the army, due to dwindling finances he obtained a position at the Department of Main Roads at Campbelltown as a labourer, and was promoted to Leading Hand a short time after, in charge of a gang of ten men.

He took early retirement in 1998 and after obtaining a Private Investigators License and setting up his own enquiry business, took a couple of jobs as an investigator. In 2000 he was offered a sevenmonth contract to go to East Timor as a Special Federal Agent at Sergeant’s rank with the UN Police. Consequently, he served there for six months and was discharged again after taking some leave at the end of the mission. In 2005 he met up with his first love Fay again and in 2008 when they realised the spark was still there, they married. Today Ray lives on the Central Coast where he has been involved with the Vietnam Veterans Peacekeepers and Peacemakers Association and has acted as a volunteer pensions officer. His second wife Fay is a member of that association and is also a member of Partners of Veterans and has done volunteer work with both organisations. She also runs a yoga class for veteran’s wives and other women, with all

profits going towards the Vietnam Veterans Ettalong Sub-branch and Partners of Veterans. Ray’s health has not been good for many years now, having undergone a quadruplebypass and he suffers from PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) amongst other medical problems, but he and his wife Fay both enjoy travelling around Australia in their caravan and taking trips overseas occasionally. He still maintains contact with police and army friends, goes fishing and is a member of a rifle club. He turned eighty in 2023.

Observations of a former colleague – Service above Self I have been given the privilege of a sneak preview on the soon to be published book “From Boy Scout to Battlefield and Beyond”, the life and experiences of Ray Carlin. Notorious underworld figure Lenny McPherson was born there. When one thinks of Balmain one can’t begin to wonder about the many colorful characters that were born in this iconic and trendy neighborhood. Australian Governor General Sir John Kerr, NSW Premier Neville Wran, who coined the phrase Balmain Boys don’t cry, and the notorious underworld figure of Lenny McPherson. Even Australia’s Mr Sin, Abraham (Abe) Saffron is reported to have owned a hotel In Balmain. All of them were great media fodder for the media, corruption, politics and notoriety made them all household names. Ray took a different path, clearly guided by strong family ethics it was inevitable that Ray would follow a pathway to serve his country and community, this shines through like a beacon in this interesting story of triumph over adversity.

True Blue December 2023

Touchdown! AFP members have arrived safe and sound in the Solomon Islands in support of the 2023 Pacific Games. Officers received a warm welcome and have begun their work supporting the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force with the security operation, operational planning and enhanced capabilities of the Pacific Games. With more than 5000 participants arriving from 24 Oceania countries and territories to compete in next week’s Games, the excitement is building! The AFP is proud to be working alongside not only the people of the Solomon Islands and RSIPF but also other partners from across the Pacific, including Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Zealand to ensure a safe and secure event.

60 Years of Australian Police Peacekeeping Events being held from Monday the 27-Friday 31 May 2024

To commemorate

60 years of Australian police peacekeeping, the United Nations and Overseas Policing Association Australia (UNOPAA) will be holding events in Darwin, Northern Territory from Monday 27–Friday 31 May 2024. Events will include: – a welcome function – march through Darwin CBD – memorial church service – reception at NT Parliament House – formal dinner.

For further information, please email: darwinreunion2024@gmail.com or ring Allan Mitchell on 0417 804 546.

True Blue December 2023

A United Nations vehicle in Pyla, a bi-communal village in the buffer zone that divides Cyprus.

Tense calm in divided Cyprus after UN says peacekeepers attacked A tense calm held Monday in Cyprus after the United Nations accused Turkish Cypriot forces of assaulting peacekeepers attempting to block road construction in the divided island's buffer zone. ISSUED ON: 21/08/2023 It was the most serious incident of its kind in years on the east Mediterranean island and drew widespread international condemnation. The confrontation occurred on Friday in Pyla, an ethnically mixed village in the UN-patrolled buffer zone between the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus in the south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot statelet in the north. The UN said four peacekeepers were injured and its vehicles were also damaged as they tried to block the "unauthorised construction work" near Pyla. "All is calm in Pyla this morning," Aleem Siddique, spokesman for

the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), told AFP. "The mission remains on standby to block any resumption of construction works," he said, adding that the injured peacekeepers have been released from hospital. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused the peacekeepers of instigating the violence, calling their "physical intervention... unacceptable". "It is neither legal nor humane to prevent Turkish Cypriots living in Pyla from accessing their homeland," Erdogan said in his first public remarks about the incident.

Cyprus government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters that meetings have been held internally and with permanent members of the UN Security Council since Thursday over the tensions. “At this time, very delicate and specific handling is required,” he said on Monday. The Council, after a closed-door session, condemned the assaults and said they could constitute crimes under international law. It said the road construction work “runs contrary to Security Council resolutions and constitutes a violation of the status quo in the UN Buffer Zone”.

