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- Ελληνικά
The Minister of Defence, Mr. Michael Yiorgallas delivered a commemorative speech during the prayer service held on Sunday 22 October 2023, at the Church of Apostolos Varnavas, in Mathiatis and then unveiled at the naming ceremony of the central street of the community of Mathiatis, in honor of Lieutenant General Nikolaos Papageorgiou, who heroically died in the battles of Tilliria, in August 1964.
"With immense respect and with feelings of eternal gratitude, we gathered today at the Holy Church of Apostle Barnabas in Mathiatis, to commemorate and pay due tribute to Major General Nikolaos Papageorgiou, who heroically died in the epic battles of Lorovounos in August 1964.
To a worthy son of Greece, who with bravery and unparalleled courage sealed with his selfless sacrifice critical moments of our history, and with his blood watered the martyred Cypriot land.
For almost six decades after the black summer of 1964, every August, the shrill voices of the freedom fighters of Cyprus shake from side to side the bloodstained soils, the sky and the sea of long-suffering Tilliria.
They are the voices of the courageous fighters of the 206 and 216 Infantry Battalions, the 83rd and 85th Companies of the 8th Tactical Group, the volunteers of the National Guard Company of Kato Pyrgos and Pachyammos, and the members of the "Phaethon" ship of the then newly formed National Guard.
They are also the voices of the heroically fallen commandos of the 31st Commando Squadron.
Lieutenant Nikolaos Papageorgiou, whom we honour today, and the commandos Georgios Aplikiotis and Michael Kusoulidis, who fell heroically fighting at Lorovounos on 7 August 1964.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Nikolaos Papageorgiou was born on June 15, 1935, in the village of Zoriano Doris, in the prefecture of Fokida.
He was the third of the four children of Konstantinos and Vasiliki Papageorgiou.
Nurtured by the high ideals of Hellenism and having as a role model his educated father - who had fought as a reserve officer in Asia Minor in 1921-22, as well as in the Second World War - after his high school studies, he entered the Military School of Evelpidon, from which he graduated in 1957, with the rank of Lieutenant Infantry.
He chose to join the Commando Forces, trained as a paratrooper and served in various Special Forces units of the Greek Army.
In May 1964, at his own request and fully aware of the criticality of the situation, he was transferred to Cyprus to serve in the National Guard and to assist the struggling Cypriot people, who were strongly resisting Turkey's attempts to gradually destabilize and abolish the Cypriot State and eventually partition the island.
In order to achieve its illegal plans, Turkey, from the beginning of 1964, gradually created an enclave based on the villages of Kokkina and Mansoura.
This enclave was to constitute a Turkish beachhead in Cyprus and would allow a direct and uninterrupted sea connection with the island, while also serving as a base to reinforce the Turkish Cypriots with military personnel and war material.
In the first half of 1964, Turkey, after having transferred a significant number of military forces and large quantities of arms and ammunition to the area, proceeded to advance the positions of armed units, culminating in the capture of the strategically important "Lorovounos" hill on 9 July.
On the same day, the National Guard, which just a few days ago - on June 15 - had conducted the first compulsory military conscription in the history of the Republic of Cyprus, implemented the formation of the 31st Commando Squadron.
The words of the first Commander of the Squadron, Major Georgios Karousos, to the prospective cruisers, crystallize the magnitude of the self-denial and altruism shown by the personnel, choosing to wear the honoured green beret.
"For those of you who will choose the Marines, I want you to know right now that during your service you will go hungry, you will go thirsty, you will suffer, you will lose all contact with your loved ones.
You will forget the fun and the outings, but you can be sure that in the end you will be proud loggers.
The gentlemen of the 31st Ranger Squadron. Those of you who are interested, pass right now."
The Squadron was organized into three Strike Companies and one Support and Logistics Company, with a total strength of about 360 men.
Captain Konstantinos Bekiaris was assigned to the 1st Strike Company, Captain Orestis Marinakis to the 2nd, Lieutenant Nikolaos Papageorgiou to the 3rd, and Captain Panagiotis Karatzas to the Support and Logistics Company.
