Aghajanian, Gaspar (Oral history)

Palestinian civilian in Jerusalem, Palestine, 1911-1938; lawyer in Haifa and Jerusalem, Palestine, 1938-1947; judge in Tiberias, Palestine and Transjordan, 1947-1949; civilian in Cyprus, 1949-1974

REEL 1 Background in Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire and Palestine, 1911-1938: family background and childhood; story of grandfather joining Ottoman Turkish Army, 1914; British Army's entry into Jerusalem, 1917; outbreaks of violence between Jews and Arabs following Balfour Declaration, 1919; relations between Armenians, Jews and Arabs; story of Mufti of Jerusalem inciting attacks on Jews and killings in Hebron, 1929; size of Palestine Police Force and British Army presence in Jerusalem; effects of conflict on daily life; entering legal profession, 1933; further violence between Jews and Arabs, 1936-1939; question of publication of Jewish immigration quotas precipitating violence; attitude to selling of land to Jews by absentee Arab landlords. Aspects of period as lawyer in Haifa, Palestine, 1938-1945: appointed notary; duties dealing with land-holdings. REEL 2 Continues: reason for being armed; promotion into Executive Office, 1939; duties; reason for restrictions on movement; Italian and German Air Force bombing of Haifa; Deutsches Afrika Corps advance in North Africa, 1942; reason for joining Palestine Volunteer Force, 1940; training and service with Royal Artillery; reason for disbandment of Palestine Volunteer Force, 1942. Aspects of period as lawyer in Jerusalem, Palestine, 1945-1947: marriage to Astrid Gaydzagian and move to Jerusalem, 1945; work as lawyer in law courts; reason for renewal of hostilities between Jews and Arabs following end of Second World War; service of Jews with British forces and their use of military skills in conflict with Arabs; reaction to bombing of King David Hotel, Jerusalem, 22/7/1946. Aspects of period as judge in Tiberias, Palestine and Transjordan, 1947-1949: duties as Judge of Conciliation in reforming legal system; story of attempted bribe from Jewish organisation. REEL 3 Continues: relations between Jews and Arabs in Tiberias, Palestine and effect of partition; story of being told to move from home on edge of Jewish part of town; artillery shelling of home by both sides in conflict; lodging in police quarters in Tiberias, Palestine; Jewish attack on Arab village and refusal of British forces to intervene, 1948; reason for moving to Transjordan before partition deadline, 16/4/1948; question of collusion between British and Jews; role of British officers in Royal Jordanian Army. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of John Glubb and his attitude towards Arabs; comparison of political awareness of Jews and Palestinians after partition; story of obtaining British nationality and reason for moving to Cyprus, 4/1949. Aspects of period as civilian in Cyprus, 1949-1974: description of work at American Monitoring Centre in Kyrenia; effect of Cyprus Emergency on daily life; attitude to threatened invasions by Republic of Turkey in 1964 and 1967; Turkish invasion of Cyprus, 1974; opinion of behaviour of Turkish Army troops; fear of being victimised due to Armenian origins; moving from home to Robert McGonigal's restaurant. REEL 5 Continues: description of restaurant; reason for presence of actor Edward Woodward and family; receiving news over radio; road journey under artillery fire from Dhekelia to Akrotiri; description of tented accommodation at RAF Akrotiri; help received from Edward Woodward in contacting daughter in GB; reason for leaving Cyprus and flying to GB; landing at RAF Brize Norton, GB; reaction to loss of possessions and home for second time. Aspects of period in GB, 1974-1997: employment with Ministry of Defence; opinion of compensation and assistance from British and United States Governments.