The Municipality of Sotira and the Committee of Relatives of the Fallen and Missing Savior invite you to the annual religious memorial of the Fallen Heroes and to the Prayer to determine the fate of the Missing of the Savior during the Turkish Invasion of 1974 to be held on Sunday, July 31, 2022: 9 00 a.m. at the Holy Temple of the Resurrection in Sotira.
A commemorative speech will be delivered by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr. Yiannis Karousos. Yiannis Karousos – Yiannis Karousos
There will be a memorial service and a prayer for finding the Missing and Laying of Wreaths at the Sotiras Memorial to the Fallen and Missing (near the EOKA Memorial Museum) at 9:30 am.
It will be preceded by a march of the Sotiras Commando Reserves from the chapel of Agia Thekla at 7:30 am. to the Monument to the Fallen and Missing Saviors where there will be a burning of incense.
Instead of wreaths, contributions will be made to the Committee of Relatives of the Fallen and Missing Savior.
For reasons of economy of time and protocol, following a decision of the Culture Committee, wreaths are deposited only by the host Municipality, the Official Guest, the Local Government Authorities, the Security Forces (Army, Police, Fire Brigade), the Sotiras Church, the Sotiras Schools, the Committee of Relatives of the Fallen and Missing Savior and from a representative of the parliamentary parties.
FALLEN AND MISSING SAVIOR DURING THE TURKISH INVASION OF 1974
MISSING
Athanasis S. George of Stavrinos and Eva - Missing
He was born on July 3, 1951 and was the third of four children in his family. From a very early age he stood out for his levity and boyishness. Graduating from primary school in 1963, he followed his parents' profession in agriculture. In 1969 the lanky young man joined the National Guard.
Saying goodbye to his mother on the morning of July 20, before enlisting as a reserve, he tells her. "Do not be upset, mother. We will go, give them a cop and we will turn back… "
It ranks with the later legendary 366 TE of Dimitris Avlomageiros.
The second phase of their invasion is in the area of Agios Pavlos and the Central Prison.
The lads of the National Guard are fighting with rage and do not retreat from the positions even for a moment. With a legend unprecedented among them is Giorgis, who with his courage and bravery challenges Charon at any moment to confront him in the marble threshing floors.
He lives a heroic outburst. Almost uncovered while singing, he keeps the Turks stuck with his machine gun. When the house which was fortified together with his comrades-in-arms is surrounded and they receive an order to collapse, he refuses to follow his companions. He is waiting for the enemy alone, standing up as the requirements of Greek history stipulate.
Solution Costas by Christofis and Maria - Missing
He was born in Sotira on April 2, 1954 and was the fourth child out of seven in his farming family. Graduating from Sotiras Primary School in 1966, he then studied at the Famagusta Technical School and then at the CTL Academy Private School, in the field of radio electronics, while helping his parents in the fields. In June 1972, the teenager Kostas enlisted in the National Guard to serve his military service. After the basic training he is placed in 399 TO in Bogazi.
After the invasion, his battalion is ordered to move to the Five Fingers. In the second round of the invasion, 399 TO is lined up in the area of the North Pole and Mia Milia.
According to a testimony on the morning of August 14, Costas Lysis, while he was with other comrades-in-arms, saw chariots in which they could see Greek signs. Costas voluntarily approached them to ask for help. Approaching one of them, his comrades saw him having a dialogue with a soldier who appeared through the chariot, dropped his weapon of origin, climbed on the tracks, opened his shirt and then a soldier with a black beret appeared who almost shot him. in contact with the lad to fall to the ground.
Paschalis Panagiotis of Zouvanis and Chrystalla - Missing
Panagiotis was born in Sotira on December 8, 1955 and was the third of seven children in his large family. As soon as he graduated from elementary school, like most young people of his time, he looked for a job to offer to his large family. He learned and practiced the profession of barber with more art. In January 1973, he hurried to enlist in the National Guard, although he had a leg problem from birth that prevented him from walking normally. He was stationed after his training in the 190th Anti-Tank Artillery Squadron, which encamped at the monastery of Achiropoietos in Karavas.
On the nightmarish morning of July 20, 1974, Squadron is ordered to man its positions and strike the numerous invaders. Together with four other colleagues, Panagiotis starts firing his cannon at the Turkish amphibians.
The men manning the cannon element receive heavy Turkish fire. One of the five manages to escape, of the other four, among them Panagiotis, who was injured in the hand. Their traces were lost in the pergolas of the Five Miles.
Efstathiou Efstathios of Petros and Despina - Missing
He was born in Styllos on December 12, 1945 and was the sixth of nine children in his family. As soon as he graduated from elementary school, he started farming. In 1973 he married Eleni Marti from Sotira and a year later they had a baby girl. A few days later, however, the joy of the young couple is lost when the war breaks out. The brothers take the road of refuge and from the first moment Efstathios is by their side.
