The Cyprus Emergency

Book excerpt: 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. Nicosias 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 Governments 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.