Chch Cypriot family home

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33611, 13 August 1974, Page 14

Chch Cypriot family home

The Christchurch Greek-Cypriot family trapped on Cyprus when fighting broke out early last month, has returned to Christchurch, unscathed but saddened.

When fighting broke out in Nicosia, Mr C. Papageorge. who owns the Warner Fish Supply in Cathedral Square, was less than a mile from the city.

Although he was not involved Mr Papageorge saw “a little fighting."

He was on holiday in Cyprus with his wife and three children. They stayed with his parents and family at Paleckhori, 23 miles from Nicosia. One son, Andrew, aged 10, was suffering from nightmares because of the Turkish bombing raids and the fighting, Mr Papageorge said last night.

No direct relative was harmed, but his brother’s son-in-law was shot in the chest.

“Three months ago, Cyprus was the paradise of the Middle East, now it has become the opposite — all for politics," he said. The Papageorge fam'ly ! tried to leave the island for iabout a month, “but the 'Greek Army kept broadcasting to us that the airport was ' closed.”

The family finally left the island on Tuesday of last week, and arrived in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon. “We were lucky to get out,” Mr Papageorge said.