Colonial Police Colonial Police during Cyprus EOKA conflict

[Nemesis]

Apart from British based Police does anyone know if Colonial Police assisted in the EOKA conflict. I bought a General Service Medal bar Cyprus recently to 1011 Sgt H Dixon and hope to find out where his home unit was. He is not a member of HM Forces ,hence the search of police officers
The details on the medal are 1011 Sgt H Dixon , I am told that he wasnt prison service so that leaves the possibility of him being a colonial policeman

Thanks for reading this

[Dave Wilkinson]

Police Officers from the UK home police forces were seconded as volunteers for service with the Cyprus Colonial Police Force during the conflict and were usually promoted by one rank for the duration of the secondment. In other words a UK seconded Constable would serve as a Sergeant with the Cyprus Police and would revert to his previous rank on return to the UK.. The seconded officers were awarded the General Service Medal with Cyprus bar. As far as I'm aware all the seconded officers were from the UK. Your medal was in all probability awarded to a UK police officer.

I hope this is helpful.

Dave..

[Nemesis]

Thanks Dave ,that was my thought that he was a British Police Officer ,what kind of forced me too look elsewhere was that he is not in the roll compiled in the book "Policing EOKA" by Richard Cowley. Admittedly not all rolls are complete and I might be barking up the wrong tree

M

[1314]

Is there a ' U.K. Police Contingent - Cyprus ' Association ? If so they might be able to help,or at least advise on the numbering system,ie did the officers retain their Home Force numbers or were they allocated new Cyprus Numbers on their appointment there,which seems most likely.I cannot find any number in the 1000 series in Cowley's book.This might give an indication of when he joined.I have seen somewhere that Cowley could be contacted through Medal News.Good hunting.!

[Nemesis]

Thanks for advice, I bought the policing EOKA book from Cowleys company ,heres some info I got from a collector,

there is nobody of the surname 'Dixon' in the book, and it covers all the UK county force members, I know its a fairly common name, but not one at all in the roll, which covers a four year period! There is also nobody in the Police / Prisons in the 1959 Cyprus Staff List either.

I suspect this only leaves a couple of options, Colonial Police, which differs from UK Police Unit or possibly Base Unit Police, i.e Army / RAF etc.

I don't think Prisons, the rank is wrong, they used WDR and S/WDR and also I.P. (Inspector) A.S.P. etc for higher ranks, I have not seen Sgt in use with regard to a British Warder.

I am afraid this one will be a 'hard nut to crack' without the aid of the medal roll, or some earlier Cyprus Staff Lists, which are quite hard to locate.

[1314]

Cyprus Government Gazettes are on line,see Google,although unless he came to notice for good or evil it is unlikely that a Sgt would get a mention.Members of the Cyprus Police Force who received the Colonial Police Long Service Medal or higher would have been gazetted.

[Nemesis]

The Cyprus medal roll would be the answer but as we know thats not available , very good info on the Cyprus govt gazettes , will have a look

[CLP01]

Thanks for advice, I bought the policing EOKA book from Cowleys company ,heres some info I got from a collector,

there is nobody of the surname 'Dixon' in the book, and it covers all the UK county force members, I know its a fairly common name, but not one at all in the roll, which covers a four year period! There is also nobody in the Police / Prisons in the 1959 Cyprus Staff List either.

I suspect this only leaves a couple of options, Colonial Police, which differs from UK Police Unit or possibly Base Unit Police, i.e Army / RAF etc.

I don't think Prisons, the rank is wrong, they used WDR and S/WDR and also I.P. (Inspector) A.S.P. etc for higher ranks, I have not seen Sgt in use with regard to a British Warder.

I am afraid this one will be a 'hard nut to crack' without the aid of the medal roll, or some earlier Cyprus Staff Lists, which are quite hard to locate

Hi, My Grandfather has just passed away, and in his possesions there is information about his service in ww2 as an RAF pilot, He was stationed in Cyprus after the war and joined The Cyprus prison service, he held the rank of sergeant in the prison service, and was transferred from the prison services to the colonial police with the rank of Inspector in 1955. He spoke Greek and told me about working also as an interrogator, i'm not sure if it was with or against EOKA, Just before his death he mentioned to me that he had had a letter saying that he was entitled to the colonial police medal for service in Cyprus.

[Nemesis]

Hi, My Grandfather has just passed away, and in his possesions there is information about his service in ww2 as an RAF pilot, He was stationed in Cyprus after the war and joined The Cyprus prison service, he held the rank of sergeant in the prison service, and was transferred from the prison services to the colonial police with the rank of Inspector in 1955. He spoke Greek and told me about working also as an interrogator, i'm not sure if it was with or against EOKA, Just before his death he mentioned to me that he had had a letter saying that he was entitled to the colonial police medal for service in Cyprus.

Interesting life,did he get the cyprus GSM

[1314]

The award of the Colonial Police Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct would have been published in the Cyprus Government Gazette.He would have completed 18 years service in total,Prisons service would have counted provided he had no more than a short break of service.Most likely he simply moved from one agency of the civil service to another ie continuous service.

