Let’s honour our Turkish Cypriot heroes on November 10th, says CTCA President

The President of  Konsey, the UK’s  Council of  Turkish Cypriot Associations, is writing to all his members , encouraging them to celebrate national Remembrance  Day , November 10th, and the thousands of Turkish Cypriot soldiers who fought for freedom in World War 2 in the Cyprus  Regiment. Some 30,000 Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots fought side by side, initially unarmed and unprotected, as they delivered vital ammunition, food and water right up to the front lines, under heavy shellfire. Some Turkish Cypriot  troops  even won the  prestigious  Military Medal for  bravery, and some died in European Concentration Camps. The Regiment’s  only native-born Cypriot Commander was  Lieutenant  Colonel Faik Muftuzade OBE, Queen’s Medal for Gallantry (1974). 

Winston Churchill himself praised the regiment’s  bravery when he  made a secret wartime  visit to the  island. 

President Nafi   writes:”  If  any of  your members had  uncles or fathers  who fought in the  Cyprus  Regiment, Navy or RAF, it would  reflect pride in the  whole  Turkish Cypriot Community  if  they were  to  celebrate  them  by attending  local  borough  ceremonies on November, by marching or  laying  wreaths in  their  memory.” “It’s a matter of  national pride that the only native Cypriot Commander of the  Cyprus  Regiment  was  a  Turkish Cypriot. And in Wood Green, we shall be remembering our own local hero, soldier Cengiz  Azimkar, who was  shot by the IRA in Northern Ireland in 2009, while serving with the Royal Engineers. His parents and his  regiment will be  laying  wreaths in his honour on November 10th.”

Seyyare Beyzade, President of TWPA, the Turkish Women’s Philanthropic Association, said this week:

“We  have formed our own Turkish Cypriot Remembrance Society, along with a permanent  mobile exhibition devoted  to Turkish Cypriot heroes, to spread knowledge and respect for our role in World War Two and other conflicts. This November 10, more Turkish Cypriots will march or lay wreaths than ever before, so we are proud to be flag-bearers in this cause.”For full details of how you can celebrate a family member in your local Remembrance parade, please contact the  TWPA, telephone  07786 196157, E :[email protected]

TWPA President Seyyare Beyzade (left) and  CTCA President Kenan Nafi beside a  photo of Wood  Green hero  Patrick Cengiz  Azimkar, part of TWPA’s permanent exhibition devoted to the Turkish Cypriot role in World War 2 and other conflicts.