Cyprus Conflict 1974
2024 is the 50th anniversary of the Turkish military intervention on the island of Cyprus in July 1974. We will be highlighting some of the main events on social media, and this page provides the background and resources to better understand the conflict.
Turkish Plans
The 1964 and 1967 crises involved interventions by the Turkish Air Force, but the Turkish Armed Forces could not land a corps-sized force needed to attain their military objectives. By 1974, they had rectified that by purchasing the necessary landing craft. Ten possible landing beaches were considered, from Famagusta Bay in the east to the Gulf of Kelps Chrysochoús in the west.
The first plan was called Operation Yildiz-70 (Star-70). It envisaged landings on beaches, with no airborne component, between Famagusta Bay and Cape Neta in the Karpas Peninsular on the west of the island. However, a Turkish Army captain seconded to the TMT defected with parts of the plan. Turkish planners shifted the landings to the north of the island around Kyrenia. An airborne element was introduced with the Airborne Brigade and Commandos inserted by parachutes and helicopters into the Triangle of villages held by the TMT and KTKA north of Nicosia. The main risks involved opposition on the beaches and the link-up between the beachhead and the airborne troops coming from the Triangle down a narrow road through the Pentadaktylos Mountains.
The operational plan deliberately chose a Saturday, knowing that the UN Security Council would not convene until Monday. The convention was that the warring parties were given 48 hours to cease hostilities. Turkish planners calculated it would take around five days to secure the beachhead. Prime Minister Ecevit renamed the plan Kibris Baris Harekati (Cyprus Peace Operation) to emphasise the limited scope of military action.
The map below comes from Phase Line Attila by Edward Erickson and Mesut Uyar, available as a free download from the Marine Corps University Press.
Turkish ORBAT
VI Corps (L.Gen Nurettin Ersin), under the overall control of the Second Army (General Suat Aktulga), included the following units :
Task Force Cakmak, the first wave amphibious force: Navy Amphibious Regiment (two battalions; 50th Infantry regiment (Three battalions); 3rd Battery, 1st battalion (105mm) 39th Field Artillery regiment; 1st Tank Company (from 49th Mechanised Infantry Regiment); Cobra Anti-Tank Company; Engineer company, signals, medical and other support detachments.
Airborne and air landing forces: Airborne Brigade (Brig. General Everen) with four battalions, artillery battery and pathfinder detachment; Commando Brigade (Brig. General Demirbag) with three battalions reinforced by the Nevşehir Jandarma Commando Battalion and the 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 230th Infantry Regiment. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Army Helicopter Battalions (Bell 204/205), Jandarma Helicopter Battalion (Bell 206), Army Flying School Battalion (UH-1B/H, Bell 206A, Dornier Do28), Turkish Air Force Squadron 224 (UH-1H).
39th Infantry Division (Major General Demirel ), follow on amphibious force: 49th Mechanised Infantry Regiment (two mechanised and one tank battalions); 14th Infantry Regiment (three battalions) with divisional artillery, recce and engineers.
The landings would later be reinforced by the 28th Infantry Division (Major General Fasil Polat). This included 61st Infantry Regiment (three battalions) with divisional artillery, recce, engineers and an anti-tank company (15 Cobra ATGW). Plus, part of the 5th Armoured Brigade (Brig. General Pozan) with one tank battalion (53 M48A2) and a mechanised infantry battalion.
Already on the island was the The Turkish Treaty Regiment (Kibris Türk Kuvvetleri, KTKA). 650-strong, organised into four companies and a heavy weapons company. There was also the Turkish Cypriot Militia (TMT) of around 9,000 men (including a permanent cadre of about 2,300 men) with small arms and support weapons. A further 9-10,000 less well trained and equipped men and some women were in reserve. The TMT was organised into ten military districts, based on the Turkish enclaves, with company and battalion strength units.