After its formation, the Squadron was intensively engaged in the training of personnel, so that the young, civilian National Guardsmen, until a few days ago, would become reliable and combat-ready fighters.
On 5 August the Squadron received an order to move to Tilliria.
On 5 August the Squadron was ordered to move to Tilliria. Late in the evening of the same day, with accelerated vehicles, they reached the area of "Pezema of the Nymphs" and from there until the early hours of the next day they marched to the foot of the "Akoni" hill, about 1000 meters east of "Lorovouno". There, after the canyons had been removed, the 206 Infantry Battalion, one of the first two Battalions of the National Guard, was stationed, formed with service soldiers and transferred to Tilliria.
The National Guard leadership, following the unsuccessful attack by Turkish forces the following day to capture the high ground occupied by the 206 Infantry Battalion, began to formulate a plan of offensive action to eliminate the threat.
The attack was decided to occur shortly after noon on 7 August.
The 31st Squadron's cruisers attacked from the west of the "Lorovunos" hill in two directions. From the north with the 1st and from the south with the 3rd Company. The 2nd and the Support Company followed in turn.
The 3rd Company of Lieutenant Papageorgiou met the most serious resistance.
During the battle and while preparing to launch an attack to clear an enemy outpost, the immortal lieutenant was shot, which hit him in the chest.
"It's nothing guys, fight on" he is said to have chanted just before he passed away.
Shortly afterwards, his dispatcher, ranger Georgios Aplikiotis and gunner Michael Kusoulidis were killed.
The fallen lieutenant, the first Greek officer to sacrifice himself in battle on Cypriot soil, was awarded a medal for bravery by decision of the Minister of National Defence of Greece and by presidential decree the rank of Lieutenant General.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we ascend today to the martyr's land, which received the last breath of the hero Nikolaos Papageorgiou, we become receptive to the historically charged aura of the region.
At the highest point of the hill, we face the imposing cross, which was placed in memory of the fallen commandos.
It is an everlasting symbol of the unsurpassed fighting spirit and unparalleled mental strength of Nikolaos Papageorgiou, Georgios Aplikiotis and Michael Kusoulidis.
Their unfailing heroic sacrifice, like a preacher, calls for the continuation of our struggle for the lifting of the occupation, liberation and reunification of our homeland.
This is where the efforts of the President of the Republic, Mr.
To enable the lifting of the deadlock and the resumption of the talks process, with the ultimate goal of reaching a just, viable and workable solution to the Cyprus problem.
To enable the lifting of the deadlock and the resumption of the talks process, with the ultimate goal of reaching a just, viable and workable solution to the Cyprus problem.
A solution that will liberate and reunite our homeland and allow all its legitimate inhabitants to live together in peace, security, justice and equality.
A solution that will finally allow the deep unhealed wounds of the Turkish invasion to be closed and lay a solid foundation for ensuring freedom, peace and prosperity in our homeland.
Reflecting on the magnitude of the contribution of the hero we commemorate today, we, in turn, unequivocally declare our will to continue with the same dedication and the same perseverance and patience the struggle we are waging until the achievement of our high, sacred, national goal.
With these thoughts and with great emotion we will soon celebrate the naming of a central street of the community of Mathiatis, which will bear the name of Major General Nikolaos Papageorgiou, as a sign of honour to the memory of the heroic Greek commando.
It will symbolize the eternal appreciation of the Cypriot Hellenism to him and will be an everlasting witness of his heroic deeds during the conflicts in Tilliria in 1964.
It will remind us at the same time of our own responsibility and will call us to follow the path he blazed. That of philanthropy, courage, total commitment and faith in the universal values of freedom and democracy.
It is up to us, therefore, to embrace the lessons of his life and self-denial until the last moment.
It will be the best way to honour his important historical legacy.
It will be the best way to do justice to his sacrifice.
Honor and glory to Major General Nikolaos Papageorgiou.
Honor and glory to all those who gave their lives in defense of our homeland in national struggles.
Thank you."
(ZM/IS)
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