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In its long history, Cyprus has known many conquerors and suffered all kinds of trials. However, in every important historical event there have been people who have been distinguished for their greatness of soul, ideals and values. Such special people are the five worthy brave men, whom we honour here today, in the Holy Church of Agia Paraskevi, in Geroskipou.
With immense respect and national pride we commemorate Christos Konstantinidis, who died fighting in 1920 in Asia Minor, Petros Efstathiou and Giannakis Taliotis, who were killed during the 1963-1964 Turkish invasion, and Antonis Antoniou and Michalis Kyprianou, who were sacrificed during the Turkish invasion in 1974.
Five young men, who without hesitation and with incomparable bravery, defended their country to the end, loyal to duty, and honouring to the fullest extent the values and ideals that have shaped Greeks everywhere throughout the centuries.
Christos Konstantinidis of Sotiris was born in Geroskipou on 6 October 1896.
Christos Konstantinidis of Sotiris was born in Geroskipou on 6 October 1896. As a very young man he took part voluntarily in the Balkan Wars of 1912-13. Later, he joined the Thessaloniki Movement and served in the Army of National Defence. In the Asia Minor Campaign he served with the rank of Sergeant in the 9° Company of the 33rd Infantry Regiment and was killed in action at the Battle of Demertzis on 18 July 1920. He was only 24 years old. The announcement of Konstantinidis' heroic death to his parents was made in a letter by his Commander, Lieutenant Lyrakis, who praised his bravery on the battlefield, noting that "our Great Patrice will be eternally grateful to him and his honoured parents, who give such children with such feelings who fight like real brave and heroes and know how to press on, like other Spartans, without abandoning their positions".
Petros Efstathiou of Christos and Panagiota was born in Morphou on 16 November 1944. He was the child of a large family. He finished the Primary School of Morphou and subsequently worked in construction. He was a football player of the Morphos Athletic Union. He lived from time to time in Morfu and Trachona Nicosia.
Petros Efstathiou had been missing since 23 December 1963, when he had gone to his home in Trachona Nicosia to help his stepmother and younger brothers to leave, since it was adjacent to the Turkish Cypriot quarter of Nicosia and Turkish Cypriot armed groups were already active.
Petros Efstathiou had been missing since 23 December 1963, when he had gone to his home in Trachona Nicosia to help his stepmother and younger brothers to leave, since it was adjacent to the Turkish Cypriot quarter of Nicosia and Turkish Cypriot armed groups were already active. It appears that, on reaching there, he was captured by the armed Turkish Cypriot groups.
His remains were recovered in a mass grave in Hamit Mandres between 20 July 2012 and 15 January 2013, in the framework of the exhumation and identification of remains programme of the United Nations-sponsored Committee of Inquiry on Missing Persons in Cyprus. The identification of his bones was carried out using the DNA method. His family was informed in August 2020 of his discovery, 57 years later. He was buried with military honours on 11 October 2020 at the Geroskipou cemetery, where the grave of his father and his mother is located.
Giannakis Taliotis, originally from Geroskipou, was born on 30 January 1947. He was the third of nine children born to the couple Prodromos Taliotis and Charalambia Farfaras. He attended the Geroskipou Primary School and later the Paphos High School. In 1963, when the Turkandarsia broke out, as a true Greek he ran to register as a volunteer fighter in the company of Kostas Nikitas and later in the company of Dimitrakis Konstantinidis, in which his brother Nikos participated. Bravery, courage, boldness and determination characterised this enthusiastic fighter. He was always a pioneer in every fight and was always in the front line in the various battles.
From August 5 to August 8, 1964, the company of Giannakis Taliotis fought with courage and self-sacrifice in order to advance to occupy the outskirts of the mountain range that separated Kokkina from Pachyammos, a barren area with little vegetation.
