STATION VETERANS REPRESENTATIVE
Your Station Representative can be reached at [email protected], further details can be found below
The Station Veterans Representative is a voluntary role working with and appointed by the Station as a direct link to the wider veteran community.
The Station Veterans Representative will act as a liaison between Veterans and Station Commanders to ensure that the interests of the serving and non-serving users of station facilities are understood by both communities. This role is vital for all personnel involved in the Veterans community to provide a unique perspective of individual Stations and contribute towards building an enduring and stronger partnership to the mutual benefit of both the serving and veteran communities.
The support provided by Station Veterans Representatives includes:
fiber_manual_recordIncorporate veteran matters into Station new arrivals briefs, explaining the veteran contribution to the Cyprus offer (clubs/societies/welfare support) and local regimental associations.
fiber_manual_recordSupport veterans who wish to apply for membership of clubs and encourage to volunteer to assist in the running of said clubs to highlight the importance of giving back to the commuity.
fiber_manual_recordIdentify and advertise areas where voluntary assistance from veterans utilising knowledge, skills and experience might benefit BFC.
fiber_manual_recordInclude veterans, where applicable, in the planning of appropriate Station events and encourage attendance and support from the veteran community.
fiber_manual_recordMaintain effective communications to the wider veteran community, primarily though service/regimental associations and clubs.
fiber_manual_recordSupport production of veteran articles in the Cyprus Lion and BFC/SBAA social media platforms.
fiber_manual_recordPromote the opportunities associated with the BSG.
Island Wide Veterans Transition Repkeyboard_arrow_up
Name: Sarah Geddes
Sarah Geddes joined the Army in 1993 and trained to be a Postal and Courier Operative. Her first posting was 29 Regt, South Cerney where she was deployed to numerous locations - Norway, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Ascension Island, Falkland Islands, Bosnia, to name a few. After 8 years she re-trained to be a Movement Controller and spent her remaining 16 years traveling with deploying units and planning logistic and operational taskings. Her highlight was a posting to the School of Movements where she became a QTLS, Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser and CAA Instructor. She left the Army as a WO2 in Feb 2018 having served just over 24 years.
As someone who likes to keep fit and challenge herself she has competed the London Marathon, Ironbridge Half Marathon, played Woman’s International Sledge Hockey and was the first to complete the Million Step Challenge whist in Afghanistan wearing body armour.
Sarah is now living in Cyprus with her husband Red and her 2 x rescue pups Hunter and Cassie.
Ayios Nikolaos keyboard_arrow_up
Name: John Brown
John brings a great deal of experience to his role of Station Veterans
Representative (SVR) at the Ayios Nikolaos Station. During a very long military
career he has served as a National Serviceman, and in both the Regular and
Territorial armies. He has been an Other Rank, a Warrant Officer and an Officer
with experience at Corps, Regimental and Command HQ levels.
In 1958, John was conscripted, as a National Serviceman, to the Intelligence
Corps Depot, at Maresfield in Sussex where he represented his Corps at rugby.
After training there, and at Loughborough, as an Intelligence Analyst, his first
overseas posting was to Episkopi where he was employed in GSI (S), GHQ MELF,
the Staff Branch, which acted as a conduit for material from 2 Wireless Regiment,
which later became 9 Signal Regiment and then became the present day JSSU.
There he serviced the JIC(ME) and JIB (ME)Committees and, during the Cyprus
Emergency, served as a Special Courier to His Excellency the Governor of Cyprus –
initially by vehicle then, following Cyprus Independence, by helicopter. In
Episkopi, he was the Rugby Officer and Captain of the GHQ MELF team. He was
posted to 9 Signal Regiment, at Ayios Nikolaos, in 1960, living in what is now the
fenced off area of Varosha in Famagusta for the next three years.
His next move was to 13 Signal Regiment in BAOR, from 1963 – 1966; there then
followed a return posting to Ayios Nikolaos for two more years from 1966 – 1968,
before being selected for a two year attachment to 1 st Canadian Signal Regiment
in Kingston, Ontario. He was fortunate, at that time, to travel to Canada with his
family, on board the Empress of Canada from Liverpool to Montreal. Besides
working in Kingston as an Intelligence Analyst he received in-house training and
became a Winter Warfare Instructor, specialising in ice crossings and teaching
Canadians how to snowshoe, build tepees for shelter and how to ride
snowmobiles. Whilst in Canada, he took up golf. Returning to the UK, he, and his
family, travelled by rail from Kingston to New York and thence to UK on an RAF Air
Trooping Flight.
On his return to the UK in 1970, he became the Senior Instructor of his trade at
Loughborough, before passing the Civil Service Commission Russian
Interpretership Examination (Recognised by the Ministry of Education as an
Honorary Degree Equivalent) in 1974 and moving on to Berlin. In 1975, he
returned to the Intelligence Corps Depot, then at Ashford in Kent, where he
became the assistant Corps Trade Training Officer (TTO). From 1976 – 78 he
served in Northern Ireland with 12 Intelligence & Security Company and SMIU and
his final tour in the Regular Army was as the Senior Instructor of NI Intelligence
Training in Shorncliffe, Kent from 1978 – 1980, training Corps and Regimental
Intelligence teams of units deploying to NI on roulement and longer tours.
He retired from the Regular Amy in 1980 and from 1980 – 1988, was the Practice
Manager of a Consulting, Civil and Structural Engineering Practice in Stanmore
Middlesex, attending Ealing Polytechnic College to obtain Company Secretary
qualifications. At this time, he also joined the Intelligence and Security Volunteers
in London and, after passing a Regular Forces Interrogation Course, became the
Training Officer of 22 Intelligence Company, participating with its German and
Dutch counterparts on Annual Exercises in Germany and the UK in which he also
doubled as a Russian language instructor.
