In search of a family member

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Chris2929, Jul 8, 2021.

  1. Chris2929

    Chris2929 Member

    Hello there

    My grandfather was at the Cypriot regiment during WWII ,
    When war was over he never returned home .
    Ten years later there was this article on the local newspaper saying that there were alive Cypriots at the military hospital (Uk).
    His sister then found him and returned home with him .
    Grandfather told us he kept an affair with one of the nurses and that they had a child together , a girl.
    He also mentioned that the father of the nurse owned a radio factory back then.
    Unfortunately I don’t know any names .
    During the 80s there was an article on the local newspaper from this English lady that was in search for her Cypriot family.
    My father was hoping that she might have been his sister, but somehow he lost the piece of paper .
    He passed almost 2 years now and these are the only clues I have to find her .
    Anyone out there that could shed some light to my search will bring great joy
     
  2. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    It may help if we had some names and locations (hospital in UK) etc etc
     
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  3. Chris2929

    Chris2929 Member

    I know it would but unfortunately the only little information I have is what I already posted .
    I don’t know which hospital he stayed . My grandfather s sister is still alive but due to her age she doesn’t recall much .
    I already applied at the government site for some information but haven’t got anywhere with it their reply was that military hospitals closed down long time now and that there were no records kept for the nurses ,unfortunately. I only know grandfather was at France during the war and how he escaped sure death twice.
     
  4. Chris2929

    Chris2929 Member

    My grandfathers name was Christos Demetriou ,born 1914
     
  5. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    Re-post……could this be him, does the address look familiar? This man was in the Cypriot Regiment. May be the wrong location and the wrong time frame…..just looking for clues

    [​IMG]
     
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  6. Chris2929

    Chris2929 Member

    It might be . i registered also at the Forces war records and found two results my self;
    the one you ve sent me already and this number as well : 16277
    Probably two people with the same name and surname .
    Surely must be one of those two.

    I want to let you know that I truly appreciate your help,

    Thank you
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Possibles

    UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
    Name: C Demetriou
    Service Date: 1945-1948
    Service Place: Palestine
    Campaign or Service: Palestine
    Regiment or Unit Name: Cyprus Regiment
    Regimental Number: 16277

    Name: C Demetriou
    Service Date: 1945-1948
    Service Place: Palestine
    Campaign or Service: Palestine
    Regiment or Unit Name: Cyprus Regiment
    Regimental Number: 21806


    UK, World War II Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945
    Name: Christodoulou Demetriou
    Rank: Pte
    Army Number: CY/2863
    Regiment: 1009 P.C., C. R.
    POW Number: 94306
    Camp Type: Stalag
    Camp Number: 4C
    Camp Location: Wistritz bei Teplitz, Czech Republic
    Record Office: Nicosia, Cyprus


    TD
     
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  8. Chris2929

    Chris2929 Member

    The last one has a different name definitely not him .
    I definitely know he was caught somewhere on mountains whilst taking supplies the first time he got away
    Also if there’s anywhere records for this arrest , again near France his team and others were taken as prisoners to be carried to Germany and there was a big storm.
    He told my father the Germans started throwing prisoners into the ocean to get weight off the ship .
    Grandfather was swimming for 3 days and nights to reach shore near France .
    I don’t know what happened after that .
    I don’t recall any stories from Palestine .

    Grandfather told us he was taking supplies to difficult locations on snowy mountains by donkeys if that helps .

    I also have his Cypriot ID and can share it if necessary.
     
  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Are saying that there is no way this christian name could be shortened to Christos ??

    If its one of the first 2 then they were in Palestine but you say he never mentioned that so wouldnt that eliminate them as well


    Then there is no certainty that C Demetriou has the christian name Christos - I wonder how you can be so sure considering the little detail you have - although if you now say you have his ID card, which would have been useful in your first post, it could make one wonder what other little snippets of detail are available and not yet posted

    TD
     
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  10. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    Info removed…….wrong person and service period…….their are LOT’s of men with the same name
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2021
  11. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    If he was working with donkeys/mules then he was serving in Italy. The Cyprus Regiment had lots of its troops operating mules as muleteers in the Italian Appenines.