From August 5 to August 8, 1964, the company of Giannakis Taliotis fought with courage and self-sacrifice with the aim of occupying the edges of the mountain range that separated Kokkina from Pachyammos, a barren area with little vegetation. Giannakis Taliotis took over the duties of the operator of the Bren machine gun. In conditions of hunger and thirst, under the hot sun and with huge losses, the hoplites managed to successfully repel the repeated attacks of the Turks. By 9 August, when help arrived from the National Guardsmen of the Class of 1947, Dimitrakis Konstantinidis' company was almost decimated. The remaining soldiers of the Company returned to the village of Pachyammos for rest. Suddenly, Turkish war planes appeared again and began attacking with machine guns and dropping napalm bombs. Yannakis Taliotis took the brenn, which he held in his hands, and began to fire at the enemy. Then the machine gun bullets hit him in the chest. Before he reached the age of 17, Giannakis Taliotis soaked the mountains of Tilliria with his blood, defending his homeland with incomparable bravery.
Antonis Antoniou was born in Petra Solea on 23 August 1955, where he lived with his parents Kostas and Dora until the Turkish invasion.
Antonis Antoniou was born in Petra Solea on 23 August 1955, where he lived with his parents Kostas and Dora until the Turkish invasion. In January 1974 he joined the National Guard to fulfill his military obligations. After his basic training, he was assigned to the 1st Company of the 399 Infantry Battalion, based in Bogazi Famagusta. On the day the Turkish invasion of Cyprus began, 20 July 1974, the battalion received instructions to go to Kyrenia to intercept Turkish troops. Subsequently, they continued towards Belapais and reached the area of Mias Milias, where they established defensive positions by opening trenches.
On the morning of 14 August 1974, powerful Turkish forces - supported by a large number of tanks and the air force - launched a fierce attack against the National Guard forces in the area of Mias Milias. After fierce fighting and due to the superiority of the Turkish troops, the order was given to retreat and regroup. Antoniou and a number of other soldiers moved further back, to the "Eucalyptus" area of Mias Milia, where an artillery unit of the National Guard had landed. Shortly afterwards, and due to a circular movement of tanks, a new order to retreat was given. Due to the heavy firing and the action of the Turkish tanks, the retreat was carried out in a completely disorganized manner and in various directions. Some soldiers from Antonio's group moved towards the Paleokythro-Gaidoura area and ended up in the free areas. Despite being urged to follow them, Antoniou preferred to remain in the 'Eucalyptus' area of Mias Milia with another soldier of 399 TP, with no evidence of their subsequent movements. Since then, his fate was unknown until 2015, when his remains were identified by the DNA method.
Michalis Christofi Kyprianou, a soldier of the 286th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, fell heroically fighting on 15 August 1974 on the Lapatsa hill, in the area north of Skylura. He was a child of a large family, son of Christofi and Chrysanthi. He joined the National Guard in January 1973 and was assigned to the first company of the Mechanized Infantry Battalion.
In 1974, at the age of 19, Michalis, serving his military service, was on the front line in defense of his homeland. His traces were lost in the second phase of the Turkish invasion. He was last seen on the afternoon of 15 August 1974 in the area of Skyloura-Agios Hermolaos, in the platoon of Lieutenant Joseph Sergidis. His fate was unknown until 2017, when his remains were identified by the DNA method.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is with feelings of deep emotion and awe that we pay today the minimum tribute to the memory of our heroes. We bow to the greatness of their sacrifice and from them we draw lessons of philanthropy and self-sacrifice, which, as a precious legacy, we ought to preserve and pass on to future generations. With respect and humility we express our gratitude and acknowledge that the greatest honour to those who sacrificed themselves for their faith and country, against all odds, is to continue to claim the rights of our people and to strive for a free and reunited Cyprus.
I assure you that the Government of Nicos Christodoulides will not cease for a moment to make every effort towards the resumption of talks aimed at a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant United Nations (UN) Resolutions and the principles and values of the European Union (EU).
May these young lads, with their unfathomable fortitude and strength of soul, which they demonstrated at critical moments for Hellenism, illuminate our course.
May their memory be eternal.
(EAT/MS)
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