The Turkish Navy's Amphibious Mission Group for the 1974 landings consisted of the following assets :
Amphibious Landing Group: Three LSTs (TCG Ertugrul, TCG Bayraktar, TCG Sancaktar); 12 LCTs; 16 LCMs, 11 LCUs; one tug and one hydrographic survey ship.
Naval Gunfire Support Group: Five destroyers (TCG Adatepe, TCG Tinaztepe, TCG Kocatepe, TCG Mustafa Fevzi Çakmak, TCG Içel).
Covering Force: Destroyer TCG Izmit, Frigate TCG Berk, and two patrol craft (Hisar class).
The Turkish Air Force deployed the following formations for the 1974 operation :
First Tactical Air Force (air superiority): Fighter Squadrons 141st and 191st (F-104G), 142nd and 182nd (F-102A), and 161st and 162nd (F-5A); Reconnaissance Squadrons 114th (RF-84) and 192nd (RF-5); Fighter Bomber Squadron 112th (F-100C/D).
Second Tactical Air Force (Brigadier General Kaymakli): provided close air support based at Incirlik Air Base: Fighter Bomber Squadrons 111th, 131st, 132nd, 171st, 172nd, and 181st (F-100C/D); Reconnaissance Squadrons 152nd and 184th (RF-5 and RF-84). This meant 8 Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks, 8 Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighters, and 99 North American F-100 Super Sabre aircraft were available for close air support. The F-100 Super Sabre was not a modern aircraft, but it was a proven design that worked well in conditions of total air superiority.
In addition, there was the 12th Tactical Air Transport Command with Air Transport Squadrons 221st (C-160D), 222nd (C-130E), 223rd, and 224th (C-47) based at Kayseri. Naval Air Squadron 301 provided maritime surveillance (S-2E).
VI Corps (L.Gen Nurettin Ersin), under the overall control of the Second Army (General Suat Aktulga), included the following units :
Task Force Cakmak, the first wave amphibious force: Navy Amphibious Regiment (two battalions; 50th Infantry regiment (Three battalions); 3rd Battery, 1st battalion (105mm) 39th Field Artillery regiment; 1st Tank Company (from 49th Mechanised Infantry Regiment); Cobra Anti-Tank Company; Engineer company, signals, medical and other support detachments.
Airborne and air landing forces: Airborne Brigade (Brig. General Everen) with four battalions, artillery battery and pathfinder detachment; Commando Brigade (Brig. General Demirbag) with three battalions reinforced by the Nevşehir Jandarma Commando Battalion and the 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 230th Infantry Regiment. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Army Helicopter Battalions (Bell 204/205), Jandarma Helicopter Battalion (Bell 206), Army Flying School Battalion (UH-1B/H, Bell 206A, Dornier Do28), Turkish Air Force Squadron 224 (UH-1H).
39th Infantry Division (Major General Demirel ), follow on amphibious force: 49th Mechanised Infantry Regiment (two mechanised and one tank battalions); 14th Infantry Regiment (three battalions) with divisional artillery, recce and engineers.
The landings would later be reinforced by the 28th Infantry Division (Major General Fasil Polat). This included 61st Infantry Regiment (three battalions) with divisional artillery, recce, engineers and an anti-tank company (15 Cobra ATGW). Plus, part of the 5th Armoured Brigade (Brig. General Pozan) with one tank battalion (53 M48A2) and a mechanised infantry battalion.
Already on the island was the The Turkish Treaty Regiment (Kibris Türk Kuvvetleri, KTKA). 650-strong, organised into four companies and a heavy weapons company. There was also the Turkish Cypriot Militia (TMT) of around 9,000 men (including a permanent cadre of about 2,300 men) with small arms and support weapons. A further 9-10,000 less well trained and equipped men and some women were in reserve. The TMT was organised into ten military districts, based on the Turkish enclaves, with company and battalion strength units.
