With my eyes fixed on the Buffer Zone, I see the scars of conflict every day
My name’s Jemma Couchman and I'm currently deployed to Cyprus keeping the peace in one of Britain's favourite holiday destinations
Cyprus is an island rich in history, fascinating but also tragic. Now that I have been working here in Nicosia for almost two months, I am ever more aware of the importance of the past and of what has happened here.
This is because, as one of the signalers in Sector 2, it is my job to pick-up, monitor, and pass on information about what is happening in our part of the Buffer Zone. Activities that are often shaped by different memories and understandings of the past, which make the present before my very eyes.
In an area of continuing tension, British troops patrol 24/7 along a buffer zone that separates the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, keeping the peace and maintaining stability in the country.
My days are long. I work alternate twelve-hour shifts in our Tactical Operations Centre (TOC), with one ear pinned to the radio and both eyes darting between multiple screens, watching our many CCTV-feeds.
Since 1974, the British Army has been deployed to Cyprus, the UK’s contribution to the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. As one of the longest-running continuous operations, the British Army forms the largest force of the multinational troops.
The patrols book-in and book-out through me, and I am their point of contact when they are on the ground.
This means that I am the first to hear of anything they encounter in the Buffer Zone, which I then pass on to the Watchkeeper — usually an officer or senior non-commissioned officer — who then initially directs any response required.
I have to stay alert constantly, keep a clear and accurate signals log. But also, between picturing the progress of many patrols over a 30km area in my mind, I need to watch everything unfolding on the CCTV screens in front of me.
It is a role with a lot of responsibility. As well as my monitoring duties, the patrols require clear direction to be passed down to them in a calm, collected manner.
For example, recently had to deal with a fire and all the risks that entailed. I was able to ensure that heads were kept cool, that no unnecessary risks were taken, and that our efforts to bring the fire engine to the site went smoothly.
As a British soldier, I am proud to be keeping the peace with the UN. I actually transferred into my current unit, 5 FUSILIERS, so that I could come on this tour.
My brother made me immensely proud by serving with the British Army in Afghanistan, and part of me always wanted to follow his example of serving overseas.
Britain has a lot of history in Cyprus, so I feel that my country especially has a duty to help keep the peace and to try to build a better future.
Peacekeeping helps to build international understanding and cooperation by bringing people from around the world together, united in a common cause.
I think that the wealth and variety of experience that the British Army possesses means that we can offer a lot, but I also believe that we can learn a lot too.
My experience in Cyprus thus far has of course not escaped the impact of COVID-19.
Our lives in camp have had to conform to the need to reduce interpersonal contact as much as possible. We have also remained in barracks and only ventured out for operational reasons.
This has helped to bring what is a mixed battlegroup closely together. Most of us are actually British Army Reservists, meaning that we have a civilian job that we have put on hold for the duration of the tour, and come from a great diversity of backgrounds.
With my eyes fixed on the Buffer Zone, I see the scars of conflict every day.
I hope that the work I am doing here, alongside all other peacekeepers in Cyprus, will one day contribute to building the kind of carefree peace that many tourists from my country come to Cyprus every year to enjoy, only a few miles away from a conflict-zone frozen in time.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most is the chance to get to know new people and to help forge a hard-working and positive team. I nonetheless look forward to venturing out and to seeing more of this truly beautiful island.