[Nemesis]

Is there a ' U.K. Police Contingent - Cyprus ' Association ? If so they might be able to help,or at least advise on the numbering system,ie did the officers retain their Home Force numbers or were they allocated new Cyprus Numbers on their appointment there,which seems most likely.I cannot find any number in the 1000 series in Cowley's book.This might give an indication of when he joined.I have seen somewhere that Cowley could be contacted through Medal News.Good hunting.!

There seems to be lots of 1000 series numbers in the Palestine Police , I wonder if theres a connection

[Nemesis]

Heres another Cyprus Police question , I saw a GSM clasp Cyprus awarded to 6119 CSC ( cyprus special constable ) D.Hunter. So the naming is 6119 CSC D Hunter. Was it the British government who administered Special Constables, as he has a European name its fair to say that he was a resident and volunteered as a Spec Constable ? Or would he have been under the Cypriot Police control.

Thanks for reading this

[Dave Wilkinson]

Heres another Cyprus Police question , I saw a GSM clasp Cyprus awarded to 6119 CSC ( cyprus special constable ) D.Hunter. So the naming is 6119 CSC D Hunter. Was it the British government who administered Special Constables, as he has a European name its fair to say that he was a resident and volunteered as a Spec Constable ? Or would he have been under the Cypriot Police control.

Thanks for reading this

The British Government administered the Cyprus Police as part of the Colonial Police Service prior to independence and the special constabulary would have been an integral part of the police.

Dave.

[Nemesis]

The British Government administered the Cyprus Police as part of the Colonial Police Service prior to independence and the special constabulary would have been an integral part of the police.

Dave.

Thanks Dave. Do you think the records of these officers will be held with the cyprus police authorities now ,ifThey have survived at all.

Thanks

Max

[Dave Wilkinson]

Max,

My apologies for the delay in replying. I'm sorry but I can't answer your question. I'm sure that an enquiry with the Cyprus Police or alternatively the National Archives at Kew may bring forth an answer. Probably the National Archives would be a better bet as I suspect that unless the current Cyprus Police have a historian or an individual serving with an interest in their history then your enquiry may go unanswered. Best of luck.

Dave.

[Nemesis]

Max,

My apologies for the delay in replying. I'm sorry but I can't answer your question. I'm sure that an enquiry with the Cyprus Police or alternatively the National Archives at Kew may bring forth an answer. Probably the National Archives would be a better bet as I suspect that unless the current Cyprus Police have a historian or an individual serving with an interest in their history then your enquiry may go unanswered. Best of luck.

Dave.

Thanks Dave. I sent a message to the Police Museum in Nicosia ,will keep you informed of any response,the Nat Archives would no doubt be the place to look.

Best Regards

Max

[Nemesis]

Just for info. I received no reply from the Cyprus Police museum in Nicosia.

[Dave Wilkinson]

Just for info. I received no reply from the Cyprus Police museum in Nicosia.

Max,

The lack of reply does not surprise me and mirrors my own experience when seeking information from police forces at home and overseas. Regrettably, the problems of today and tomorrow concern them more than their own history which I suppose can be expected. You may have better luck with the National Archives at Kew but may have to pay for any information they hold.

Dave.

[Michael Hajilyra]

Dear Nemisis. I read your articles and I am extremely interested for any information about your grandfather who as you mention was posted in the Cyprus prison service and worked as an interrogator. I am a amateur researcher about the EOKA period in Cyprus 1955-59. I would appreciate if you would get in touch with me. I am livingin Brisbane Australia. My e-mail is : katoomba.latsia@cytanet.com.cy

Friendly

Michel Hajilyra

[Nemesis]

Dear Nemisis. I read your articles and I am extremely interested for any information about your grandfather who as you mention was posted in the Cyprus prison service and worked as an interrogator. I am a amateur researcher about the EOKA period in Cyprus 1955-59. I would appreciate if you would get in touch with me. I am livingin Brisbane Australia. My e-mail is : katoomba.latsia@cytanet.com.cy

Friendly

Michel Hajilyra

Sent you an email Michel. It is CLP01 who contributed to this thread that you need to speak to

Best regards

Max

[Mervyn Mitton]

An interesting subject which seems to have generated a lot of enquiries and produced good information.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new members who have joined GMIC as a result. Mervyn

[Deelibob]

I am trying to establish if a Female Constable Ivy A. Murray (nee Philips) served in Cyprus as part of the Liverpool City Police Contingent and would be grateful for any help. Thanks

[Nemesis]

I am trying to establish if a Female Constable Ivy A. Murray (nee Philips) served in Cyprus as part of the Liverpool City Police Contingent and would be grateful for any help. Thanks

Hello. There is a PS 2089 DJ Murray on the Liverpool City list ,thats the only one listed ,no Phillips either. Do you have any other information about her. It may well be that she is listed elsewhere

Regards

Max

[Deelibob]

Thanks Max, I have no further information on Ivy, only that someone thought she had gone to Cyprus with the Liverpool City contingent. Thanks very much for your efforts and if any further information comes to light I will certainly be in touch.

Regards

Peter

[bigjarofwasps]

Did we ever get to the bottom of whether a Sergeant Warder was in the Police or the Prison service? 
 

There’s an example currently up for auction if anyone’s interested?