Hellenic Force in Cyprus

ELDYK in Cyprus (until 1974)

On August 16, 1960, the day that Cyprus became officially independent, ELDYK soldiers and officers disembarked at Famagusta from the Greek Landing Ship Tanks "LIMNOS" (Greek: "ΛΗΜΝΟΣ") and "ALIAKMON" (Greek: "ΑΛΙΑΚΜΩΝ"), the total force was 950 men. The first commander of ELDYK was Colonel Dionysios Arbouzis, a distinguished officer who had already led the Greek Expeditionary Force in Korea. Its camp were established west of Nicosia at the Gerolaκkos or Yerolakkos area, next to the camp of the Turkish Force in Cyprus. The camp was destroyed during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus at 1974.

Intercommunal violence

In December 1963 serious riots and violence broke out between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, the generalization of the conflict and the involvement of the Hellenic Force of Cyprus and Turkish Force of Cyprus was avoided thanks to the intervention of the United Kingdom.^[1]

In March 1964, Sergeant First Class Sotirios Karagiannis was murdered during a new round of violence. In May 1964 Major Dimitrios Poulios and Captain Vasileios Kapotas were murdered in the Turkish Cypriot district of Famagusta, while Captain Panagiotis Tarsoulis was injured. Their driver, police officer Konstantinos Pantelidis was murdered too.^[1] At the same period, members of ELDYK were involved in violent incidents against the Turks.

Turkish invasion of Cyprus (1974)

During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, between 20 July and 16 August 1974, ELDYK fought against the Turkish forces in several battles. The commander of EDLYK, at that time, was Colonel Nikolaos Nikolaidis. Second in command were Lieutenant Colonel Konstantinos Papagiannis, during the first phase of invasion (20–23 July 1974) and until 9 August, and Lieutenant Colonel Panagiotis Stavroulopoulos, from 10 August and during all the second phase of the invasion (14–16 August 1974). Panagiotis Stavroulopoulos was deputy commander of the ELDYK till September of the same year. During the invasion, ELDYK's units were dispatches to various places in Cyprus in order to help the Cypriot National Guard. Along with ELDYK, Greece managed to involve an airborne battalion in fighting, raising the total number of Greek troops to 1500-2000 men. The Cypriot National Guard managed to mobilise only a fraction of its 10,000 force, while the total number of the Turkish invading force, was around 40,000.^[2]

Battles

The most notable battles involving ELDYK forces at 1974, were:

Location of Turkish forces during the late hours of 20 July 1974. ELDYK contingents in blue.

• The battle of Paphos (20 July 1974)
• Attacks against the area of Kioneli (20–21 July 1974)
• The battle of the ELDYK camp (22–23 July 1974)
• The battle of Nicosia International Airport (23 July 1974)
• The battle of Lapithos (6 August 1974)
• The battle of Karavas (6 August 1974)
• The battle of Vasilia Passage (7 August 1974)
• The battle of the English College (14 August 1974)
• The second battle of the ELDYK camp (14–16 August 1974)

A total of 105 men were lost (47 dead and 58 missing). Some of these men are buried in the Tomb of Makedonitissa.

Emblem

The ELDYK emblem shows the silhouettes of Greece and Cyprus crowned with a common laurel wreath. Between the two countries is the emblem of the Greek Army. Under the wreath is written "ΕΛΔΥΚ 1960", which is the abbreviation of the force in Greek ("ΕΛΔΥΚ") and the year it disembarked at Cyprus ("1960"). At the top is written the motto of ELDYK: "ΤΟ ΟΜΑΙΜΟΝ ΤΕ ΚΑΙ ΟΜΟΓΛΩΣΣΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΜΟΘΡΗΣΚΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΜΟΤΡΟΠΟΝ". The two blue tints on the emblem represents the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea, symbolizing the same sea and sky surrounds these two countries.^[3]

Motto

The motto of ELDYK is "Το όμαιμόν τε και ομόγλωσσον και ομόθρησκον και ομότροπον", which means: "The same ancestry and common language and common religion and common traditions".

