"Akrotiri is a regular RAF station and should have all the facilities of one. More to the point, it is in effect our aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean, where ops to small wars are to be expected, therefore it should have a hospital."
It did have a hospital when I served there in the late 1990s but, even then, the Station wasn't given the budgetary support it deserved in my opinion. Years later, it is still as important as it was back then. I'm personally delighted that I'm no longer the PRO there as, now that I've (just) retired (for the 2nd time!) and no longer have to defend the indefensible. However, I'm sorry for those who still serve in these parsimonious days. However, as some other posters have said, t'was ever thus!
