Leonidas Ph. Leonidou
Born (October 13,
1947) in Agios Theodoros of the occupied Karpas peninsula of Cyprus, he
graduated from the Famagusta Greek Gymnasium, studied physics at Athens
University and electronics at the University of Wales Institute of
Science and Technology, Cardiff (MSc). On completing his
studies, in January 1974, he returned to Cyprus but after the July
Turkish invasion he went back to the United Kingdom. He worked for
ATV and for
British Telecom (Research Center, data networks and information systems)
for many years and thereafter as director and consultant of other IT
companies.
Along with his professional work he was involved in various other
fields, as active member and president of Greek diaspora organisations.
Since 1978, he was also involved with the Greek education in London. He
is a researcher of archival sources and author of the award-winning book
"Agios Theodoros Karpasias, Place and People" (1986), the four-volume
work "Georgios Grivas Digenis - Biography" (1995-2008), "Makrasyka,
Place and People" (2010) and "The last escapee" (2014). Many of his articles and researches were
published in the Cypriot, Greek and UK-Greek media. He is married and
lives with his family in London.
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Agios Theodoros
Karpasias
- Place and People, Cyprus 1986
1st Edition (soft cover, in Greek)
Awarded the First Prize of the best book
of Hellenes Abroad for that year.
The book is perhaps the first published on the
occupied territories of Cyprus by the Turkish army after the 1974
invasion. It begins with a brief description of the history of the
occupied Karpas peninsula since
ancient times with
accounts of the first travellers
of the peninsula during the Turkish and British rule. In Chapter 1
describes the history of the region Valia - Elea
Cape. For the first time evidence that the ancient
city was called the ELEA and not
Knidos or Palea as other authors claimed. Then
gives a description of the occupied village of Agios Theodoros
from ancient times up to our days. In the second chapter presents the
cultural life,
folklore poetic tradition,
traditional medicine and other customs of
the village. The third chapter deals with the population and the
occupations of the inhabitants. The fourth chapter describes the place,
settlement and local names (toponymy).
Part B contains the genealogy of all the families of Agios
Theodore Karpas.
Agios Theodoros
Karpasias
- Place and People, Cyprus 2015
2nd
Edition (soft cover, in Greek)
In second edition more than 200 pages
have been added as well as updates to the Genealogy part.
The book presentation took place in London by H.E. the Cyprus High
Commissioner Mr. Evripides Evriviades on
9.6.2015 under the
auspices of the Greek Cypriot Brotherhood.
Video of the Presentation
Available in Amazon Ayios Theodoros book.
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Georgios Grivas Digenis - Biography. Volume I (1897 - 1950);
1st edition, 1995 Nicosia, ISBN 9963-7585-6-8 (hardcover with
colour dustcover, 426 pages, in Greek)
A four-volume
work on the life and work of General George Grivas Digenis. The first
volume describes the paternal and maternal ancestry, and gives evidence
and documents about the place and time of birth. It deals with the
childhood and adolescence of George Grivas. Then gives details of his
military career, his studies at the Military Academy in Greece and
participation in the Asia Minor campaign and catastrophy of 1919-1922.
It gives details about his career during the interwar years. It then
describes his involvement in World War II as chief of staff of the 2nd
Division and his contribution of the Albanian epic. Finally describes
the establishment, organization, goals and actions of the secret
organization 'X' in German-occupied Greece.
2nd
edition, 2012 Nicosia, ISBN 978-9963-9511-4-7 (hardcover with colour
dustcover, 432 pages, in Greek)
The new edition of this volume in 2012 included significant new
information about the life of General Grivas in the period under review.
Of particular importance is the new Chapter 9, which includes a number
of the released secret documents of the British Archives referred to the
action of Colonel Grivas during the German occupation.
Available at Amazon
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Georgios Grivas Digenis - Biography. Volume II (1950 - 1959);
1st Edition, Nicosia 1997, ISBN 978-9963-9511-1-6 (hardcover with
colour dustcover, 720 pages, in Greek)
The main topic
of the Second volume is the preparation and conduct of the Liberation
Struggle of EOKA (1955-1959) against the British colonial rule. The
author initially informs the reader about the struggles and sacrifices
of Cypriots for union with Greece. Explains national visions and
motivations that led Georgios Grivas Digenis to undertake the
revolutionary movement of Cypriots. Describes step by step the movements
of Digenis, his decisions and plans during those troubled years.
2nd Edition, Nicosia 2009, ISBN
978-9963-9511-2-3 (hardcover with colour dustcover, 754 pages, in
Greek)
The second edition published in 2009 includes new evidence from released
Foreign Office documents such as the reasons of failure of the talks
between Harding and Makarios in 1956, the plans of execution of
Digenis by the British secret services, and detail (names, time and
place) of the death of British army soldiers killed during that period .
Available at Amazon
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Georgios Grivas Digenis - Biography. Volume III (1959 - 1971);
1st Edition, Nicosia 2008, ISBN 978-9963-9511-0-9 (hardcover with
colour dustcover, 634 pages, in Greek)
The third volume recounts the life of George Grivas Digenis after the
EOKA struggle, describes his reactions to the Zurich - London agreements
and his unsuccessful attempt to become a politician. Refers to the
political events of 1963 which led to his second arrival in Cyprus in
1964 when he took over leadership of the Greek Cypriot National Guard
and the Greek Army forces on the island. It presents the American plans
for the solution of the Cyprus issue and the reactions of General Grivas.
