Did you wear a poppy this year? I ask because I notice hardly any Cypriots seem to be wearing poppies. What’s the reason for this? I can only assume no one in the community thinks it is relevant to Cypriots. Well, you might want to think again. Did you know many Cypriot soldiers fought in the Second World War – so that you can live in freedom and peace today.
What can we do about this? Perhaps Cypriot businesses should be encouraged to sell poppies at the counter. This will remind everyone in the community to buy a poppy to show solidarity with those who gave their lives in order to keep this country free and a good place for them to live.
Let me tell you a story. My grandfather Pantelis Theodorou (born 1911 – died 2004) of Maroni, Larnaca photo below, came to this country as a young man in 1930 to make his way in the world. He served in the British Army for five years during the Second World War alongside many of his countrymen. These men should be remembered by the Cypriot community. Firstly for preparing the way for many other Cypriots to make their home here and secondly for the contribution made by Cypriot soldiers which helped ensure England stayed free and a country where they could settle and prosper when their own country had no future for them at that time.
y grandfather Private Pantelis Theodorou, army number 1735829, was a Gunner who manned an anti-aircraft gun in the artillery and, with his regiment, saw action in Italy and North Africa. You can see in the pictures his medals and my grandfather on duty. Another photo shows a ring he had made in Italy. The people were very poor but inventive; the ring is made from an old toothbrush with a picture of my grandmother Mary and uncle Christopher as a baby in it. He wore this ring every day he served in the war.
After his service in the British Army he became what I consider to be one of the unsung heroes of the Cypriot community. He was a barber and he set up shop on the corner of Windmill Street and Charlotte Street in the West End of London. His customers came from every walk of life from dustmen to professors from London University – even Prince Monolulu! (“I gotta horse! I gotta horse!” – barbers were the unofficial betting shops of their day.)
But the most important customers were all the local business owners – restaurants, clothing factories, bakeries, etc. When they wanted staff they would tell my grandfather and he would send them the young Cypriots who had just come straight off the boat and somehow found their way to his small shop, to be waiters, cooks, machinists, finishers, pressers, labourers, etc. The business people loved the Cypriot people because they worked hard, were intelligent and polite. We all applaud those who made their millions but my grandfather got hundreds of ordinary working class men and women jobs straight away so they could pay for a roof over their heads and put food on the table. His only reward was knowing he had helped his countrymen.
I remember my grandfather would always stand to attention during the One Minute Silence. We knew not to speak to him when he was watching the Rememberance Service on Sunday on television as you could see him thinking of those he had served with and those who had died.
Perhaps many Cypriots now are too young to remember the War, or were in Cyprus and too distanced from it, but that does not mean that the history of Cypriot soldiers should be forgotten or that people today should not be reminded of their contribution to the war. As a nation, Cypriots should feel proud that their countrymen were part of the World War Two effort and played a part in keeping England free and safe – I know my grandfather was and so am I. So now I urge you, knowing that Cypriots fought in World War Two, perhaps next year you should consider wearing a poppy with pride.
The author of this article is Antony Alexandrou