True Blue December 2023

‘Status quo’ Authorities in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), who say the road project is aimed at easing the plight of its people, dismissed the UN mission’s allegations as “baseless”. Veysal Guden, the Turkish Cypriot mayor of Pyla, said construction on the road would continue Monday in Turkish Cypriot controlled areas, but workers would not enter the UN‑controlled zone. “A chance will be given to diplomacy. Talks will continue,” Guden told AFP. The European Union condemned the incident, and in a joint statement Britain, France and the United States expressed “serious concern at the launch of unauthorised construction” of the road.

Cyprus: UN peacekeepers attacked in Pyla.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said that “preventing tensions and ensuring the maintenance of the status quo across the buffer zone is the mission’s top priority”. The peacekeeping mission “is engaging with the Turkish Cypriot side and all concerned” to agree on a “mutually acceptable way forward”, Dujarric said. EU member Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish forces occupied the island’s northern third in response to a military coup sponsored by the junta then in power in Greece.

Flags of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Ankara, fly in Pyla village, home to both Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

Only Ankara recognises the statehood of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, proclaimed by Turkish Cypriot leaders in 1983. Efforts to reunify the island have been at a standstill since the last round of UN-backed talks collapsed in 2017.

Nicosia (AFP)

True Blue December 2023

Cyprus

Then ….. and Now AN ARTICLE BY BOB MCDONALD (10TH CYPRUS CONTINGENT) It's been fifty years (1973) since my secondment into the Australian Commonwealth Police Force as a member of the 10th United Nations Civilian Police blue beret peacekeeping contingent that served in Cyprus. In those days, we operated under the acronyms of UNCIVPOL (United Nations Civilian Police) and UNFICYP (United Nations Forces In Cyprus). The 10th contingent, which comprised thirty-eight officers from all states, bar Queensland and the two mainland territories, worked with the British Army forces in designated patrol areas of Limassol, Paphos and Polis. I well remember the Inniskilling Dragoon Guards (The Skins), the Coldstream Guards (The Creams) and the Marines. Polis, the most remote and classified as an outpost (OP), boasted a staff of five or, at times, six officers. Paphos had nine and sometimes ten members allocated as its approved staffing level. The rest were based at the Limassol Headquarters, except for a single officer stationed permanently at the Canadian Army base, which doubled as the UN headquarters. A couple of years ago, my wife and I holidayed in Cyprus for a week and used Limassol as our main domicile. After hiring a car, my first mission was to visit our UNCIVPOL mess quarters of Limassol, Paphos, and Polis. The Limassol mess had reverted back to the private hospital, for which it had served until occupied by the Australian UN contingent. Apart from a resident doctor's living

quarters added above the front entrance/TV room, it remained unchanged and as I remembered it. The city authorities had upgraded the narrow road to the mess and to the British Army camp of Polemidia to a busy multi-lane highway. The Paphos mess was undergoing a restructuring of the building and grounds by heavy machinery. I didn’t learn what was to become of it after the renovations. Sight-wise, the Polis mess had stayed the same, with no changes visible. With the street-side doors locked and no sign of life within, I could not establish if the premises housed a business, occupants or what. I took photos on this trip but lost them in cyberspace because of a misfortunate happening with my desktop computer. I have included, with this report, pictures from my 1973-4 albums of the three mentioned messes. I recall, with pleasure, my time while based in Limassol. The city was a mixed metropolis of Greek and Turkish residents and businesses. Except for a handful of tourists visiting occasionally, UN personnel, British forces, and support staff accounted for most foot and vehicular traffic that frequented the city limits.

On my recent visit, astounded might best describe my reaction to how Limassol had changed from what it was like during my time there in the 1970s. Of course, I did not expect time to stand still, but the Russian influence of Limassol was astounding. Russian shops selling furs and accessories abounded. I saw several notices in shop windows seeking staff. The signs advised that applicants “Must be able to speak Russian.” I shall touch on the Russian presence in Limassol further in this report. City planners have established many shopping malls in the CBD. The malls ran at right angles from various main streets and incorporated twenty or so shops/restaurants/ bars. Most business houses were vacant and showed signs of never being occupied. We found malls with only two or three businesses operating, and they had large signs at the mall entrances advertising extended happy hours and cutprice drinks, hoping to attract customers. Very sad to see. When I worked in Paphos, my colleagues and I could front up at the Pelican Restaurant for a cold king brown KEO beer and virtually have the place to ourselves. We’d sit under the awnings at the port’s water edge, sipping on our beer and eating salted peanuts, sold in their shells

True Blue December 2023

and wrapped in newspaper by elderly street vendors. Watching the world pass by with no hustle and bustle was so relaxing. Not anymore. On our visit (a Sunday), it was a madhouse. Paphos is the go-to place for British tourists holidaying on the island. We couldn’t get a seat in the old favourite, the Pelican Restaurant, or anywhere else, for that matter. Bars, cafes and restaurants have sprung up on the waterfront and catered for tourists by doing away with the traditional local fare. They had replaced many of their culinary delights with such dishes as egg and chips, burger and chips, sausages and chips, beans and chips, etc. During my 1970s time in Polis, we viewed that village as a sleepy hollow. Its transformation amazed me. Development was everywhere, and European tourists had taken a fancy to the region. Streams of bunting and banners advertised rows and rows of holiday lets. Village residents jam-packed the village square, and life was such that it jolted me into accepting how much the country had benefitted from fifty years of progress since my time there as a peacekeeper.

