TIMI, Cyprus April 1964 with The Swedish UN Peacekeepers

Readers mail…..
From Anders Arvidsson, a Swedish former UN Peacekeeper….

Hello Chris,

Here is another story “TIMI, Cyprus April 1964 with The Swedish UN Peacekeepers” from 60 years ago and I will try to keep as close to sixty as I can, in future contributions. This happened at the end of April as you can see.

It was a terrible time that spring for the Turks, the small villages were surrounded by thugs who had not had forgotten their EOKA manners. Armed and supported by the so-called government and the police. Those captured by the UN at the second fight in Timi were loaded on lorries, taken to the police headquarters in Paphos, and then just released.

Even Makarios called them “Special Policemen”

We have to speak out about it !!

All the best.

Anders

TIMI April 1964 with The Swedish UN Peace keepers.

In the spring of 1964, while the UN troops gathered and began functioning, skirmishes were seen here and there around the island.

According to UNFICYP archives, the most exposed area was the slopes of Troodos, allotted to the Swedish contingent as an area of responsibility. The 900 men’s strong force were positioned in Paphos, Polis, Lefka, and Xeros(Geminkonagi). In these areas, they opened up observation posts in certain strategic villages in order to cover as much as possible of the district. Of course, it was not possible to be present in all of the small villages.

Timi was a mixed village of 630 inhabitants, a third being Turkish Cypriots, and was about 10 km east of Paphos. On the evening of April 22nd, shooting started between the two sides. When the Swedish Rapid Reaction Force in the form of four Ferrets armoured cars arrived, the Turkish side ceased fire while the Greeks kept on shooting and now also against the UN troops.

However, at about midnight negotiations and the presence of the UN resulted in a cease-fire and life went back to as normal as best it could.

An OP was established and the UN patrolled the village both day and night during the coming week. Despite this, the Greek side of the village was invaded by what was called Special Policemen, this was a force consisting mostly of former EOKA people with limited trustworthiness in keeping promises about a cease-fire. Tensions grew day by day, and most villagers just wanted to live in peace but were sceptical about the protection of the UN if something should happen again.

The fighting starts

At 21.00 pm April 29th Staff Sergeant Martinsson, group leader of the OP TIMI went on a patrol in the village with some of his men. When turning round a street corner they were fired upon by the Greek Cypriots. “Cease Fire! We are UN!” the demand was made but received no response only more bullets. Reinforcements by the Rapid Reaction Force were requested and in about 40 minutes more of the armoured cars arrived.

The task of peacekeeping gets harder!

Now the shooting had escalated into a full-scale war between the two parts of the village. Two Ferrets drove into the Turkish part and when the Swedes are seen, the shooting immediately came to an end. A decision is made that a full force of the Ferrets should attack the Greek Cypriot part from where firing was still going on. It is obvious that the firing is directed towards the UN and civilian Turkish Cypriots who are not firing back.

Two of the Greek positions were chosen for the attack, a red house with a brick roof and some kind of silo with a corrugated iron roof, from both these the outcoming firing was intense.

The UN take control and stop the fighting

The Ferret cars advanced towards the targets and from 250 meters they started firing with their heavy automatic guns. From the red house roof tiles started dropping off and men are seen running out to take cover in a field behind the house. The silo looses some parts of its roof, and the walls are riddled with bullets, and marksmen are seen to rush down and out to reach safety.

With the armoured cars in front and foot soldiers advancing on each defence post and every house so they could be cleared. The terrified Greek Cypriots end up with a ring of UN soldiers surrounding them and are forced to lay down their arms. All their armament is taken and catalogued and among them are Kalashnikovs AK 47, Rifles with telescopic sights, and modern NATO guns.

The total of 40 “Special Policemen” are loaded onto lorries and taken to Paphos for interrogation by the Greek Cypriot authorities!!!

The heavier weapons used during the fighting are later found after a similar operation took place when the mill in the village was surrounded by the Ferret Platoon. Lots of Greek Cypriots in uniforms two Heavy Machine Guns and lots of ammunition were taken and, they needed two lorries to take the lot away.

Great attention was paid to these operations since they were the first direct-fire locations involved where the UN showed a firm and distinct action to disarm the troublemakers and disturbers of the peace, proceedings that benefitted from the respect for the Swedish UN troops involved.