It gives a detailed account of the deliberations of the American
mediator for Cyprus Dean Acheson in the summer of 1964 and the situation
created after the failure to find a solution acceptable to all. Reveals
new detail on how, after the collapse of the Acheson negotiations, the
U.S. proposal to Greece to unilaterally declare the Union of Cyprus with
Greece in late August 1964, has failed. Analyses the Kofinou fiasco in
November 1967 that led to the removal of General Grivas and the Greek
army division from Cyprus and his isolation and house arrest in Athens.
Reveals the secret anti-junta organisation of General Grivas, during the
years of the military dictatorship in Greece and the preparations for
his last return to Cyprus in 1971.
Available at Amazon
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George Grivas Digenis - Biography.
Volume IV (1971 - 1974);
1st Edition, Nicosia 2008, ISBN 978-9963-9511-1-6 (hardcover with
dark chocolate, 718 pages, in Greek)
Based on the
secret and unpublished archives of General Grivas
for this period, the fourth volume describes his
adventurous escape from Athens, where the military regime had him
under house arrest since November
1967 and his secret arrival by boat in Cyprus.
Analyses Grivas' motives
to return to Cyprus for the third time and
gives details of the
purpose, the organisation and staffing of
EOKA B. The author describes the concerns of General Grivas and
his aspirations during the last
four years of his life. Discloses key supporters
as well as funders of EOKA B. Gives details of
efforts to achieve understanding and agreement
between Makarios and Grivas and reveals
the minutes of the meeting of the two men in March 1972 from the
handwritten notes of Grivas. Finally, the author gives a dramatic
description of the last days and hours of his life, and
detail of his death.
Available at Amazon
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Makrasyka - Place and People, Cyprus 2010
1st edition, ISBN 978-9963-9511-3-0 (hardcover, 512 pages, in Greek)
The book first gives a description of the history of the
region Makrasyka - Kouklia - Kalopsida where from time immemorial to
2000 BC for 500 years and developed a local handicraft and trade with
the islands, especially Crete. It then describes the main events that
affected the lives of local residents and Makrasyka during subsequent
periods of Cypriot history, including descriptions by foreign travelers
during the Turkish and British rule. Finally gives details of its
contribution in the liberation struggle Makrasyka 1955-59 and in
addressing the Turkish invasion of 1974. In the second chapter presents
the Education, Social Life, Art Life, People Poetic Tradition,
traditional medicine, the mores and traditions of the village. The third
chapter deals with community life, organization and activities of the
community. The fourth chapter gives information on the population and
the occupations of the inhabitants. The fifth chapter describes the
place, settlement and Names.
Part B contains the genealogy of all the families of Makrasyka of
existing data from the early 19th century.
Available at Amazon
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1st edition 2013, ISBN 978-9963-9511-5-4 (soft cover, 412 pages)
The book lists the crimes and atrocities during the first (July 20, 1074) and second phase (August 14, 1974) of the Turkish invasion. It gives details of the Turkish army operations from the time of their landing in Kyrenia until after the occupation of 37% of the territory of Cyprus. It explores the issue of Missing and records the locations of group executions and mass graves. It presents the reactions of the international media and records the decisions of international bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights, the European Human Rights Commission and the United Nations resolutions on Missing during the Turkish invasion. The book also lists the obligations of states involved in a conflict in respect to prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions. It also examines the issue of refugees and the enclaved and the looting and destruction of ancient Greek and religious monuments and treasures and documents the well thought out and executed plan for ethnic cleansing in the occupied territories.
Available at Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/9963951155
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1st edition, 2014, ISBN 978-9963-9511-6-1 (soft cover, 384 pages)
This book presents the life of an EOKA fighter. It records his initiation in the armed liberation struggle of Cypriots and their fight for Enosis, Union of Cyprus with Greece. From April 1955 participates in daring actions in Nicosia along with Michael Karaolis and Stylianos Lenas. He blew up the British installations of NAAFI in Limassol. Although he was not a wanted man or outlawed by the authorities Grivas, the EOKA leader, orders him to join his partisan team at the Kykkos hideouts. From Kykkos the EOKA Chief sends him to the haunts of Lysos Paphos in George Raftis guerrilla group and there he finds the young rebels Evagoras Pallikarides, Vangelis Christofi and Panicos Michaelides. He participates in attacks against the British camps in the area and sets up ambushes during the day against military vehicles. In November 1956 he returns for a few days to his village Geri and there he finds an incredible situation. He devises plans for the execution of a British officer, colonel Clemens, and negotiates the delivery of French arms by a French officer. When arrested he was subjected to inhuman torture for 30 days, that caused the strong protest of the Bar of Cyprus. He was locked in detention camps and the British authorities for two years refused to take him to a hospital for surgery. When they finally did, he drew a remarkable escape plan which he implemented on 9 January 1959, thus becoming the last to escape during the EOKA struggle. This is the story of Argyros Kyriacou. Unfortunately he did not manage to read this book about his life that so eagerly awaited. He died four days before receiving it.
Available at Amazon
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