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Hellenic (Greek) Force in Cyprus
???????? ????? ?????? (?????)
Active 1959present
Country Cyprus
Allegiance Kingdom of Greece (19591973)
Greece (1973present)
Branch Army
Type Mechanized Group
Role Military Force
Size c. 1000
Part of HellenicArmySeal.svg Hellenic Army
Garrison/HQ Nicosia, Cyprus ("Camp of Major Sotirios Staurianakos")
Nickname(s)
ELDYK (Greek: ?????)
Eldykarioi (Greek: ??????????)
Motto(s) ?? ????? ?? ??? ????????? ??? ????????? ??? ????????
(Greek: The same blood/ancestry and common language and common religion and common
traditions)
Uniform Camouflage Greek Lizard
Service Rifle G3
Engagements Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Website Hellenic Army Official Website
Commanders
Notable
commanders Dionysios Arbouzis (first)
Insignia
Patch of the formal uniforms ELDYK patch formal.jpg
Patch of the everyday and combat uniforms
(low visibility) Eldyk patch.jpg
Abbreviation ????? or ??.??.?.
The Hellenic (Greek) Force in Cyprus (Greek: ???????? ????? ??????), (Turkish:
Kibris Yunan Alayi), commonly known in its abbreviated form as ELDYK or EL.DY.K.
(Greek: ????? or ??.??.?., Greek pronunciation: [el?'ik], Turkish: KYA, Turkish
pronunciation: [kejea]) is the permanent, regiment-sized Greek military force
stationed in the Republic of Cyprus. Its role is to help and support the Cypriot
National Guard. Soldiers are selected from the ranks of conscripts doing their
military service in the Greek army.
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 ELDYK in Cyprus (until 1974)
1.2 Intercommunal violence
1.3 Turkish invasion of Cyprus (1974)
1.3.1 Battles
1.3.2 Classes
1.3.3 Equipment
2 The Tomb of Makedonitissa
3 ELDYK Today
3.1 Emblem
3.2 Motto
3.3 Personnel
3.4 Military ranks scale and ranks insignia
3.5 Uniforms
3.6 Equipment
3.7 Headquarters Camp
3.8 Museum
4 In popular culture
5 Additional information
6 Monuments and memorials
6.1 Cyprus
6.2 Greece
7 Gallery
8 See also
9 References
10 Further reading
10.1 In Greek
10.1.1 About ELDYK
10.1.2 About the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
10.2 In English
10.2.1 About Turkish invasion of Cyprus
11 External links
11.1 Videos
History[edit]
ELDYK was formed on November 20, 1959 at Agios Stefanos, Athens, soon after the
Zrich and London Agreements established the independence of Cyprus. Per the
subsequent Treaty of Guarantee, Greece, along with Turkey and the United Kingdom,
would be the new state's guarantor powers. To that end, the permanent presence of a
small military detachment from both Greece and Turkey was authorized, in addition
to the British military presence in the Sovereign Base Areas. It was established as
a tripartite headquarters of Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. In this headquarters
belonged the Hellenic Force in Cyprus with 950 men and the Turkish Force in Cyprus
(error: {{lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help), Greek pronunciation: [tur'?ik])
with 650 men, as it was agreed in the Zrich and London Agreement.
Intercommunal violence[edit]
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.[citation needed]
Battles[edit]
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 (2021 July 1974)
The battle of the ELDYK camp (2223 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 (1416 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.
Classes[edit]
The classes of ELDYK that fought in 1974 were the 103th, 105th and 107th.
Class 103 consisted of soldiers who were being discharged and were due to return to
Greece on board the Greek Landing Ship Tank (ex-USS LST-389) "Lesvos" (Greek: "???
??"). They departed Cyprus on 19 July 1974, after the arrival of their replacement
class 107. When the invasion started on the 20th of July 1974, the Hellenic Navy
ordered the commander of Lesvos (by then sailing off Rhodes), Lt Cdr Eleftherios
Handrinos, to change course and return to Cyprus in order to disembark its troops.
That same afternoon, the ship arrived at Paphos and class 103 disembarked. Soldiers
from class 103 manned the ship's guns and for over two hours shelled the Turkish
Cypriot forces in the area. The Turkish Cypriot forces surrendered to the Cypriot
National Guard and their weapons and equipment were captured. Soon after, the men
of class 103 moved during the night towards the Nicosia International Airport. In
the morning, they arrived at the airport and from there they eventually reached the
camp of ELDYK.
Class 107 was composed of new recruits who had come to replace class 103. They
arrived at Cyprus on "Lesvos" at 19 July 1974, one day before the invasion. UNFICYP
monitored the rotation of ELDYK's classes and they kept their HQ informed
concerning the progress of the operation. After the Lesvos disembarkation, UNFICYP
confirmed that she had brought 410 men and 11 vehicles from class 107, and taken
out 422 men and 10 vehicles from class 103.
Equipment[edit]
The equipment of ELDYK's men at that time were:
In this tomb are buried Greek Cypriot and some Greek officers and soldiers who
killed during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus at 1974.
ELDYK Today[edit]
ELDYK is still in Cyprus and its headquarters is near Nicosia; its previous camp
was destroyed in 1974 and the surrounding area (Gerolakkos or Yerolakkos area) is
now under Turkish control. Its role is to support the Cypriot National Guard; for
this reason, ELDYK regularly holds joint military exercises in cooperation with the
Cypriot National Guard.
