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The Swedish white elephants in Cyprus in 1964

Readers mail…..
From Anders Arvidsson, a  former Swedish UN Peacekeeper….

Hello Chris,

Here is an interesting article about how the Swedish UN soldiers were equipped with vehicles in 1964 and to be able to travel around Cyprus without interference from the Greek Cypriot National Guard road blocks and other gatherings.

Thank you and with best wishes

Anders

The Swedish “white elephants” in Cyprus in 1964

That was the name the Swedish armoured cars were given as soon they started to appear on the western Cyprus roads in May 1964. The official Swedish name was KP 42, a WWII construction with a crew of three and loading space for a full group of infantry-soldiers. Simply a 9-tonnes lorry chassis reinforced with a steel body to protect those aboard.

The vehicles had been used and proved their utility during the UNOC operation in the Congo the previous years, they became the normal transportation for the Swedish patrols during the coming 11 years in UNFICYP service. Besides patrolling they were used in countless escort missions protecting and guiding Turkish Cypriots through Greek Cypriot roadblocks. At the evacuation of the Dillarga villagers in August 1964 they really showed their usefulness.

Each platoon in the Swedish unit was equipped with one of these and used in rapid reactions to eventual disturbances.

Breaking Greek Cypriot National Guard road blocks, raised in order to hinder the Freedom of movement for UN was easily done just by driving through, the construction with our vehicles which could withstand the collision without any damage. The shots fired in anger from the NG soldiers after such incidents were very few in 1964.

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