Morecambe soldier receives UN medal from Princess Royal
Former Heysham High School pupil led a mixed team of infantry and engineers while helping to maintain security
A soldier from Morecambe has received a medal from the Princess Royal after completing a six-month peacekeeping tour in Cyprus.
Corporal Leanne Carr was presented with the United Nations Medal, earned after she deployed with The Coldstream Guards from last October until April this year.
Leanne, 33, has since been posted to 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps in Colchester. She received her medal during a visit by the Princess Royal, in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Logistic Corps.
Leanne said: “It adds a bit of sparkle to my medal to receive it from the Princess Royal. She asked how the tour went and congratulated me.”
British troops have served with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus since it was set up in 1964 after fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
Leanne, a former Heysham High School pupil, said: “Cyprus was an interesting experience. The island is divided and we were patrolling the buffer zone between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots.
“We provided security whenever there was a meeting between the two sides and it got quite tense at times.
“I was a section commander, and I had infantry and engineers working under me. It was a good challenge to build and lead a team. I learnt a lot from working with soldiers from different parts of the Army.”
Leanne is a supply chain operator, responsible for tracking, storing and distributing supplies needed by the Army.
She has served in the Army for 15 years and has also taken part in exercises in Canada, Norway, Germany and France.