Cyprus-Forum.com

[purdey]

I was hoping to see some input from Mr Carter on the above.

[David Carter]

Wow! Reading these posts, I've come to the conclusion there's a lot of heat out there and not much light. A pity that most posters replace factual accuracy with invective. Dear Professor Paphitas, I exclude you from these jousting matches, because I believe you and I are always polite in our exchanges. On the other hand, Bill Cobett puzzles me: he describes himself as scientist and "embargoed from Kyrenia by the Jurkish (his spelling) Army. I don't wish to be offensive, but scientist of what and what does he mean by his profile statement in the slot marked "Location". I look forward to enlightenment.

On a matter of fact, the Turkish Military does not prevent visits to Wayne's Keep Cemetery any more than the Greek Cypriot authorities.

Because the cemetery lies in the UN Buffer Zone, clearance to visit must be arranged several days in advance through UNFICYP or the British High Commission for British subjects and visits are limited usually to working days between 09.00 and noon. Photographs of headstones can only be taken by the visitors' UN escort. General photography is prohibited, as is the case elsewhere in the BZ.

Putting aside the controversy over the Memorial to British soldiers in a Kyrenia cemetery, I return to the comments about the death of Gregoris Afxentiou: he was probably the bravest of the EOKA fighters. He certainly believed in the cause for which he was fighting.

Yes, he was wounded by British soldiers when his cave hiding place was surrounded on 7 March 1957. When called upon to surrender, he refused, rightly or wrongly, and continued to shoot, leaving the British to use every means to end the battle. Gasoline was poured into the cave and ignited. Afxentiou did not survive. Those are the facts. Some claim he committed suicide, others say an exploding bullet entered his head. There were many British troops, including officers, who saw him as a noble opponent and regretted he had to die, let alone in these circumstances.

Lt Colonel Britten of the Grenadier Guards who was present at the time of Afxentiou’s death observed: ‘He fought back bravely, determined to sell his life dearly.’

During an earlier attempt to capture Afxentiou, another British officer told his father: ‘As a soldier, of course I want to capture him - he is an arch-terrorist and it's my duty. As a man, I want to congratulate you on having such a splendid son...’

Afxentiou commanded respect from his supporters and the British Army alike because he was one of the very few military-trained members of EOKA, apart from the leader Colonel George Grivas, who spent most of his ‘small war’ hiding in Limassol. Afxentiou, by contrast, led his inexperienced men from the front and fought his opponents openly.

I have written a long article for the Cyprus section of Britain's Small Wars about Afxentiou, which readers may wish to look at.

www.britains-smallwars.com

Much of the article is based on the eye-witness accounts of British soldiers, Greek Cypriot press coverage at the time and I only regret that one of Afxentiou's surviving comrades - Augustus Efstathiou - declined to be interviewed.

More facts: The fire in the Paphos Forest on 16 June 1956 caused the deaths of 21 British servicemen. Contrary to rumors at the time, Colonel Grivas did not start the conflagration to escape capture during Operation "Lucky Alphonse", one of the largest military operations during the 1955-59 EOKA conflict. The fire was started accidentally by mortar bombs exploding in the dry forest. So, yes, the Brits can be blamed for what followed. However, reports that over 60 soldiers were killed are exaggerations.

Regards
David (Carter)

[halil]

I got below pictures from my friend Mehmet Altuner album .... he complied these pictures from various sources .
He only knows these pictures are from after 1955 but we don't have much about them .May be Mr David Carter will tell us more about these pictures .

[halil]

[halil]

[halil]

more to come later on

[Oracle]

Wow! Reading these posts, I've come to the conclusion there's a lot of heat out there and not much light. A pity that most posters replace factual accuracy with invective. Dear Professor Paphitas, I exclude you from these jousting matches, because I believe you and I are always polite in our exchanges. On the other hand, Bill Cobett puzzles me: he describes himself as scientist and "embargoed from Kyrenia by the Jurkish (his spelling) Army. I don't wish to be offensive, but scientist of what and what does he mean by his profile statement in the slot marked "Location". I look forward to enlightenment.

On a matter of fact, the Turkish Military does not prevent visits to Wayne's Keep Cemetery any more than the Greek Cypriot authorities.

Because the cemetery lies in the UN Buffer Zone, clearance to visit must be arranged several days in advance through UNFICYP or the British High Commission for British subjects and visits are limited usually to working days between 09.00 and noon. Photographs of headstones can only be taken by the visitors' UN escort. General photography is prohibited, as is the case elsewhere in the BZ.

Putting aside the controversy over the Memorial to British soldiers in a Kyrenia cemetery, I return to the comments about the death of Gregoris Afxentiou: he was probably the bravest of the EOKA fighters. He certainly believed in the cause for which he was fighting.

