Posthmous decoration for Cyprus invasion hero

The whole issue of the decoration of the heroic Hellenic Navy officers, that so many decades had been "forgotten" by those responsible, was reopened by the Deputy Minister of National Defence Yannis Lambropoulos, soon after taking office, and it was he who during the first term in the same position had approved the awarding of a special medal for participation in military operations in Cyprus, in July and August 1974.

So, 40 years after the bombing of Moutalos in Paphos (07/20/1974) by the "Lesvos" and 20 years since he breathed his last breath on July 27, 1994, the last Greek naval officers who fired against the enemy, the decision of the council the day before yesterday, although belated, came to "close" a very serious moral obligation of the Greek state.

In the Explanatory Report to the Naval Command of August 1, 2014, with respect to the achievement of Vice Admiral Eleftherios Chandrinos the summer of 1974, we note the following:

"The above (El.Chandrinos), as Lieutenant Commander, was captain of the LST Lesvos (L-172), when it sailed from its station, on July 13, 74, to carry 450 soldiers to Cyprus, which would replace an equal number of returning ELDYK* personnel. On July 19, 74, LST Lesvos arrived in Famagusta, where it disembarked and received personnel. On July 20, the opening day of the Turkish invasion, LST Lesvos was ordered to discontinue the voyage of return and to dock in Paphos, to disembark the received ELDYK soldiers. At 14:00 of the same day, the ship anchored in Paphos landed said personnel. At the request of the commander of the National Guard of Paphos, Chnadrinos decided to challenge with the weapons on board the "Moutalos" pocket where two Turkish army battalions had gathered.

The two-hour fierce bombardment of the Turkish positions, with 900-950 shells, resulted in the neutralization of the Turkish force and the salvation of Paphos. Furthermore, the attack created confusion in the Turkish Staff, which estimated an imminent invasion by Greek naval forces in Paphos, resulting in the immediate mobilization of large naval and air Turkish forces. There was a subsequent bombing of the Turkish ships by Turkish planes as they were perceived as camouflaged Greek ships, which caused the sinking of a Turkish destroyer, and serious damage to two other destroyers of the same type and the shooting down of one Turkish aircraft by flak from the Turkish ships. LST Lesvos sailed from Paphoson 18 July, homeward bound, following a southern route to Egypt, instead of to the west, which was the shortest and sailed to Sitia on 22 July 74. The intelligent and well thought action by Chandrinos , coming out of the area of operations saved the ship and its crew and contributed to the successful completion of the difficult mission."

For this unique action of heroism of then Lieutenant Commander Chandrinos the State had not awarded him the proper decoration for 40 years.

*The Hellenic Army Regiment based on Cyprus as part of the agreements as a guarantuor power