The Russian Influence In recent years, Russians have been flocking to Cyprus and buying their way into citizenship. It’s not that they have fallen in love with the climate. With Cyprus now a member of the European Union, wealthy businessmen who bought into the Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) and became Cypriot citizens had access to the whole EU market-----something not afforded to Russian citizens. The Al Jazeera TV news network’s Investigative Unit looked into the practice. It showed that almost half of the applications came from Russia, revealing how the country’s political and business elite, billionaires and criminals have been

Limassol Australian UNCIVPOL mess (1974).

Paphos Australian UNCIVPOL mess 1974. buying their place in the EU, granting them the ability to travel, work and bank in the whole of the EU. Without going into too much detail, money reportedly went into the wrong pockets to fast track the applications. The Cyprus Government, to stop the abuse, discontinued the scheme and replaced it with something more manageable (as detailed below). Cypriot authorities ended their Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) — a scheme that rewarded applicants with passports for a qualifying investment of €2,200,000 — on November 1, 2020. However, a new program has replaced the cancelled CIP system.

Polis Australian UNCIVPOL mess 1974 - with Turkish woman refugee awaiting escort. Those who want to invest in Cyprus can still qualify for permanent residency. The Cyprus Golden Visa is a permanent residency scheme that grants qualifying foreign investors and high-net-worth individuals the right to move to and live in the Republic. Successful applicants may gain their residence permits in as little as two months. An individual who invests €300,000 or more (plus VAT) into buying a new house or apartment from a property developer and can deposit €30,000 to a bank account in Cyprus can gain permanent residency. The new scheme has safety nets in place to prevent criminals and undesirables from skirting the rules by greasing corrupt palms

True Blue December 2023

with wads of the mighty Euro, as was the case in the CIP system. Most Russians try to settle in Limassol, sometimes dubbed ‘Moscow on the Med’ or ‘Limassolgrad.’ The city is where Russian speech can be heard everywhere due to the sheer size of the Russian community. A well‑oiled Russian network of anyone, from lawyers and realtors to nannies and manicure technicians, caters for Limassol’s needs. That being the case with Limassol, I could lay claim for Paphos to be dubbed ‘Paphos on the Thames.’ An estimated 50,000 people, mostly Russians, moved to Cyprus between October 2022 and February 2023. Also included were people from Ukraine dodging the war between the two nations. That number, I imagine, has gone towards balancing the need for more customers at shops, bars and restaurants in the Limassol CBD, as mentioned earlier in this report. In 2004, Cyprus became a full member of the European Union. Being a small, divided island nation, the European Union had represented an attractive solution for Greek Cypriots to act as a safety net against Turkey. On this recent holiday visit, I spent time with local Cypriot and UN police discussing the position of United Nations peacekeepers on the island. What I was able to learn, I found very interesting. As we know, initially, UNFICYP comprised military and civilian contingents drawn from Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. As of 2018, the mission has a strength of 1,009. The mandate for UNFICYP was last renewed on January 30, 2023, and extended until January 31, 2024. In 2000, the powers to be changed the acronym of UNCIVPOL to

UNPOL. At that time, there were only Aussies and Irish Garda civilian police peacekeepers in Cyprus, with the Australians being Federal Police officers. The two contingents operated separately, with the Irish working and based in the eastern sector of the island. In that same year (2000), the UN command issued a directive that the Australian and Irish peacekeepers were to integrate and work together. Thus, to conform to the order, each station had to have Irish and Australian police sharing the workload. Some Irish personnel brought their families over and lived in private housing. At that time, UNPOL was not on full Mission Subsistence Allowance (MSA) and the UN deducted money for accommodation and food, which that organisation provided. When we of the 10th Contingent arrived in 1973, each mess received an allowance (from the Australian Government, I believe), and our appointed Imprest Officers bought foodstuffs and had our chefs/cooks prepare it for us. While on Imprest Officers, I cannot move on without making mention of the long-term Limassol Imprest Officer Bob Oliver (RIP). Bob a NSWPol First Half of the 10th Contingent member, earned the nickname of SuperShopper due to his diligence in seeking out the best he could buy with his money allocation. He combed the city markets, the village farm markets, fish farms, meat importers; you name it, Bob had been there.