Emblem[edit]
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 "????? 1960", which is the abbreviation of the force in Greek
("?????") and the year it disembarked at Cyprus ("1960"). At the top is written the
motto of ELDYK: "?? ??????? ?? ??? ?????????? ??? ?????????? ??? ?????????". 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[edit]
The motto of ELDYK is "?? ????? ?? ??? ????????? ??? ????????? ??? ????????",
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:
"...????? ?? ????????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ????????? ??? ???? ????
??? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ???????...", 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[edit]
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: ??????????),
singular: Eldykarios (Greek: ??????????). 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.
Uniforms[edit]
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: ?????????), singular: eldykosimo (Greek: ?????????),
which means: "the badge of ELDYK". The uniform camouflage pattern is the Greek
Lizard.
Equipment[edit]
Personnel of ELDYK are using Greek's army equipment. The service rifles of ELDYK
soldiers are some variants of G3.
Headquarters Camp[edit]
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[edit]
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.
In popular culture[edit]
In Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, the character Kure Galanos is the daughter of an ex-
ELDYK sharpshooter.
The Greek music band "????-?????" created the song "??? ????? ?? ??????????"
(English: The lads of ELDYK).
Additional information[edit]
In 2010, a commemorative event was held at Strovolos, Nicosia in order to celebrate
the 50 years of ELDYK's presence in Cyprus.
The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, has a weekly 1-hour radio show, dedicated to
ELDYK.
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military: 113,517
civilian: 7,357
Expenditures
Budget 4,001 million (2014)[4]
Percent of GDP 2,23% (2014)
Industry
Domestic suppliers ELBO, EAS (EBO, Pyrkal), Miltech, KEA, EAB, Theon,
Sunlight, IDE, Elfon, HDVS, Elmon, Apella, Metka, VEMEKEP, BOSA, SIELMAN, Akmon,
ISI, Valpak, Thales, Prisma, SSMART, TELETEL, Barracuda, Motomarine, Elefsis
Shipyards, Neorion, GAL, Axon, Spider, Vipon, TEMMA, Grantex, Kampakas, Kouimtzis
Group, Hellenic Shipyards Co., Kioleides, EODH, BSK Defense, OMI Ordtech, HAT
Foreign suppliers Brazil
Canada
France
Germany
Italy
Russia
United Kingdom
United States
Related articles
Ranks Greek military ranks
The Hellenic Armed Forces (Greek: E???????? ??????? ???????, Elliniks noples
Dynmis) are combined military forces of Greece. They consist of the Hellenic
National Defense General Staff, the Hellenic Army, the Hellenic Navy, and the
Hellenic Air Force.
The civilian authority for the Greek military is the Ministry of National Defense.
Contents [hide]
1 Conscription, budget, international operations
2 Component forces and their organization
2.1 Hellenic National Defense General Staff
2.2 Hellenic Army
2.3 Hellenic Navy
2.4 Hellenic Air Force
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
Conscription, budget, international operations[edit]
Greece currently has universal compulsory military service for males, under which
all men above 18 years of age serve for 9 months. Women may serve in the Greek
military, but cannot be conscripted. According to NATO, in 2008, Greece spent 2.8
percent of G.D.P. on its military, or about 6.9 billion, or around $9.3 billion.
Greece is the largest importer of conventional weapons in Europe and its military
spending is the highest in the European Union (relative to G.D.P).
Hellenic Army[edit]
Main article: Hellenic Army
The basic components of the Hellenic Army are Arms and Corps, the first responsible
for combat missions and the latter for logistical support. It is organized in
Commands, formations, and units with the basic being brigade, division and corps.
Its main mission is to guarantee the territorial integrity and independence of the
state.[5]
Hellenic Navy[edit]
Main article: Hellenic Navy
Hellenic Navy possesses a powerful fleet, consisted of strike units (Frigates,
Gunboats, Submarines and Fast Attack Guided Missile Vessels) and support vessels in
order to conduct naval operations that ensure the protection of Hellenic
territories.[5]
See also[edit]
flag Military of Greece portal
Conscription in Greece
Hellenic army
Greek military ranks
Hellenic Republic / Ministry of National Defense
List of Greek military bases
Military history of Greece
Military history of Greece during World War II
Athens War Museum
References[edit]
Jump up ^ http://e-amyna.com/?p=5967
Jump up ^ Defence Data Portal
Jump up ^ CIA World Factbook, [1]
Jump up ^ [2]
^ Jump up to: a b c d http://www.mod.mil.gr/Pages/MainAnalysisPage2.asp?
HyperLinkID=2&MainLinkID=25
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hellenic Armed Forces.
Hellenic Ministry of Defense official website
Hellenic National Defense General Staff official website
Hellenic Army General Staff official website
Hellenic Navy General Staff official website
Hellenic Air Force General Staff official website
Defense expenditures of NATO countries
[show] v t e
Hellenic Armed Forces
[show] v t e
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
[show] v t e
Militaries of the member states of the European Union
[show] v t e
Militaries of Europe
[show] v t e
Greece articles
[show] v t e
Greek security forces
Categories: Military of Greece
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?????????
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???
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???????
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This page was last edited on 22 October 2017, at 19:40.
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additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy. Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation,
Inc., a non-profit organization.
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