Cyprus-Forum.com

[Jery]

YW.

I know that about 30,000 Cypriots fought against the Nazis. I'm sure, like any Cypriot politician, views will be diverse and of course passionate. I did though have a lot of non political admiration for Clerides, whom I know was a Wellington pilot, shot down over Germany and made a POW. With a busted leg to start he escaped from a Stalag. Three bloody times! Mentioned in despatches.

Respect.

Clerides initially trained as a pilot but was gunner/wireless operator when he was shot down, I'm not sure if he ever qualified as a pilot. My dad was in the RAF too, he met Clerides at Exeter RAF base, being two of the few, if any, Cypriots stationed there they became quite good friends and kept in touch after the war, dad visited him several times when he was in office in Nicosia.

What makes me really mad about what happened to people like my father is that after risking their lives for the British Empire in WW2 the UK government has reneged on their undertaking to "uphold the territorial integrity and independence of Cyprus", in fact it's worse than that as they appear to be Turkey's bum chums.

I doubt anyone was fighting for the British Empire.

It was a war against NAZI imperialism. This wasn't a war about British imperialism as most European countries, Britain included, were running the gauntlet against the NAZIs who were dominant and could have easily won as well if it wasn't for a few mistakes they made like the Japanese hitting Pearl Harbour,

Face it! If it wasn't for the Yanks and the Eastern Front (Russians), Europe would have lost.

My father was conscripted into the RAF, saving the British Empire was not his motivation for joining but that is what he was doing. I met a friend of his many years after the war, this chap hated the British but he volunteered to join up. He was underage but still joined, I asked him why and he simply said "because I was hungry, I knew I would be fed in the army"

[Paphitis]

YW.

I know that about 30,000 Cypriots fought against the Nazis. I'm sure, like any Cypriot politician, views will be diverse and of course passionate. I did though have a lot of non political admiration for Clerides, whom I know was a Wellington pilot, shot down over Germany and made a POW. With a busted leg to start he escaped from a Stalag. Three bloody times! Mentioned in despatches.

Respect.

Clerides initially trained as a pilot but was gunner/wireless operator when he was shot down, I'm not sure if he ever qualified as a pilot. My dad was in the RAF too, he met Clerides at Exeter RAF base, being two of the few, if any, Cypriots stationed there they became quite good friends and kept in touch after the war, dad visited him several times when he was in office in Nicosia.

What makes me really mad about what happened to people like my father is that after risking their lives for the British Empire in WW2 the UK government has reneged on their undertaking to "uphold the territorial integrity and independence of Cyprus", in fact it's worse than that as they appear to be Turkey's bum chums.

I doubt anyone was fighting for the British Empire.

It was a war against NAZI imperialism. This wasn't a war about British imperialism as most European countries, Britain included, were running the gauntlet against the NAZIs who were dominant and could have easily won as well if it wasn't for a few mistakes they made like the Japanese hitting Pearl Harbour,

Face it! If it wasn't for the Yanks and the Eastern Front (Russians), Europe would have lost.

My father was conscripted into the RAF, saving the British Empire was not his motivation for joining but that is what he was doing. I met a friend of his many years after the war, this chap hated the British but he volunteered to join up. He was underage but still joined, I asked him why and he simply said "because I was hungry, I knew I would be fed in the army"

He also saved Europe, Greece, Poland...you name it. We were all fighting the same enemy and at one stage were even in deep trouble.

It wouldn’t matter if he was in the British Army or Greek Army.

[Londonrake]

UK Government supplies Turkey with military hardware...........................

Turkey's a member of NATO and has traditionally imported most of it's weapons from allies. Principally the US of course (60%), although many others sell them considerable amounts of arms, including Germany and.....................France . That hasn't stopped Erdogan from recently signing a €2.5 billion contract to buy a Russian missile system. All "Bum chums"? Many have now restricted or even stopped arms export licences to the place.

.................................. not too many years ago Cameron was chief cheerleader for Turkey joining the EU

Not too long either before - at his invitation - I personally (along with 17,410,741 others) told Dave where he could stick his EU. Along with a recommendation that he consider a new career - as a non-entity civilian. One which he thankfully accepted. Whilst the prospect of any of 83 million Turkish muslims wandering around Europe unfettered (at a time when Erdogan was giving out Turkish passports to Hamas like sweets) did feature in the debate it wasn't a major consideration at the time.

So, no, I don't accept anything Dave (nor for that matter Tony) said about Turkish membership of the EU (which, even to a blind horse, was never going to happen) represents the opinion of my nation.

Your problem isn't about arms sales or EU recommendations sunshine. It's that you're mentally fucked up about Britain. Who of course is clearly responsible for all of the Greek Cypriot nation's problems in yours- and others in here's - minds.

