In view of your interest 500N, here's some more detailed information, courtesy of HMS ANDROMEDA's webpage covering
1974 - 1976 :
"In 1974 Andromeda, together with other Royal Navy vessels including her sister ship Argonaut, helped evacuate British civilians from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus after the invasion by Turkey. Andromeda evacuated 293 of these civilians. During this conflict the Turkish Air Force mistakenly attacked and sank the Turkish Destroyer "Kocatepe" off Akrotiri. Andromeda came to the assistance of the destroyer and the helicopter, piloted by Lieutenant Iain McKechnie, rescued 72 Turkish sailors. Flying at night and in stormy conditions Lieutenant McKechnie flew constantly for over four hours and made 55 deck landings to transport the sailors to the safety of Andromeda. For this act of bravery Lieutenant McKechnie was awarded the Turkish Distinguished Service Medal by the Turkish Government, which he was allowed to wear, with permission granted by Her Majesty the Queen."
The then Commanding Officer, Captain (later Vice Admiral Sir) Bob Gerken also distinguished himself at the time of the Turkish invasion, as described in my post # 56 at
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...le-meze-3.html. The link quoted therein sadly leads to the obituary for
Captain Ian McKechnie | Herald Scotland following his death at a very young age, and reveals that, having joined the Caterpillar Club whilst a Sea Vixen pilot before transferring to helicopters, he also won a QCVSA for the KOCATEPE rescue, as well as being awarded the OBE in a later appointment, and (on a lighter note regarding the airlift of the KOCATEPE survivors from the Turkish warship BERK ...
), "As she was a new vessel with no lighting on her flight deck, he instructed Turkish sailors to stand in a square, holding aloft RN-issue torches to create an illuminated horizon for landing. He later recalled: 'Different-sized, tiring Turks do not make for a very good horizon bar after two hours' ."
Quite a guy when all's said and done, and all very well worth a read.
Jack