There is great sadness throughout Cyprus.
Yesterday afternoon, the "Sailor" of EOKA passed away at the age of 88. The fighter Augustis Efstathiou, who fought on the side of Auxentios.
When Augustis was recounting the last moments of Grigoris Auxentiou:
Details about the funeral of August Efstathiou, will be announced in the coming days.
Who was the well-known "Sailor":
Augustis Efstathiou was born on May 11, 1934, at the western end of Cyprus, in Poli Chrysochous. His parents had six children, five boys and one girl. Augustis was the youngest child in the family and his parents were the poorest in the city.
When Augustis was two years old, his father died. After his death they had to support themselves from the daily wage of the working mother. In the afternoons after school Augustis at the age of 6 sold newspapers and gave the little money he got to his suffering mother. He finished the Primary School of the City with a very good grade, but he could not even think of a high school education.
The dry daily wage (no other income) of the working mother was impossible to afford such a luxury. When he finished Primary, in the established formal class he worked somewhere and after saving the bus ticket to transport him to Nicosia, he kissed his Mother, and she gave him her wish. She gave him two sheets, put some of his underwear inside, tied them, left the village and after a four-hour journey arrived in Nicosia. Augustis worked in various professions in Nicosia, but inside him burned the desire to continue school.
When he was informed that there was a night school, he began classes, which lasted four years. In 1954, Cyprus submitted to the United Nations, with a request for Self-Determination - Union. The request was rejected and violent demonstrations took place in Cyprus, which the occupiers called riots.
Augustis was among the ringleaders and was later arrested and sentenced to two months in prison. In March 1955 he was released, while on April 1st the liberation struggle began. Three months later, in July 1955, Augustis joined the National Organization of Cypriot Athletes, EOKA.
He fought in distributing leaflets, writing slogans, throwing grenades, sabotage and finally in the firing squads. After the order of the organization he executed someone and with the order of the Tome-arch of Nicosia he went out to Artartiko, in the mountains he met Grigoris Auxentiou, he obeyed his orders and since then he stayed with him, except for very few intervals.
In the battle of Machiras he fought alongside Auxentiou and was burned by the fire in the hideout. He was arrested, tortured and after three days he was taken to the General Hospital to treat his burns. He was sentenced to prison and was released with the end of the Armed Struggle, and the proclamation of the Republic of Cyprus. After the revolution, he met the rival of Panagiotas Evripidou, from Kampos of Tsakkistra, and they got married. They had four sons: Grigoris, Michalis, Glaukos and Efstathios.
From Grigoris and Soulla they had their granddaughter Panagiota. From Grigoris and Nikis, their granddaughters Sofia and Kostas. From Michalis and Loukia, the grandchildren Rhea, Augusti and Panos.
cyprustimes.com