Advice? You need to tuck your id away back where it belongs and move on.

Now - if you'll excuse me - I have a date with Gal Gadot.

[Jery]

UK Government supplies Turkey with military hardware...........................

Turkey's a member of NATO and has traditionally imported most of it's weapons from allies. Principally the US of course (60%), although many others sell them considerable amounts of arms, including Germany and.....................France . That hasn't stopped Erdogan from recently signing a €2.5 billion contract to buy a Russian missile system. All "Bum chums"? Many have now restricted or even stopped arms export licences to the place.

.................................. not too many years ago Cameron was chief cheerleader for Turkey joining the EU

Not too long either before - at his invitation - I personally (along with 17,410,741 others) told Dave where he could stick his EU. Along with a recommendation that he consider a new career - as a non-entity civilian. One which he thankfully accepted. Whilst the prospect of any of 83 million Turkish muslims wandering around Europe unfettered (at a time when Erdogan was giving out Turkish passports to Hamas like sweets) did feature in the debate it wasn't a major consideration at the time.

So, no, I don't accept anything Dave (nor for that matter Tony) said about Turkish membership of the EU (which, even to a blind horse, was never going to happen) represents the opinion of my nation.

Your problem isn't about arms sales or EU recommendations sunshine. It's that you're mentally fucked up about Britain. Who of course is clearly responsible for all of the Greek Cypriot nation's problems in yours- and others in here's - minds.

Advice? You need to tuck your id away back where it belongs and move on.

Now - if you'll excuse me - I have a date with Gal Gadot.

Patronising git - sunshine, what do you think you are, a bloody mindreader? I do not blame Britain for ALL the Greek Cypriot nation's problems, I also blame the likes of Grivas and Denktash and to some extent amateur politicians like Makarios. But remember this, Cyprus was the only British colony that did not receive majority rule - probably because it caved in to Turkish pressure and it was only really interested in retaining its bases. Britain has also reneged on its obligations under The Treaty of Guarantee.

As for my id, that's rich coming from a supporter of Brexit who lives in an EU country, move on, Turkey perhaps?

[Londonrake]

Patronising git - sunshine, what do you think you are, a bloody mindreader? I do not blame Britain for ALL the Greek Cypriot nation's problems, I also blame the likes of Grivas and Denktash and to some extent amateur politicians like Makarios. But remember this, Cyprus was the only British colony that did not receive majority rule - probably because it caved in to Turkish pressure and it was only really interested in retaining its bases. Britain has also reneged on its obligations under The Treaty of Guarantee.

As for my id, that's rich coming from a supporter of Brexit who lives in an EU country, move on, Turkey perhaps?

Ohh dear, tut, tut. How disappointing.

I raised this OP 3 years ago. At the time of the release of Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" film. In my initial post I highlighted the little acknowledged part Cypriot soldiers played. A few later I proferred my respect for Glafcos Cleridies war service, whether I got his role correct or not. An honourable man, whom I respected.

3 years later it's resurrected and you pile in with how your Father fought for the British Empire but for all his efforts was betrayed by them.

I don't believe - nor would any reasonably rational person I submit - that the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee was a blank cheque underwriting the events of July 15 - 20th 1974.

I don't get your reference to myself and Brexit. I've had 40 years experience of the corrupt and undemocratic EU and Westminster's associated political betrayals. After a 4 year bitter war (still really ongoing), by people who laughingly call themselves "democrats", following a clear vote to leave, the inevitable moment of reckoning came last December. The potential realisation (I still don't trust the bastards) of something I've hoped for - but never been allowed a vote on for decades - the UK's leaving the EU and all of it's suffocating influences - now seems a possibility. I can guarantee - if it reassures - that you will be hard pressed to find anybody in the UK these days recommending any other nation for EU membership.

Your arguments about Britain supplying Turkey with arms and supporting its EU membership were countered by the realities - ignored in your last post. Ultimately, your attitude comes down to simple anti-British racist clap-trap. Someone of your intelligence should be ashamed of that.

Here's a friendly suggestion. How about you stop digging? Is that patronising?

[Jery]

Patronising git - sunshine, what do you think you are, a bloody mindreader? I do not blame Britain for ALL the Greek Cypriot nation's problems, I also blame the likes of Grivas and Denktash and to some extent amateur politicians like Makarios. But remember this, Cyprus was the only British colony that did not receive majority rule - probably because it caved in to Turkish pressure and it was only really interested in retaining its bases. Britain has also reneged on its obligations under The Treaty of Guarantee.

As for my id, that's rich coming from a supporter of Brexit who lives in an EU country, move on, Turkey perhaps?

Ohh dear, tut, tut. How disappointing.

