One of the world's most famous guerrilla fighters, General George Grivas of Cyprus, was buried yesterday (Wednesday, 30 January) in the garden of the former hideout from which he planned one of his most famous guerrilla campaigns.

Thousands of people had gathered to pay final tribute to the man who became a hero of the Greek Cypriots for his leadership during the battles against the German occupation of World War Two and the subsequent British occupation. More recently Grivas, who is also a Lieutenant General of the Greek Army, led a guerrilla campaign against the government of President Makarios in an effort to achieve his aim of Enosis, union of Cyprus with Greece.

He had died of a heart attack the previous Sunday. Even his death was the cause of a dispute between his Eoka B movement and the Cyprus government. The government wanted the body to be buried in Greece. But Grivas supporters, in an open snub of the government, went ahead with plans for burial in the garden of the house where he died -- the hideout from which he directed Eoka operations against the British for four years.

No member of the Cypriot Government was present at the funeral because the service was conducted by a former Bishop, who had been defrocked last year because he led a church revolt aimed at overthrowing Archbishop Makarios.

Among the tens of thousands watching the ceremony were General George Denizis, the Greek Army officer commanding the Cypriot National Guard, and General Othon Kyriacopoulos, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Greek Armed forces.

Captive members of the Eoka B movement, released by the government following the announcement of General Grivas' death, were also at the graveside.