Yes, he was wounded by British soldiers when his cave hiding place was surrounded on 7 March 1957. When called upon to surrender, he refused, rightly or wrongly, and continued to shoot, leaving the British to use every means to end the battle. Gasoline was poured into the cave and ignited. Afxentiou did not survive. Those are the facts. Some claim he committed suicide, others say an exploding bullet entered his head. There were many British troops, including officers, who saw him as a noble opponent and regretted he had to die, let alone in these circumstances.

Lt Colonel Britten of the Grenadier Guards who was present at the time of Afxentiou’s death observed: ‘He fought back bravely, determined to sell his life dearly.’

During an earlier attempt to capture Afxentiou, another British officer told his father: ‘As a soldier, of course I want to capture him - he is an arch-terrorist and it's my duty. As a man, I want to congratulate you on having such a splendid son...’

Afxentiou commanded respect from his supporters and the British Army alike because he was one of the very few military-trained members of EOKA, apart from the leader Colonel George Grivas, who spent most of his ‘small war’ hiding in Limassol. Afxentiou, by contrast, led his inexperienced men from the front and fought his opponents openly.

I have written a long article for the Cyprus section of Britain's Small Wars about Afxentiou, which readers may wish to look at.

www.britains-smallwars.com

Much of the article is based on the eye-witness accounts of British soldiers, Greek Cypriot press coverage at the time and I only regret that one of Afxentiou's surviving comrades - Augustus Efstathiou - declined to be interviewed.

More facts: The fire in the Paphos Forest on 16 June 1956 caused the deaths of 21 British servicemen. Contrary to rumors at the time, Colonel Grivas did not start the conflagration to escape capture during Operation "Lucky Alphonse", one of the largest military operations during the 1955-59 EOKA conflict. The fire was started accidentally by mortar bombs exploding in the dry forest. So, yes, the Brits can be blamed for what followed. However, reports that over 60 soldiers were killed are exaggerations.

Regards
David (Carter)

Thank you ...

[YFred]

Wow! Reading these posts, I've come to the conclusion there's a lot of heat out there and not much light. A pity that most posters replace factual accuracy with invective. Dear Professor Paphitas, I exclude you from these jousting matches, because I believe you and I are always polite in our exchanges. On the other hand, Bill Cobett puzzles me: he describes himself as scientist and "embargoed from Kyrenia by the Jurkish (his spelling) Army. I don't wish to be offensive, but scientist of what and what does he mean by his profile statement in the slot marked "Location". I look forward to enlightenment.

On a matter of fact, the Turkish Military does not prevent visits to Wayne's Keep Cemetery any more than the Greek Cypriot authorities.

Because the cemetery lies in the UN Buffer Zone, clearance to visit must be arranged several days in advance through UNFICYP or the British High Commission for British subjects and visits are limited usually to working days between 09.00 and noon. Photographs of headstones can only be taken by the visitors' UN escort. General photography is prohibited, as is the case elsewhere in the BZ.

Putting aside the controversy over the Memorial to British soldiers in a Kyrenia cemetery, I return to the comments about the death of Gregoris Afxentiou: he was probably the bravest of the EOKA fighters. He certainly believed in the cause for which he was fighting.

Yes, he was wounded by British soldiers when his cave hiding place was surrounded on 7 March 1957. When called upon to surrender, he refused, rightly or wrongly, and continued to shoot, leaving the British to use every means to end the battle. Gasoline was poured into the cave and ignited. Afxentiou did not survive. Those are the facts. Some claim he committed suicide, others say an exploding bullet entered his head. There were many British troops, including officers, who saw him as a noble opponent and regretted he had to die, let alone in these circumstances.

Lt Colonel Britten of the Grenadier Guards who was present at the time of Afxentiou’s death observed: ‘He fought back bravely, determined to sell his life dearly.’

During an earlier attempt to capture Afxentiou, another British officer told his father: ‘As a soldier, of course I want to capture him - he is an arch-terrorist and it's my duty. As a man, I want to congratulate you on having such a splendid son...’

Afxentiou commanded respect from his supporters and the British Army alike because he was one of the very few military-trained members of EOKA, apart from the leader Colonel George Grivas, who spent most of his ‘small war’ hiding in Limassol. Afxentiou, by contrast, led his inexperienced men from the front and fought his opponents openly.

I have written a long article for the Cyprus section of Britain's Small Wars about Afxentiou, which readers may wish to look at.

www.britains-smallwars.com

Much of the article is based on the eye-witness accounts of British soldiers, Greek Cypriot press coverage at the time and I only regret that one of Afxentiou's surviving comrades - Augustus Efstathiou - declined to be interviewed.

More facts: The fire in the Paphos Forest on 16 June 1956 caused the deaths of 21 British servicemen. Contrary to rumors at the time, Colonel Grivas did not start the conflagration to escape capture during Operation "Lucky Alphonse", one of the largest military operations during the 1955-59 EOKA conflict. The fire was started accidentally by mortar bombs exploding in the dry forest. So, yes, the Brits can be blamed for what followed. However, reports that over 60 soldiers were killed are exaggerations.

