Location Details
Canadians buried in Dhekelia Cemetery:
| Name | Date of Birth | Date of Death |
|---|---|---|
| Bernard, Joseph P. E. | 1966 | |
| Campbell, Joseph. H. | 1964 | |
| Chartier, Joseph J. P. | 1966 | |
| Edmonds, Kenneth E. | 1964 | |
| Hoare, Perry James | 1965 | |
| Lerue, J. A. | 1970 | |
| Nass, Lennard Wain | 1966 | |
| Redmond, O. J. | 1967 | |
| Salmon, K. A. | 1967 |
Dhekelia Cemetery
The Republic of Cyprus became an independent state on 16 August 1960. The Constitution of the Republic, which came into effect on the day of independence, was intended to balance the interests of both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities. Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom entered into a treaty to guarantee the basic provisions of the Constitution and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Cyprus.
The application of the provisions of the Constitution, however, encountered difficulties from the very beginning and led to a succession of constitutional crises. The accumulated tension between the two communities resulted in the outbreak of violence on the island on 21 December 1963
On 15 February 1964, after all attempts to restore peace on the island had failed, the representatives of the United Kingdom and of Cyprus requested urgent action by the UN Security Council. On 4 March 1964, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 186 (1964), by which it recommended the establishment of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). The Force became operationally established on 27 March 1964.
The original mandate was: in the interest of preserving international peace and security, to use its best efforts to prevent reoccurrence of fighting and, as necessary to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions. Since 1974 it was also to supervise the cease-fire line and maintain a buffer zone between the lines of Cyprus National Guard and of Turkish and Turkish/Cypriot forces. Canada provided soldiers on infantry duties and augmentation to the British signal squadron which provided the UN force communications. Canadians ceased augmenting the Signal Squadron in 1992 and the last Canadians (2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery) handed over their responsibilities on 15 June 1993 and then departed.
Nine Canadian service members died while on duty as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus. They are buried at Dhekelia cemetery.
Information from the Web Sites of UNFICYP (United Nations) and the Department of National Defence.
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