Cyprus: Then and Now - Operation "Mercy" July 1974

Cyprus: Then and Now – Operation “Mercy” July 1974

We have just received news from Oz Orman who produces so many fine and interesting videos on the Morten Park FC YouTube channel and like so many others this is a fantastic look at Cyprus History.

Cyprus- Stories of 74: Then and Now- Operation “Mercy” July 1974

“A good Navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guarantee of peace.”

Theodore Roosevelt.

An independent video project on Operation “Mercy” carried out by the British Royal Navy on Tuesday 23rd July 1974. The aim of the mission was to evacuate foreign nationals, tourists, and the stranded from the island of Cyprus. The Royal Navy was supported on the day by members of the United Nations force on the island (UNFICYP).

Operation. “Mercy’s” evacuations took place on the north coast on either side of the town of Kyrenia. This is the story of that event and the politics of the time.

You may be wondering why some settlements are referred to by different names in this video. The Greek and Turkish communities called these towns and villages by names chosen by them or something similar. However, some people still refer to these places by their pre-1974 names. The whole situation is still a bone of contention for both groups.

Thank you to everyone who supported this non-monetised project.

What happened to the ships featured in this video?

HMS Rhyl – In service – 1960-1983 Scuttled in 1985	HMS Hermes- In service – 1959-1984 Joined Indian Navy in 1987 until 2017 Scrapped- 2021.	RFA Olna- In service – 1966-2000 Demolished 2001
HMS Devonshire- In service – 1962-1978 Sunk as a target in 1984	HMS Andromeda In service- 1968 – 1993 Joined Indian Navy in 1995 until 2012 Sunk as a target in 2012