The Irish, who’d opted for private digs, took theirs home to share with their families. About 15 years ago, UNPOL received full MSA overnight and had to move out of the stations and find private accommodation. Furthermore, for the past ten years, the UN has put a stop to the use of departmental vehicles for personal use. UN vehicles being used as ‘to-and-from’ by UNPOL personnel is no longer permitted. UNPOL members must purchase/hire a car or utilise public transport (or walk) to get to work every day. There is an audit trail for everything. After the crossing points opened in 2003, the UN increased the country’s UNPOL manpower from 35 to 69 UNPOL. The build-up happened gradually, and in the first increment, it entailed six officers from India. It took a few years to reach the desired number of 69 officers, and UNPOL is still at 69 across the island. The Aussies slowly pulled out till there were none left. The last police officers engaged in Australia’s first and longestrunning peacekeeping mission have withdrawn from Cyprus. On June 16, 2017, a flag-lowering ceremony at the Cypriot capital’s defunct airport that serves as the UN force’s headquarters overnight drew the curtains on Australia’s 53-year mission, with the three remaining officers officially pulling out.

In my entire life, I have never eaten as well as I did in the Limassol mess. Having two chefs, Michael and Zenon, headhunted from the city’s top hotels was also a bonus.

Over 1600 Australian officers have contributed to Cyprus’s United Nations Peacekeeping Force since 1964. Three Australian UN members died while serving in Cyprus.

The UNPOL catering arrangement changed in 1995, and local contracts supplied the provisions. The contractors collected the rations weekly from a supply depot and delivered them to UNPOL stations.

The United Nations Police in UNFICYP comprises 69 members, as per Security Council Resolution 1569, dated 2004. The officers (as of May 01 2023) hail from eighteen different countries:

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Bangladesh (1) Bosnia and Herzegovina (6) China (three) Czech Republic (one) Finland (5) Hungary (2) Indonesia (3) Ireland (12) Italy (3) Jordan (3) Lithuania (1) Montenegro (5) Nepal (3) Romania (7) Russia (4) Serbia (2) Slovakia (5) Sweden (3) Of note is the fact that from the 69 Police Officers currently deployed to UNFICYP, 27 of them are female. That number gives UNPOL a nearly 40% female officers ratio—a point of which the mission claims to be justly proud. When a UNPOL position becomes vacant, it is not tied to a specific country but is filled by an officer whom the UNHQ in New York nominates. In order to become a UNPOL peacekeeper, applicants must subject themselves to a personal interview and pass a SAT test (Both conducted by UN personnel).

Limassol today.

Paphos today.

Polis – a tourist destination today.

• The SAT is a standardised test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times. To finish our holiday, we spent the last few days visiting small villages in the mountains, hills and seaside. Cyprus, for all its high-rise city development in recent years, still presents its cobblestone donkey paths and stone houses in the outof-the-way villages that appear to have altered little since biblical days. Much had not changed since my time in the 1970s, and I was most thankful for that.

Bob MacDonald WAPol.

Female members of Cyprus UNPOL (various nationalities).

Flag lowering ceremony on June 16, 2017 signalling the end of Australian peacekeepers in Cyprus.

Vale On behalf of the UNOPAA National Executive, our National Committee, State Branches and all members of UNOPAA, we would like to acknowledge the service of the following, particularly to overseas peacekeeping, and to express our sympathy to family, contingent colleagues and friends. It is with regret that we advise of the passing of:

MICHAEL OSBORNE a SA Police member who served in the Solomon Islands in 2006/07. Michael passed away in Adelaide on Monday, 4 August 2023, aged 57 years. He had recently been diagnosed with motor neurone disease His funeral was held at Flinders Park (Adelaide) on 22 August 2023

UNITED NATIONS & OVERSEAS POLICING ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (UNOPAA)

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Being online has made meeting and interacting with others easier than ever before, but it’s important to know how to stay safe. Here are ThinkUKnow’s top tips for safer online interactions: • • • •

Question suspicious accounts, and trust your instincts if something doesn’t seem right - not everyone is who they say they are. Avoid meeting someone in person that you have only ever spoken to online. However, if you do meet, choose a public place and take someone with you. If something goes wrong, know how to block or un-match and report. Your safety should always come ﬁrst!

Sometimes things don’t go to plan but there is always help available. For more information, visit www.thinkuknow.org.au

ThinkUKnow is a national online child safety program led by the Australian Federal Police, delivered in schools through educational presentations and resources for young people and their parents and carers.

Don’t touch it, report it. UXO.

Curiosity Can Kill You. You need to understand the real danger of unexploded ordnance (UXO). If you touch UXO like an old bomb, bullet or hand grenade - it could seriously injure or even kill you. You must know - Don’t Touch It!

Report it to the Police on OOO