It wasnB次元官网网址檛 until he landed in Cyprus in 1964 that Edward Murray learned just how awful that countryB次元官网网址檚 atrocities were.

The Greeks and Turks who inhabited the island just didnB次元官网网址檛 get along, and it was getting worse. In a horrific 1963 incident, a group of Turkish villagers were killed in a deadly massacre.

By 1964, Edwards was part of the first contingent of Canadians who began CanadaB次元官网网址檚 longest-running peacekeeping mission, part of a United Nations post.

His time there is captured in one of the many volumes of journals the 97-year-old retired major has penned. Despite a stroke at 94, Edwards has kept up the self-publishing from his unit at the Lodge at Broadmead, having taught himself to write with his left hand. Apart from working in crisis zones Edwards spent a career as a Canadian Forces instructor.

Sadly, he often was deployed to crisis zones, and his tales include some of most horrific modern atrocities.

When he arrived at Cyprus, it was soon after Greek Cypriots instigated the fall of the CyprusB次元官网网址� civil government at Christmas of 1963. Thousands of Turks fled Cyprus at the same time.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the first things the UN did was set up the Green Line, right through Nicosia [largest city on Cyprus] with Greeks on one side, Turks on the other,B次元官网网址� said Edwards.

Edwards quickly learned there were several problems with this.

B次元官网网址淲e got a call that armed Greeks had crossed the Green Line, but by the time I was there to investigate they were gone.B次元官网网址�

Then he met a pair of Turkish businessmen.

B次元官网网址淭hey approached me to say their steel wool factory was awaiting a shipment of German steel rods,B次元官网网址� Edwards said. B次元官网网址淭he problem was the merchant ships were in the harbour on the Greek side of the Green Line.B次元官网网址�

Edwards contacted Brigadier General Tedlie, his superior, and B次元官网网址渉e got the rods.B次元官网网址�

Not only that, Edwards was then appointed economics welfare officer to assist the unstable Cyprus government.

Initially, Edwards was in the U.S. when the Second World War picked up. He returned to Canada and enlisted with Princess PatriciaB次元官网网址檚 Canadian Light Infantry and also toured in the Korean War.

His tales include that and more, such as the early days of Israel.

B次元官网网址淢y arrival was a real eye-opener,B次元官网网址� Murray said. B次元官网网址淵ou wondered how one human being could do something like that to another.

B次元官网网址淲hen I tried to tell a reporter, the military wouldnB次元官网网址檛 let it be told.B次元官网网址�

reporter@saanichnews.com