Winston now keeps babies company at Dhekelia cemetery

Hundreds of babies laid to rest at Dhekelia military cemetery, who died in the 1950s and 60s, now have Winston to look over them.

A statue of Winston the bear was unveiled on Monday at the cemetery, where for the past four years Annie Macmillan Davies and her ‘bear lady team’ have been placing toy bears at each of the graves to keep the babies company.

“It was an emotional day today at Dhekelia military cemetery to witness the unveiling of Winston the bear and a memorial bench,” Annie told the Cyprus Mail.

Annie and the team – Josie Curley, Clive Macmillan Davies and Des Smith – “finally saw a memorial bear being placed to remember 521 infants buried within the cemetery”.

Of the 521 infants, 60 per cent were air force babies, 152 were a day old when they died and half were less than a week old.

Apart from the 521 infants, it is estimated that there are 300 unmarked graves of still borns, believed to be buried on the spot Winston is now standing.

Most died in the late 1950s and early 60s.

The sheer number of baby graves at the cemetery – particularly the hundreds of babies born to service families in the early 1960s – has been the source of much speculation and even a British government investigation in the past.

The graves of nearly 60 babies, aged between one day and one month, who died in 1964 alone, are in one corner of the military cemetery. Another row of babies’ graves dates from 1963 when, in November of that year alone, at least 10 infants died. Nearby are dozens more baby graves from 1965.

“Over 70 attendees, including relatives from overseas, attended an emotional ceremony after raising funds through a sponsored walk from Paphos to Dhekelia,” Annie said.

She explained that “the memorial bear and bench is a place where families and visitors can remember the infants and have a time of reflection.”

Winston was unveiled by Annie and the garrison commander.

The name chosen for the memorial bear holds special symbolism.

“Winston is an emblem all engineers wear proudly on their uniform and goes back to a WWII hero who did a lot of good work in designing equipment and helping WWII and this is the least we could do for their help,” Clive said.

The toy bears at their graves are replaced every month along with bear flags.

The project relies on donors.