The Turkish Navy's Amphibious Mission Group for the 1974 landings consisted of the following assets :
Amphibious Landing Group: Three LSTs (TCG Ertugrul, TCG Bayraktar, TCG Sancaktar); 12 LCTs; 16 LCMs, 11 LCUs; one tug and one hydrographic survey ship.
Naval Gunfire Support Group: Five destroyers (TCG Adatepe, TCG Tinaztepe, TCG Kocatepe, TCG Mustafa Fevzi Çakmak, TCG Içel).
Covering Force: Destroyer TCG Izmit, Frigate TCG Berk, and two patrol craft (Hisar class).
The Turkish Air Force deployed the following formations for the 1974 operation :
First Tactical Air Force (air superiority): Fighter Squadrons 141st and 191st (F-104G), 142nd and 182nd (F-102A), and 161st and 162nd (F-5A); Reconnaissance Squadrons 114th (RF-84) and 192nd (RF-5); Fighter Bomber Squadron 112th (F-100C/D).
Second Tactical Air Force (Brigadier General Kaymakli): provided close air support based at Incirlik Air Base: Fighter Bomber Squadrons 111th, 131st, 132nd, 171st, 172nd, and 181st (F-100C/D); Reconnaissance Squadrons 152nd and 184th (RF-5 and RF-84). This meant 8 Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks, 8 Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighters, and 99 North American F-100 Super Sabre aircraft were available for close air support. The F-100 Super Sabre was not a modern aircraft, but it was a proven design that worked well in conditions of total air superiority.
In addition, there was the 12th Tactical Air Transport Command with Air Transport Squadrons 221st (C-160D), 222nd (C-130E), 223rd, and 224th (C-47) based at Kayseri. Naval Air Squadron 301 provided maritime surveillance (S-2E).
Greek ORBAT
In 1974, the Cypriot National Guard (EF) was a Greek Cypriot army under the command of Hellenic Army officers from Greece. It was organised with a general headquarters and five geographic brigade-level commands, which were designated as higher tactical commands. The regular force totalled around 12,000 men with a further 35,000 in reserve of which around 10,000 younger reservists could be mobilised quickly. The Hellenic Army Contingent in Cyprus (ELDYK) was composed of 1,200 men organised in two small infantry battalions.
In 1974, the Cypriot National Guard (EF) was a Greek Cypriot army under the command of Hellenic Army officers from Greece. It was organised with a general headquarters and five geographic brigade-level commands, which were designated as higher tactical commands. The regular force totalled around 12,000 men with a further 35,000 in reserve of which around 10,000 younger reservists could be mobilised quickly. The Hellenic Army Contingent in Cyprus (ELDYK) was composed of 1,200 men organised in two small infantry battalions.
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Further Reading
While many books have been published on the Cyprus conflict, very few can be described as objective. We would recommend two books as essential reading:
Jan Asmussen, Cyprus at War, (Bloomsbury, 2020), for the diplomatic history.
Edward Erickson and Mesut Uyar, Phase Line Attila (Marine Corps University Press) www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Attila_web.pdf
For the events that led up to the 1974 intervention there is Dave Watson's book written with Tom Cooper and Dimitris Vassilopoulos. Volume two is in preparation.
For wargamers there a page on the Editor's blog with resources. You can visually visit the sites with the Editor's tour, Cyprus remembered.
While many books have been published on the Cyprus conflict, very few can be described as objective. We would recommend two books as essential reading:
Jan Asmussen, Cyprus at War, (Bloomsbury, 2020), for the diplomatic history.
Edward Erickson and Mesut Uyar, Phase Line Attila (Marine Corps University Press) www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Attila_web.pdf
For the events that led up to the 1974 intervention there is Dave Watson's book written with Tom Cooper and Dimitris Vassilopoulos. Volume two is in preparation.
For wargamers there a page on the Editor's blog with resources. You can visually visit the sites with the Editor's tour, Cyprus remembered.