This is an alteration of the work of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who had written in the eighth book of Histories, entitled Urania, at 144: "...αύτις το ελληνικόν εόν όμαιμόν τε και ομόγλωσσον και θεών ιδρύματα κοινά και θυσίαι ήθεά τε ομότροπα...", which means: "...the Greek nation is from the same ancestry and have common language and common sanctuaries and common sacrifices and common traditions...".^[3][4] The meaning is that Greeks share the same national identity and consciousness, regardless of borders.^[3]

Personnel

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece Dimitrios Droutsas, visiting the camp of ELDYK in 2010.

Soldiers and officers of the Hellenic Force in Cyprus(ELDYK) are all Greek citizens. Soldiers are selected among the ranks of conscripts who do their military service. Although some men volunteer for the unit, the core of the force is selected directly by the Greek Army General Staff on the basis of physical ability and skills.

After the completion of their basic training in Greece they are dispatched to Cyprus on planes, separated into two detachments totalling approximately 300 men: one detachment departs from Sparta and the other from the armored training camp of Avlon. Although not as demanding as the training received in units of the Special Forces, the training of ELDYK is considerably harder than the training received by ordinary infantrymen serving in Greece, making it one of the most battle ready units of the Greek Armed Forces. In compensation for serving abroad, the men of ELDYK are salaried and have access to better facilities.^[5]

Men who are selected for ELDYK are nicknamed Eldykarioi (Greek: Ελδυκάριοι), singular: Eldykarios (Greek: Ελδυκάριος). This nickname stays with them long after they return to Greece. When their service at Cyprus is completed and they are about to return to Greece to continue their service there, the army awards them with special honors for their service at Cyprus.

Military ranks scale and ranks insignia

ELDYK follows the Greek's army ranks scale and insignia (Officers ranks and ranks insignia, Non-commissioned officers and soldiers ranks and ranks insignia), which has the NATO standard ranks scale.

Uniforms

Patch of the formal uniforms

There are 2 types of military uniforms, one formal for parades, celebrations, and other special occasions (like the Army Service Uniform-ASU), and the everyday combat uniform (like the Army Combat Uniform-ACU). The uniforms are the same as in the Greek army, with the difference of embroidered patches on both shoulders (shoulder sleeve insignia), which have black letters that form the word: "ΕΛΔΥΚ" (ΕΛΔΥΚ is the abbreviation of the force in Greek).

The patches are dark green (low visibility patches) in the combat military uniforms, and yellow in the formal uniforms. Unofficially, these patches are called: eldykosima (Greek: ελδυκόσημα), singular: eldykosimo (Greek: ελδυκόσημο), which means: "the badge of ELDYK". The uniform camouflage pattern is the Greek Lizard.

Equipment

Personnel of ELDYK are using Greek's army equipment. The service rifles of ELDYK soldiers are some variants of G3.

Headquarters Camp

The headquarters camp is near Nicosia. Its name is "Camp of Major Sotirios Staurianakos". The camp is named in honor of the Captain Sotirios Staurianakos, who was killed at 16 August 1974 during the last day of the battle of the ELDYK camp. He was posthumously promoted to Major after his death.^[6] In the camp, there is a memorial representing a soldier who gestures with his hand towards the area of the previous camp of ELDYK (destroyed during the Turkish invasion at 1974) and has inscribed on a marble slab the names and the ranks of the officers and soldiers of the force who were killed or are missing.

Museum

The museum of ELDYK is at its headquarters camp. Because the museum is located in a military area under the control of the army, permission from the army must be granted in order to visit.

Cyprus

Greece

( * ) The word "Cyprus" is engraved on the tomb in order to honor the men who were killed in Cyprus.

In Greek

In English

Videos

• Αργύρης, Ντινόπουλος (1998). "ΕΛΔΥΚ 1974" [ELDYK 1974]. Στον δρόμο (On the road) (in Greek). Greece. ANT1.

• Panagiotis Stavroulopoulos interview (in Greek). Deputy commander of the ELDYK from 10 August 1974 and during all the second phase of the Turkish invasion.

• Παγωμένος Χρόνος [Frozen Time] (in Greek). 2011.

• ΕΛ.ΔΥ.Κ. - Οι σύγχρονοι ήρωες [EL.DY.K. The modern heroes] (Television production) (in Greek). Cyprus: PIK1.

• Interview of Greek veterans who were in Cyprus at 1964-1967 club president (in Greek).