British base in Cyprus looking to the future as it marks its 70th anniversary

The 70th anniversary of Dhekelia Station in Cyprus has been marked with the presentation of a silver centrepiece to the station commander. 

The ornament features two lions from the station’s flag, which were taken from Richard the Lionheart/King Richard I's coat of arms, who conquered Cyprus in the 12th Century.

Dhekelia Station was designed by The Royal Engineers, which oversaw its construction, with the build costing £10m at the time.

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Today around 1,250 people live on the base - a mixture of military personnel, family members and civilian workers.

Speaking to Forces News, Lieutenant Colonel Tim Wildish, the station commander of Dhekelia said: "We've got a bright future here.

"We've got a lot of investment going in, we've got the secondary school that is going to be built, a new medical centre, new houses.

"So a lot of investment for the future - a little bit more than £10m, the original cost, but we need that to make sure we're ready for the future in Dhekelia Station."

In 1960, a treaty of establishment allowed Cyprus to become an independent republic, free from British control.

Within the agreement, two Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) at Akrotiri and Dhekelia were identified as areas that would remain as British sovereign territory and therefore remain under British jurisdiction.

The two SBAs allow the UK to maintain a permanent military presence at a strategic point in the Eastern Mediterranean.