ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by TheCheerfulSubbie

I was just reading a couple of threads on Cyprus and was wondering about our role in the Turkish Invasion in 1974. I’ve tried to do a couple of Google searches on it, but no joy.

Does anyone know what actually happened? Did we try and defend the SBAs or was it the case that the Turks would never dare attack Sovereign British soil? And what happened to any land we had in the North, because I keep hearing the old stories about abandoned NAAFI warehouses in Famagusta?

Can anyone shed any light on it?

OP ABLAUT. 40 Cdo RM were Spearhead Bn - 19 Bde (incl some TA elements) were in Cyprus at the time on Ex cammanded by Brig Jimmy Glover. 10 Ord Sp Bn provided the Bde Spearhed Ordnance Field Park. 8 Sqn RE were there as was 1 Sqn RCT. Royal Scots were in Paphos and 3 RRF (IIRC) were in Dhekelia. A Sqn of the Blues and Royals was deployed with the brand new CVR(T). I lived in a fcuking 160lb tent for 6 months at Pine Track Camp and learned to trust my seniors (who ended up living in the female accn at the BMH in Dhekelia )

The Turks never attempted to attack the SBA's because:

1. The V bombers took all of the nukes off the island and returned with a gut full on 1000lb ers.

2. We had a Sqn of Phantoms and 2 of Lightnings in RAF Akrotiri.

3. They knew better than to upset the NATO alliance.

4. It was 2 phase attack. The Turks secured 2 foothold in the N and then took over the top half of the Island about 2 weeks later.

As an aside the Stn Comd at Akrotiri was sacked by CinC Middle East because he refuse to accomodate refugees in his MQ.

As a further aside I seem to recall that 1 RS formed a square formation and fixed bayonets when the local Turkish Refugees got a bit lively.

And my fecking PB branch always insisited that I'd had a sunshine posting :D

And you've made me feel old :(

Thanks RM, just the kind of thing I was looking for.

EOKA (KEO is ale!) were the barstewards and were headed up by a little sh1t called Nicos Samson. They wanted Enosis (Union with Greece) and kicked Archbishop Makarios of the throne - the Turks invaded and we reinforced. Samson was a well known murderer who we should have topped during the earlier troubles. An older brother of a friend of mine was killed during the EOKA campaign when serving with the Gordons (well done Mike Jackson - you did what the Germans couldn't!)

I have a good friend who served with 1 Para in the early '60's and regards some of what happed during the internecine strife as almost medieval - and he isn't squeamish!

In the uprising in Cyprus (EOKA was the rising up party) and the demand for Enosis (Unification with Greece) Eoka were led by General Grivas, and Archbishop Makarios was the de facto leader. This rather nasty business involved many attacks on Turkish Cypriots and a number of horrible massacres.
The Green Line in Nicosia was a result of this, as was a parttion of the island
the invasion in 74 was the Turkish response to Greek demands.
Brig Jim Glover was my battalion Commander in 3RGJ and an excellent soldier.

A film was made about the intial uprising, Eoka, starring Dirk Bogarde as a Rifle Brigade officer seconded to intelligence. It was called 'The High Bright Sun' and was not too terrible.

Originally Posted by rickshaw-major

EOKA (KEO is ale!) were the barstewards and were headed up by a little sh1t called Nicos Samson. They wanted Enosis (Union with Greece) and kicked Archbishop Makarios of the throne - the Turks invaded and we reinforced. Samson was a well known murderer who we should have topped during the earlier troubles. An older brother of a friend of mine was killed during the EOKA campaign when serving with the Gordons (well done Mike Jackson - you did what the Germans couldn't!)

I have a good friend who served with 1 Para in the early '60's and regards some of what happed during the internecine strife as almost medieval - and he isn't squeamish!

To reinforce what your mate in Paras thought, it was obscene. My section found a house where an entire family had been butcherd - literally - and the pieces thrown into a bath. We couldn't work out how many were there, the pieces were so small and mixed up.

Thanks Mr D. I'm fairly well read up on the background of the conflict, I was really wondering about the role of British Forces during that time.

It seems (from what I've read) it sometimes got quite hairy. Was there ever a medal or clap issued for our servicemen?

Originally Posted by old_fat_and_hairy

Originally Posted by rickshaw-major

EOKA (KEO is ale!) were the barstewards and were headed up by a little sh1t called Nicos Samson. They wanted Enosis (Union with Greece) and kicked Archbishop Makarios of the throne - the Turks invaded and we reinforced. Samson was a well known murderer who we should have topped during the earlier troubles. An older brother of a friend of mine was killed during the EOKA campaign when serving with the Gordons (well done Mike Jackson - you did what the Germans couldn't!)

I have a good friend who served with 1 Para in the early '60's and regards some of what happed during the internecine strife as almost medieval - and he isn't squeamish!

To reinforce what your mate in Paras thought, it was obscene. My section found a house where an entire family had been butcherd - literally - and the pieces thrown into a bath. We couldn't work out how many were there, the pieces were so small and mixed up.

This memory comes from a drunken afternoon in the Rugby Club (after a good lunch!) but was the family head a doctor and his wife pregnant at the time?

A clasp was issued to the GSM.
It was hairy for families as well as servicemen.1956 2 bombs were placed on a plane carrying service families. Luckily the take off was delayed so none were on board when it exploded.
In 1958 the wife of a Royal Engineer sgt was shot in the back by two Eoka terrorists.