New resident Infantry Battalion in Episkopi

The 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment took over as the Resident Infantry Battalion in Episkopi on August 8 and have immediately settled into life in Cyprus.

According to a written statement from the British bases, The Yorkshire Regiment, the troops have begun to acclimatise to the heat and are ready to embrace the challenges that British Forces Cyprus throws at them.

Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rob Carr, who is on his second tour of Cyprus, said this was a great opportunity for his soldiers, many of whom are on their first overseas tour, to develop their skillset.

He said: “This is great for the Battalion, this is the last opportunity for us as a regiment to come out here, so we must take this opportunity with both hands. “In the immediate stage, we have the bedding in process, being good ambassadors, we want to integrate and take on the opportunities of what Cyprus affords us. “It is unique for us in the infantry and possibly the Army at large, that this is one of the last places we can do overseas service. “There are some great opportunities to train here and I want to make sure that we are absolutely ready as the Regional Standby Battalion (RSB) too.”