Legendary Tank in the Beşparmak Mountains of Cyprus
CYPRUS PEACE OPERATION AND THAT LEGENDARY TANK
I was very impressed when I first heard about the legendary tank in the Beşparmak Mountains of Cyprus. I always dreamed of seeing this legendary tank one day. Just before the Cyprus Peace Operation that took place on July 20, 1974, a genocide almost started in Cyprus on July 05, 1974.. Thereupon, the late Rauf Denktaş calls for help from Turkey to the people of Cyprus via Bayrak radio.. When the dates show the morning of July 20, 1974, the Turkish Army begins the operation of airborne and landing from the sea.. And the late Prime Minister of the time, Bülent Ecevit, who announced the operation on TRT televisions at 06:10 in the morning, makes that historical speech that shocked the world.
THE HISTORIC TALK
“The Turkish Armed Forces’ landing in Cyprus and the landing operation has begun. May God bless our nation, all Cypriots and humanity.. In this way, we believe that we will render a great service to humanity and peace.. I hope that our forces will not be fired upon and there will be no bloody conflict.. We are actually going to the island not for war, but for peace, to bring peace not only to the Turks but also to the Greeks.. We came to this decision only after we had tried all political and diplomatic means..
To all friendly countries, meanwhile, to our friends and allies, the United States of America and England, with whom we have been in close consultation recently, that the issue can be resolved without intervention, I would like to express my gratitude for their well-intentioned efforts to settle it through diplomatic channels.. If these efforts have not yielded results, of course, it is not the states that make these well-intentioned efforts to be responsible.. Again, I wish this operation to be beneficial to humanity, our nation and all Cypriots.. I pray that Allah will protect our nation and all humanity from disasters.”
I feel the excitement I feel every time I listen to this historical speech by Ecevit, even as I write these lines today.. During the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, there is also a legendary tank that propelled the enemy fortifications by advancing over the steep and steep rocks at an altitude of 1,24 meters in the Beşparmak Mountains.. The following sentences are included in the
Tank Memorial Address located in Selvili Tepe, in the Beşparmak mountains:
“This Tank, It is a monumental example and symbol of the assertiveness and audacity peculiar to the Turks.
This tank, which belongs to the special task force, was assigned to hit the enemy from the side and from behind during the Lapta battles on 02 August 1974; St.. By using a narrow and unsuitable road from the Hillarion region, it came here at a time of darkness (around 21:15), and it was destroyed as a result of the enemy stepping on a mine laid on the road, and then it was pushed here by another tank at the rear in order to open the road.”
CLICK HERE to see the steep slope where the tank rises on Google Earth…
This tank, which still welcomes its visitors as an open-air museum today, is in place. Those who don’t see it think it’s a war legend. But this legend is true, it also has a story.. Come and listen to this story from us.
The only obstacle like a steep wall in the meserya plain of Cyprus is the Beşparmak Mountains of Cyprus. When you look at the Kyrenia coast from the mountain, it gives the impression of looking from the plane.. It is so steep, steep and high.
The tank crew who took this tank to this steep slope are;
Tank Commander, Tank First Lieutenant Mahmut ŞANLITÜRK, Tank Corporal Gürler ERDAĞ, Tank Privates Abdülkadir KURT and Recep DOĞANYİĞİT.
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Commander of the unit, driver of the tank to the hero soldier;
– How did you get this tank here, my son? when he asked.
Soldier;
– Sir, at that moment, a straight road without obstacles appeared before my eyes.. The Greeks were fleeing, I fired and got here like that.
Commander orders the Mehmetçik.
– Lower the tank.
Private responds.
– How can I land without seeing that road, Commander.
The operation carried out between 20-22 July constituted the first part of the Cyprus Peace Operation.. 2, which took place between 8-13 August. Turkey’s demands were not met in the Geneva talks, 1. The implementation of the decisions taken in the Geneva agreement did not take place.. When the negotiations in Geneva did not yield any results, on 14 August 1974 the Minister of Foreign Affairs Turan Güneş went to Ankara with the password “Ayşe should go on vacation”.. The Cyprus Operation has begun.
The Pallet of the Tank in the Beşparmak Mountains is Displaying Where It Is Still
CLICK HERE for Instagram Follow…
Greetings, to those who wrote the exemplary stories of the history of world war in the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, to those who were martyred while this epic was being written.. Today, 44 years have passed since the operation, but that tank is there as a monument that immortalizes the hill from which the Turkish M-47 tank, chasing the Greeks while fleeing, climbed. There is also a plaque engraved with the names of the tank crew on it. The two gas crews, who recently brought the tank to the summit in the Beşparmak Mountains, met in front of the tank after 43 years. Come and listen to the story of the tank’s ascent to the summit of the Beşparmak Mountains from our veterans.
CLICK HERE for YOUTUBE and Other Videos…
HOW TO GET TO THE TANK?
How to get to the Legendary Tank in the Beşparmak Mountains of Cyprus? While continuing on the Kyrenia road from Nicosia city center, we enter the Saint Hilarion Castle crossroads. On the way to Saint Hilarion Castle, you will see the sign goes to the tank on the left.. Continuing on the left, we reach the tank after about 20 km.. be careful. The road is very narrow.
CLICK HERE to see the road on the Map…