On August 16, hearing information that the Turks had not yet entered Styllos, Efstathios with his brother Antonis, decided the next day to go to their village. Accompanied by their fellow villager Michalis Zanetto, they arrive at the village of Mesaoria. There they are arrested by a Turkish patrol. They are first transferred to an age barracks in Engomi outside Famagusta and then to Prasteio. There the Turks detain 13 male civilians whom they load into a truck to take them to Famagusta.
According to a testimony, in the middle of the road, in the middle of the Mesaritikos Plain, the truck stops and a Turkish Cypriot teacher from the village of Aloa and Turkish soldiers coldly execute nine of the 13 hostages, including Efstathios. The other four managed to escape by running in the fields or pretending to be dead.
Georgios Matsiukkos (Patsii) of Konstantinos and Maria – Missing
Georgios Patsiis of Constantine was married but had no children. He had adopted a girl. He was born in Sotira on July 30, 1912. Before the Turkish invasion of 1974, he lived with his wife and stepdaughter in Agios Memnon, Famagusta. He practiced the profession of fisherman.
Although he was trapped in Agios Memnon when he was captured by Turkish troops, he managed to reach Sotira on August 21, 1974, with his family and other neighbors.
The next day, August 22, 1974, riding his bicycle, he tried to go to his house in Agios Memnon to transport basic necessities. When he reached the pervolia of Agios Memnon, he was arrested by the Turkish troops and his fate has been unknown ever since.
FALSE
Nikoletti Kyriakos (Kallis) of Andrea and Maria - Peson
He was born in Lysi in 1944. From an early age he started helping his brothers and parents in their farming work. In 1955 his family offered a lot to the national liberation struggle of the legendary EOKA. Little Kallis performs liaison duties conveying information and orders to the wanted guerrillas.
After the match is over he works hard. In 1964 he was assigned to the newly established National Guard. In 1969 he married Eleni Ilias from Sotira, with whom he had a boy and a girl. The studious and industrious young man works tirelessly so that his family does not lack anything. The dreams of himself and his family were shattered on the dark morning of July 20, 1974. After the invasion, he presented himself to the 366th Military Battalion at the Famagusta Police Station. On July 24th they move to the area of Agios Pavlos, Nicosia.
After the beginning of the B phase of the invasion, the heroic battalion consisting mainly of reserves from Kokkinochoria and Famagusta is called to defend the empty capital and save the prestige of the National Guard. A handful of heroic reservists fight with their sniper rifles against the oversized and heavily equipped invaders. They fight vigorously for two days and nights, holding their positions and repelling the Turks. Among him is Kallis, whom the happy man finds in the morning on the day of the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin, August 15.
He is buried in a makeshift cemetery, along with other Greek Cypriot soldiers. In the summer of 2000, the bones were exhumed and their identity was confirmed by the DNA method. On October 8 of the same year he was buried with honors worth the size of his sacrifice to the Savior, the birthplace of his wife and children.
>> Potamou Kyriakos of Christofis and Thekla – Peso
He was born in Sotira on July 5, 1942. As soon as he graduated from Primary School, he started working in the fields. In 1964 he married Eleni Antoni Meleti. After the Turkish uprising of 1963 and the creation of the National Guard, he was called up to the army and served for one year. After his dismissal, he engaged in agriculture while at the same time working on buses. On the morning of July 20, he enlists as a reserve and fights in Famagusta.
On August 14, while Kyriakos had previously felt the deadly premonition, the second phase of the invasion broke out. In his attempt to move a truck he receives the enemy bullet.
During his transfer to a makeshift hospital in the Acropolis district, Kyriakos breathed his last in the hands of his comrade-in-arms Dimitris Valiantis.
Resurrection of Christofis of Panagiotis and Stavrini - Peso
Christofis was born on September 20, 1954 in Sotira and was the third of six children in his family. He attended Sotiras Primary School from 1960 to 1966. At the age of twelve he started working in construction.
In January 1973 he was assigned to KEN Karaolou and after his training was assigned to the 251st Infantry Battalion based in the area of Glykiotissa in Kyrenia. A few days before he was dismissed, July 20th dawned.
The Turkish hordes are located just opposite the coast of Kyrenia. In a short time a fire hell prevails. The unit is ordered to leave immediately for its dispersal areas to confront the intruders. In a short time the men of 251 T.P. arrived in an area between the villages of Karmi and Trimithi. Around 9 in the morning, Christofis' battalion was advanced in the area of Pikro Nero and manned defensive positions. The thirst was excruciating. Christofis and another of his soldiers leave in an attempt to find water for the needs of the company, at the instruction of their sergeant. At the same time, the company is heavily attacked by the invaders and is forced to retreat.
