South Yorkshire Times November 28, 1959
Adventure in Cyprus for Conisbrough Soldier
Signalman Alan Birch, of Conisbrough, recently completed a 30-mile weekend trek over the Kyrenia mountains of Cyprus with a six-man party from 29th Signal Regiment.
It was “Adventurous Training” encouraged by the catwalk Office to develop initiative, ingenuity and toughness, and Alan says “it was well worthwhile in spite of the sore feet.”
His parents live at 12, Willow Street, Conisbrough. Enlisted as a Regular new now serving as a Dispatch Rider.
Equipped with only a blanket, compo rations, water bottle and compass, Alan and his pals were ‘dumped’ at an unknown point and given sealed orders indicated their mountain “objective.”
It was uphill all the way but the village are friendly and with Allen’s humour to help them along, the parties achieve their object with “notable success.”