I raised this OP 3 years ago. At the time of the release of Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" film. In my initial post I highlighted the little acknowledged part Cypriot soldiers played. A few later I proferred my respect for Glafcos Cleridies war service, whether I got his role correct or not. An honourable man, whom I respected.

3 years later it's resurrected and you pile in with how your Father fought for the British Empire but for all his efforts was betrayed by them.

I don't believe - nor would any reasonably rational person I submit - that the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee was a blank cheque underwriting the events of July 15 - 20th 1974.

I don't get your reference to myself and Brexit. I've had 40 years experience of the corrupt and undemocratic EU and Westminster's associated political betrayals. After a 4 year bitter war (still really ongoing), by people who laughingly call themselves "democrats", following a clear vote to leave, the inevitable moment of reckoning came last December. The potential realisation (I still don't trust the bastards) of something I've hoped for - but never been allowed a vote on for decades - the UK's leaving the EU and all of it's suffocating influences - now seems a possibility. I can guarantee - if it reassures - that you will be hard pressed to find anybody in the UK these days recommending any other nation for EU membership.

Your arguments about Britain supplying Turkey with arms and supporting its EU membership were countered by the realities - ignored in your last post. Ultimately, your attitude comes down to simple anti-British racist clap-trap. Someone of your intelligence should be ashamed of that.

Here's a friendly suggestion. How about you stop digging? Is that patronising?

Well your first line sums you up perfectly - a pompous prig. Before you respond to posts you should read and try to understand them, what does I also blame the likes of Grivas and Denktash and to some extent amateur politicians like Makarios. mean?

Explain how a British person like me (I'm not a GC, I was born in UK, I don't speak Greek, my mother was Cockney and my father held a British passport) has an attitude comes down to simple anti-British racist clap-trap and should be ashamed of expressing his views about his homeland.

As for realities, UK sold arms to the value of £1,604,000,000 between 2008 and 2017 to Turkey; hardly the action of state that even cares about how others perceive its International Treaty obligations. Nobody expects UK to go to war with Turkey over Cyprus, the least we should expect is diplomatic and economic pressure rather acting as Turkey's bum chum but we only get weasel words supporting UN resolutions.

[Cap]

God bless them.

[Londonrake]

Well your first line sums you up perfectly - a pompous prig......................................................

Explain how a British person like me (I'm not a GC, I was born in UK, I don't speak Greek, my mother was Cockney and my father held a British passport) has an attitude comes down to simple anti-British racist clap-trap and should be ashamed of expressing his views about his homeland.

So funny. I grew up in a London East End ghetto (yep, another Cockney) . One family up, one down. Ten of us. The bath hung outside on a nail. Heating was a coal fire in the living rooms - that was it. The single loo for all of us was in the garden where we wiped our butts on squares of newspaper hung on a piece of string. Mostly News of the World. I probably learned as much from reading about Diana Dors antics there as in any school. To get out I joined the Parachute Regiment as a 16 year old kid. An Agoge. So - "pompous" - I really don't think so somehow.

I doubt absolutely anybody in my total - very extensive - family had a passport until the 60s. It was a "posh" thing.

As for realities, UK sold arms to the value of £1,604,000,000 between 2008 and 2017 to Turkey; hardly the action of state that even cares about how others perceive its International Treaty obligations. Nobody expects UK to go to war with Turkey over Cyprus, the least we should expect is diplomatic and economic pressure rather acting as Turkey's bum chum but we only get weasel words supporting UN resolutions.

Please let us know how much other countries arms sales to Turkey were.

Nobody's going to war with Turkey, whatever happens regarding any aspect of the East Med. As far as "weasel words" and UN resolutions are concerned, doesn't that apply to just about any country's efforts? You're just being racist and as a Charlie trying to have your cake and eat it.

Listen - how about giving it a rest? Because the truth is:

Cap - yes - that's what the thread's (supposed to be) about.

[Kikapu]

The single loo for all of us was in the garden where we wiped our butts on squares of newspaper hung on a piece of string.

I remember those days in London in the late 60’s. There were 16 living in our building for one bog in the garden and one bathtub, where you needed to drop a shilling into the gas meter to heat up the water. Many times ended up rinsing off in cold water, because the gas meter was in the passageway.

[Londonrake]

The single loo for all of us was in the garden where we wiped our butts on squares of newspaper hung on a piece of string.

I remember those days in London in the late 60’s. There were 16 living in our building for one bog in the garden and one bathtub, where you needed to drop a shilling into the gas meter to heat up the water. Many times ended up rinsing off in cold water, because the gas meter was in the passageway.

What!!!!! We used to dreeeeeeaaaaam about having a gas meter! 1955 - 61. My Mum had to heat the bathwater up in saucepans on the stove. I was lucky, the oldest and went first.

Ahh, the good ole days............................... ehh?

Sorry - I'm being pompous.