Since then, at a time when Christofis was exploring the area for water while his company was retiring, he had given no signs of life and his fate was unknown.
Christofis' remains were found in a mass grave in the area of Kyrenia, as part of the exhumation and identification program of the Cyprus Missing Persons Investigation Committee.
On Sunday, March 7, 2010, the hero's funeral was held and the Savior's birthplace received in her womb the remains of her worthy child
Theodoulou Michalakis of Andreas and Merope - Peso
Michalakis was born in 1956 and was the seventh in a row of the ten children of Andreas and Meropi Theodoulou from Famagusta.
After graduating from elementary school he was thrown into the bio-fight. In January 1974 he enlisted in the National Guard to serve his military service. After basic training he was placed as a guide in the 173rd Anti-Tank Artillery Squadron, based in Karaolos.
On July 20, the day of the Turkish invasion, the XNUMXnd Artillery of the Squadron, in which Michalakis served, and the XNUMXrd Artillery were moved to the area of Mias Milia by order. Michalakis Theodoulou together with the rest of the soldiers of his group took up battle positions between Mias Milia and the Turkish Cypriot village of Hamit Mandres.
On 14 August, with the start of the second phase of the Turkish invasion, strong Turkish forces supported by a large number of tanks, as well as the air force, launched a large and coordinated attack against the positions of the National Guard in the area of Mia Milia.
The battles that followed were fierce and unequal. Michalakis and his colleagues are fighting heroically. Due to the numerical superiority and the superiority of the invader, the retreat and reconstruction of the unit is ordered. Michalakis Theodoulou together with other soldiers after loading two injured colleagues in a truck, they also get on and head to Famagusta. Near the crossroads to Palekythro, the military truck is immobilized due to mechanical damage, so Michalakis and the other soldiers abandon it.
At that moment, a Land Rover of the National Guard passes and picked up the two wounded and another soldier due to space. Michalakis Theodoulou and the others remain in the area of Palaikithro, which will soon come under the control of the Turkish troops.
Since then, his traces have disappeared and his fate is unknown until today. All these years his parents and relatives unjustly waited for him to return. In the meantime, his father was killed in a car accident in 1986 and his mother died in 2001. Both die with the grief of the missing Michalakis. Two of his brothers also die, George in 1972 and Artemis in 1997.
In 2007, his remains were found in a mass grave in the area of the Turkish Cypriot village of Agia and were identified by DNA within the UN-sponsored exhumation and identification program.
Pantelis Antonis (Tailor) of Andreas and Anastasia - Peson
Antonis was born on October 1, 1955. He was the first of five children in his family. After graduating in 1967 from elementary school, he attended for four years at the Center for Advanced Studies of Famagusta (KASA). At the age of 16 he chose to follow his father's art by learning sewing. In January 1974 he was called up to serve in the National Guard. With the rank of dean, he was placed at 399 TO in Bogazi, where he was found on the black breakfast of the 20th of July.
On July 23, 399, from Pentadakhtilos, which was in the first phase of the invasion, it moved to the area of Mia Milia. In one of the outposts in that area he last met his mother Anastasia on August 11th.
On the morning of August 14, Antonis' battalion is in the midst of a hell of a fire. At 10 in the morning they face a group of soldiers. The 399 soldiers think it is a friendly retreating battalion. Colonel Pantelis hurries to meet them. When he approaches them, they spear him. The lad is leaning on the ground.
His bones were found in the area of Mia Milia and were identified by the method of analysis of genetic material. His funeral was held at the Holy Temple of the Resurrection in Sotira, on September 8, 2013.
>> English Adamos Adamos of Kyriakos and Euthymia – Peson
Adamos was born on July 6, 1955 and was the third of seven children in his family. In 1967, after graduating from elementary school, he started working as a plumber. In 1973 he enlisted in the National Guard and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the 70th Engineer Battalion as a minesweeper, based at BMI in Nicosia.
On the eve of the invasion, his Battalion receives an order in the area of Trikomou. On the 5th of August the Battalion moves to Lapithos. The next day, the Turks, violating the ceasefire, begin a relentless pounding of the positions of the National Guard in the area of Karavas and Lapithos.
The men of Adamos Battalion in their attempt to disengage from the area fall into an ambush of the Turks.
Of the 51 members of the company, 28 soldiers are missing, among them Captain Adamos Adamos.
The remains of the hero were found in a mass grave in the Lapithos area, and were identified by the method of genetic material analysis.
On Sunday, February 10, 2019, the hero's funeral was held with all due honors and the birthplace of the Savior received the remains of her worthy child.
