Georgios Grivas

Georgios Grivas
Grivas c. 1967
Native name
Γεώργιος Γρίβας
NicknamesDigenis
Διγενής
Born6 June 1897
Died27 January 1974 (aged 76)
Buried
Limassol, Republic of Cyprus
Allegiance Kingdom of Greece
Second Hellenic Republic
Republic of Cyprus
Branch Hellenic Army
Cypriot National Guard
Service years1916-1974
Rank Lieutenant general
Unit10th Infantry Division
Conflicts
Alma materHellenic Military Academy
École Militaire
Signature

Georgios Grivas (Greek: Γεώργιος Γρίβας; 6 June 1897 – 27 January 1974), also known by his nickname Digenis (Greek: Διγενής), was a Greek Cypriot officer of the Hellenic Army and founder and leader of the Greek and Greek Cypriot paramilitary organisations Organization X (1942–1949), EOKA (1955–1959) and EOKA B (1971–1974). He was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in Cyprus, then-known as the Supreme Military Defence Command of Cyprus (ASDAK), which in the event of war would lead the Cyprus National Guard and the Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK).

A specialist of guerrilla and asymmetric warfare, he was one of the main actors in the Cypriot War of Independence, securing the independence of Cyprus against the British Empire. He died only six months prior to the 1974 Cypriot coup and subsequent Turkish invasion of Cyprus.