In 1988, a change of direction took him to 5 QUEENS as the PSAO of D (Kohima
Company) administering three TA Centres Kent, in Tonbridge ( Coy HQ) ,
Maidstone (11 Pl) and Sevenoaks (12 Pl). During 20 Armd Bde’s annual Exercise
in BAOR he was the IO of the 5 QUEENS Battle Group
Following the MOD’s 1990 Options for Change, the Coy HQ relocated to
Gillingham, retaining its Maidstone location. Under the Labour Government’s
Strategic Defence Review of 1998, 5 QUEENS become 3 PWRR and, despite his
Company being the best recruitedTA Infantry company in Kent, it was disbanded.
For a short period before eventual retirement he served as GSO3 (Territorial Army
and Army Cadets) at 2 Infantry Brigade. Shorncliffe, in Kent and was awarded the
VRSM for service to the Reserve Forces by the Lord Lieutenant of Kent. On his
final retirement from the military in 2001, he joined the Inkerman Group
performing operational and administrative security tasks and ran its subsidiary,
Burravoe, a specialist translation agency. In 2007, he retired to Cyprus. He still
enjoys his golf and became the secretary of the TPMH (The Princess Mary
Hospital) Golf Club at Akrotiri before joining the Joint Services Golf Club in
Episkopi when the Akrotiri Club was disbanded.
He volunteered to be the Ay Nik SVR in July 2021 and continues in that role today,
continuing an association with the unit of over 60 years.
Dhekeliakeyboard_arrow_up
Lloyd Keenan joined the Army in 1981 as a junior Guardsman completing his training at the Guards Depot Pirbright. He joined the 1st Bn Coldstream Guards in Northern Ireland straight from training and spent his early years with the Bn serving in London District performing public duties. During that time, he exercised with the Bn in Cyprus and sailed the South Atlantic to serve a 6month tour of the Falklands Islands. The Bn was posted to Hong Kong where he was promoted to LCpl and began the infantry career course ladder that would enable him to progress through non-commissioned ranks.
Highlights during the early years were serving as a Phase 1 Instructor at the Guards Depot and re-joining the Bn for the Gulf War in 1991 as a section commander. He has exercised in Kenya, Canada, Poland and South Africa and completed no less than 5 operational tours of Northern Ireland including a 2-year residential tour in Londonderry. On promotion to CSgt he served at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as a Platoon CSgt and returned to Sandhurst later as a CSM. Further WO2 Appointments in the Bn as Drill Sgt, RQMS (T) and (M) followed before an SO3 Appt in MOD Main building to complete 24 years in the ranks.
He commissioned into the RAMC as a Late Entry Medical Support Officer (MSO) and was appointed as the QM(T) of 34 Field Hosp in York where he deployed to Iraq on Op TELIC 10. Serving at 33 Field Hosp included Op HERRICK 11 and exercises in Kenya and Germany. He was promoted to Major in 2012 and assumed the appointment of Quartermaster of 22 Field Hosp completing a hattrick of the 3 regular Field Hospitals in the Army Medical Services. He remained in the appointment of Quartermaster serving in Germany with 1 Armoured Medical Regt in Hohne and Sennelager for his remaining 6 years of service and retired from the Army in July 2019 having served 38 years
.
A passionate and dedicated sportsman he has competed for the Infantry and Army at X Country and Triathlon. He is an experienced coach and has represented Great Britain in the sport at the World and European championships.
Name: Lloyd Keenan
Tel: 2474 4152
Episkopi & Troodos keyboard_arrow_up
Name: Rob Price
Tel: 97668348
RAF Akrotirikeyboard_arrow_up
Name: Francis Haggerty, MBE
Tel: 99464002
Francis Haggerty commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1963 as a GD Officer (Nav). Throughout his wide-ranging career he has served all over the world with 2 spells at RAF Akrotiri the first being in 1984, since then he and his wife Norma have lived in Cyprus.
During his career Francis served on the following Squadrons: 209 Sqn – RAF Seletar (1964-67), Twin Pioneers, working in North Malaya, Kuching and Labuan. 206 Sqn – RAF Kinloss (1965-73) ASW, Shackleton Mk3 & Nimrod MK1. Maritime Operations, RAF Luqa (1973-75) (203 Sqn). 22 Sqn, Wessex SAR, (1974-84)- RAF Valley & RAF Leuchars. 84 Sqn- RAF Akrotiri (1984-87) Wessex. 22 Sqn - RAF Chivenor (1987-1990), 84 Sqn - RAF Akrotiri (1990-93), DRA Farnborough (1993-94). HQBFC (1994) JOCC.
United Nations. FALD (1994- 2000) – Somalia, Angola, Georgia & Liberia. CJSU, HQBFC. (2000-2002).
A keen sportsman Francis was the OiC of the Seletar Eights Rowing Club, Small Bore Shooting Club and Akrotiri’s Sub Aqua Club. He represented RAF Strike Command at High Board Diving and Fencing.
Dedicating much of his time to Charity Groups, Francis is very much involved in variety of groups and activities in Cyprus. He is the RAFA Cyprus Branch Secretary, his other interests include ariel photography, the study of Genealogy and Archaeology (specifically, Greco Roman) and now shares his knowledge with others through his teaching efforts. He also teaches Cyprus History, Underwater Surveying and First Aid.