Regards
David (Carter)

Thank you ...

No matter how much gloss one puts on it and for whatever reason, a murderer is a murderer, especialy when they order the murder of women and children.

[Get Real!]

Wow! Reading these posts, I've come to the conclusion there's a lot of heat out there and not much light. A pity that most posters replace factual accuracy with invective. Dear Professor Paphitas, I exclude you from these jousting matches, because I believe you and I are always polite in our exchanges. On the other hand, Bill Cobett puzzles me: he describes himself as scientist and "embargoed from Kyrenia by the Jurkish (his spelling) Army. I don't wish to be offensive, but scientist of what and what does he mean by his profile statement in the slot marked "Location". I look forward to enlightenment.

On a matter of fact, the Turkish Military does not prevent visits to Wayne's Keep Cemetery any more than the Greek Cypriot authorities.

Because the cemetery lies in the UN Buffer Zone, clearance to visit must be arranged several days in advance through UNFICYP or the British High Commission for British subjects and visits are limited usually to working days between 09.00 and noon. Photographs of headstones can only be taken by the visitors' UN escort. General photography is prohibited, as is the case elsewhere in the BZ.

Putting aside the controversy over the Memorial to British soldiers in a Kyrenia cemetery, I return to the comments about the death of Gregoris Afxentiou: he was probably the bravest of the EOKA fighters. He certainly believed in the cause for which he was fighting.

Yes, he was wounded by British soldiers when his cave hiding place was surrounded on 7 March 1957. When called upon to surrender, he refused, rightly or wrongly, and continued to shoot, leaving the British to use every means to end the battle. Gasoline was poured into the cave and ignited. Afxentiou did not survive. Those are the facts. Some claim he committed suicide, others say an exploding bullet entered his head. There were many British troops, including officers, who saw him as a noble opponent and regretted he had to die, let alone in these circumstances.

Lt Colonel Britten of the Grenadier Guards who was present at the time of Afxentiou’s death observed: ‘He fought back bravely, determined to sell his life dearly.’

During an earlier attempt to capture Afxentiou, another British officer told his father: ‘As a soldier, of course I want to capture him - he is an arch-terrorist and it's my duty. As a man, I want to congratulate you on having such a splendid son...’

Afxentiou commanded respect from his supporters and the British Army alike because he was one of the very few military-trained members of EOKA, apart from the leader Colonel George Grivas, who spent most of his ‘small war’ hiding in Limassol. Afxentiou, by contrast, led his inexperienced men from the front and fought his opponents openly.

I have written a long article for the Cyprus section of Britain's Small Wars about Afxentiou, which readers may wish to look at.

www.britains-smallwars.com

Much of the article is based on the eye-witness accounts of British soldiers, Greek Cypriot press coverage at the time and I only regret that one of Afxentiou's surviving comrades - Augustus Efstathiou - declined to be interviewed.

More facts: The fire in the Paphos Forest on 16 June 1956 caused the deaths of 21 British servicemen. Contrary to rumors at the time, Colonel Grivas did not start the conflagration to escape capture during Operation "Lucky Alphonse", one of the largest military operations during the 1955-59 EOKA conflict. The fire was started accidentally by mortar bombs exploding in the dry forest. So, yes, the Brits can be blamed for what followed. However, reports that over 60 soldiers were killed are exaggerations.

Regards
David (Carter)

David Carter, unlike some of my compatriots here, your artificial sweetener of a post doesn’t cut it with me!

Here’s what your junk site fails to address and highlight…


1. Britain, tricked Cypriots into shedding their blood for her war against Germany (WWII) in exchange for empty promises, so it’s by no accident that EOKA was gradually formed a decade after the great war!

http://www.cyprusveterans.com.cy/


2. Britain, failed to recognize and assure the Cypriot people during the 1955..59 struggle of this coming important international legislation, and subsequently violated international law with the nature of the London/Zurich agreements which included the SBAs!

The United Nations General Assembly's proclamation on 14 December 1960 of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples - resolution 1514 (XV).

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/decolonizat ... ration.htm

[bill cobbett]

Oi, Rabid Carter, there's nothing wrong with my speeeling! and kindly show less interest in my profile, lest I start fearing you are involved with MI5 in some way.

Reh David, and seriously, when you say .... "....Putting aside the controversy over the Memorial to British soldiers in a Kyrenia cemetery .... " , you really ignore much of the reason for this thread, didn't the organisers foresee the outrage that this would cause when the they negotiated with the Illegal Regime over its placement in Occupied Kyrenia and ignored the wishes of the majority population and the Government of the Republic??

.... and the outrage hasn't been about respecting the fallen of a perceived former enemy. All will know that CYs have tremendous respect for the dead (May they rest in Peace). It's the dodgy dealings behind this memorial that is the problem.

Was this really the right way to go about things?