    There are several Cypriot Regiment soldiers buried at Cassino.

    Regards

    Frank
     
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  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Not sure where you would need to go to but I guess his service records are probably archived somewhere on Cyprus, and these should help explain where he was and when. They should also note when he was apparently injured/hospitalised and which hospital that would have been.

    Guessing most of his service would have been in and around the Mediterranean I am surprised to read he ended up being hospitalised in the UK ??, but his service records would help explain all this

    TD
     
  13. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    Actually the Cyprus Regiment (assuming that is the Regiment he belonged to) was a British Army unit, so all the records “may” be in the British Archives

    The Cyprus Regiment was a military unit of the British Army. Created by the British Government during World War II, it was made up of volunteers from the Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, Armenian, Maronite and Latin inhabitants of Cyprus, but also included other Commonwealth nationalities.

    Cyprus Regiment - Wikipedia

    Cypriots among the forgotten troops of Dunkirk | Parikiaki Cyprus and Cypriot News

    https://archive.is/20130420013039/http://www.cyprusregiment.co.uk/cyprus_regiment_history.html

    https://dspace.flinders.edu.au/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2328/1779/333- 342_kazamias.pdf;jsessionid=53116B1D05EB4C1A8452A2F0891226D8?sequence=1
     
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  14. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    All other countries under the British army as far as I am aware returned or kept their own records - similar to Canada I guess. What I am saying is that perhaps the poster should check with Cyprus MOD to see if and perhaps where this mans service records are held, if there were any in the first place.

    I think this is his way forward as without some detail of this mans he will be going around in circles

    TD
     
  15. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    AS TD says its going around in circles

    Chris call the number below and see if they can help you with advice on where his records would be kept




    Army Personnel Centre
    The Army Personnel Centre Helpdesk (0345 600 9663) provides assistance to Army units, outside agencies and the general public who are inquiring about the disclosure of information held on officers and soldiers.

    regards
    Clive
     
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  16. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Hi,

    I had a look on the Kew UK National Archives website and found this unit:

    WO169/11977 - Royal Army Service Corps: 618 Pack Transport Company, Cyprus Regiment (RASC) (War Diary January - December 1943)

    That looks to me like the Cyprus Regiment was definitely part of the British Army but I expect that the service records would have been returned to Cyprus after the war. It might be worth asking someone to copy the diary though as sometimes they do contain lists of troops. I wonder also about the on-line casualty records?

    Regards

    Tom
     
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  17. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    As Tom indicated, Kew has a LOT of records (808 records) for the Cyprus Regiment and supporting units etc……Link below

    https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=Cyprus+Regiment&_sd=1940&_ed=1945&_hb=

    https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/tagdetails/37558ae1-a52d-49b7-9314-15685fcf687c

    And as TD suggested, check Greek Military records?? I’d check but records are in Greek

    Home | Δ.Ι.Σ. - Διεύθυνση Ιστορίας Στρατού
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2021
  18. Chris2929

    Chris2929 Member




    I have his ID are you actually claiming I don’t know my grandfather s name ,.?
    the last name was CHRISTODOULOS DEMETRIOU
    which I said already is a completely different name in Greek.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2021
  19. Chris2929

    Chris2929 Member

    I’m named after him .
    He passed when I was 10 .
    I’m the only granddaughter ,also with his name .
    I lived with him . He was playing the guitar to me .
    I have memories of him you know there’s not a possibility I wouldn’t know his name !Therefore please don’t insult me .
    Christos can be a short for other names but my grandfather was baptised CHRISTOS. Not Christodoulos , which I said again in Greek is a completely different name .
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2021
  20. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    look mate you are not being insulted so calm down
    you have a wealth of experts on here who are trying to help you

    they are just trying to trace all possibilities for you
     

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