The Cyprus Emergency: The Divided Island 1955 - 1974 - Hardcover

Van Der Bijl, Nicholas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1848842228 ISBN 13: 9781848842229

Publisher: Pen and Sword Military, 2011

Synopsis

The British faced two serious problems – the first, the Greek Cypriots’ desire for Enosis and second, the intense rivalry and antipathy between the Greek and Turkish communities.

In 1955 the former resulted in a bitter EOKA terrorist campaign led by Colonel George Grivas. This resulted in the deaths of over 100 British servicemen. Nicosia’s ‘Murder Mile’ was the scene of many shootings. The Governor Field Marshal Harding narrowly escaped assassination in his residence.

The next phase was the Turkish Government’s military intervention in 1974 to prevent what they saw as the Greek takeover. In a bloody invasion which saw widespread ‘ethnic cleansing’ and displacement of communities, the Island was divided into two sectors policed by the United Nations. This exists today, as do the British Sovereign Base areas at Dhekalia and Atrokiri/Episkopi.

This book describes the most troubled years of this beautiful island which is so well known to British servicemen, their families and vacationers.

About this title

About the Author

Nick van der Bijl BEM spent 25 years, most in the Intelligence Corps between 1970 and 1989. Since retiring from the Army, he has pursued a career in security management in the defence industry, courier sector and the NHS. He is a Trustee of the Military Intelligence Museum. He has numerous published works in print with Pen and Sword Books including Nine Battles to Stanley, Victory in the Falklands, Confrontation, Operation BANNER and Sharing the Secret, A History of the Intelligence Corps. He lives in Somerset.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1848842228
• ISBN 13: 9781848842229
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224