Cyprus Regiment

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Tolga Alkan
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Cyprus Regiment

#1

Post by Tolga Alkan » 18 Sep 2005, 15:53

Hello,

Yesterday I had an opportunity to watch Turkish documentary film concerning of the Turkish volunteers of Cyprus Regiment of British Army.It was quite interesting that estimated 10,000 Turks and 20,000 Greek had volunteered to British Army,newly founded Cyprus Regiment and it first purposed to serve at supply measures and than Regiment had found itself as primary fighting force in both Greece and Crete against the Germans Army.Documentary stated that Turks and Greeks both fought at very close comradeship which was continued after the war.Documentary makers interviewed living 6 veterans and some of relatives of veterans which were killed in th War/POW camps or passed away in recent years;the result is very good many interesting personal account and stories.

One veterans told that he managed to escape from a POW camp near Hannover,suffering from ill and knocked a German house's door.The German woman opened door and saw his POW uniform and than called his husband,an SS Colonel.The Turkish volunteer and SS Colonel had conversation in Turkish;SS Colonel asked "are you Turk or Greek?",volunteer replied him "I'm a Turk" in Turkish and SS Colonel showed very close hospitality because of he had fought in Turkey knowing Turks very well.Stories goes on...

One of my friend told me that their story is going to be published in book format;hopefully also in English so non-Turkish will be able to read that forgetten story.

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http://www.cnnturk.com.tr/OZEL_DOSYALAR ... erid=71302

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Mehmet Fatih
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#2

Post by Mehmet Fatih » 21 Sep 2005, 22:05

I watched it too Tolga.It was great.Especially that conversation with the SS colonel.It was in Hannover right?
And what did the colonel say? He said "If you were a Greek, i would kill you like a dog."

Regards


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Annelie
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#3

Post by Annelie » 21 Sep 2005, 22:13

He said "If you were a Greek, i would kill you like a dog."
I know what you said but why did the colonel say that about the Greeks?

Wish the series comes to North America.

:|

Tolga Alkan
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#4

Post by Tolga Alkan » 22 Sep 2005, 12:01

I don't recall it correctlywhat he said about the Greeks but when he said "I'm a Turk";SS Colonel had showed warm hospitality.SS colonel was WWI veteran fought in Turkey so most probably in Gallipoli.

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Mehmet Fatih
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#5

Post by Mehmet Fatih » 23 Sep 2005, 11:53

Annelie wrote:
He said "If you were a Greek, i would kill you like a dog."
I know what you said but why did the colonel say that about the Greeks?

Wish the series comes to North America.

:|
Hey, i am not an anti-Greek.But this is exactly what the Turkish veteran said.
The channel which broadcasted this doco is CNN Turk.It is a branch of American TV station CNN.So you will probably see it.

Regards

Tolga Alkan
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#6

Post by Tolga Alkan » 30 Sep 2005, 17:05

Hello,
As I wrote at Foreign Volunteers section,the Turkish book about Cyprus regiment and other Turks fought at Second World War is published this week.

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Mr Holmes
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#7

Post by Mr Holmes » 01 Oct 2005, 15:17

Hello Tolga,

Do you know if this will be translated into English?

Tolga Alkan
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#8

Post by Tolga Alkan » 01 Oct 2005, 19:11

I'm thinking to get contact with the author.This is interesting part of the history so many foreign-I mean non-Turkish people will be interested to read that book.So hopefully there would be an English edition.Thank you for your interest.

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Mr Holmes
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#9

Post by Mr Holmes » 02 Oct 2005, 03:35

No problem, I just hope the author does translate it. The book looks very interesting.

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Andy H
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#10

Post by Andy H » 07 Jul 2006, 15:19

By the end of 1944 some 10,000 Cypriots were serving in the British Army. Around 8500 with the Cyrpus Regiment and a further 1500 in the Cyprus Volunteer Force. The latter provided some 300 men who eventually served with the Cyprus Regiment in Italy.

5 Cyprus Regiment Pack Transport Companies served with the Polish forces at Cassino and the Gothic line battles in Italy.

Source: The British Empire and the Second World War by Ashley Jackson

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Andy H

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Andy H
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#11

Post by Andy H » 08 Jul 2006, 15:18

Some 500 Cypriots served in France in 1940, in Pioneer units. They were evacuated on May 29th from Dunkirk.

Also around a 1000 Cypriot Pioneers were lost in the Greek campaign in 1941.

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Andy H

Othais
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Re: Cyprus Regiment

#12

Post by Othais » 17 Jan 2013, 21:00

Does anyone know the name of this documentary in Turkish? I'd like to try and find it to watch.

mariandavid
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Re: Cyprus Regiment

#13

Post by mariandavid » 18 Jan 2013, 08:06

The main fighting force of the Regiment was its 1st Infantry Battalion but that remained on the island as part of the garrison (during 1941-1943 an infantry division - examples including the British 50th and Indian 4th - was also stationed there) as the CW knew that the Germans could use it as a staging point from Crete to Syria. There was also a Cyprus Coast Battery at Famagusta with two 4" guns, also part of the Cyprus Regiment.

But the bulk of the men were in support units and the casualties mainly in the 1001st to 1011th Pioneer Companies lost in Crete (note that at this stage of the war they were unarmed). In contrast the Cypriot Pack Group (618th to 622nd Mule Companies) were armed and served in Italy, usually supporting the II Polish Corps.

Sid Guttridge
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Re: Cyprus Regiment

#14

Post by Sid Guttridge » 18 Jan 2013, 12:24

I, too, thought the Cypriot contribution to the Greek campaign was in the form of pioneers.

Cypriot and Palestinian Pioneers were left behind during the evacuation in disproportionate numbers.

I have always wondered whether this was because they were regarded as more expenable than British or Dominion troops.

There is the faint whiff of a possible scandal in this, but I have nothing more than circumstantial evidence for it.

Anyone?

Cheers,

Sid.

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Andy H
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Re: Cyprus Regiment

#15

Post by Andy H » 18 Jan 2013, 14:25

Sid Guttridge wrote:I, too, thought the Cypriot contribution to the Greek campaign was in the form of pioneers.

Cypriot and Palestinian Pioneers were left behind during the evacuation in disproportionate numbers.

I have always wondered whether this was because they were regarded as more expenable than British or Dominion troops.

There is the faint whiff of a possible scandal in this, but I have nothing more than circumstantial evidence for it.

Anyone?

Cheers,

Sid.
Hi Sid

Disproportionate to what exactly?

Given that they were the Army's manual labour, I would imagine that they would be heavily involved in the evacuation process, either at the docks or on the beaches!

Regards

Andy H

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