Cyprus-Forum.com

[Oracle]

Behind every great man, is a woman! ... or so the maxim goes!

....... And there were many great men fighting for Freedom for Cyprus, under the EOKA banner.

So who were the brave women in the background? What did they do? How did they help?

Let's hear it for the EOKA Heroines ....

[Paphitis]

Behind every great man, is a woman! ... or so the maxim goes!

....... And there were many great men fighting for Freedom for Cyprus, under the EOKA banner.

So who were the brave women in the background? What did they do? How did they help?

Let's hear it for the EOKA Heroines ....

KYRIAKIDOU, Maroulla.

In August 1956, she worked at the Dhekelia Base. Unknown to the British, she was a highly placed member of EOKA's 'women's strike force'. A slim, blue-eyed 20-year-old, EOKA knew she could charm her way through security checks and she agreed to smuggle small bombs carried in her Thermos flask. Inside the base, Efthymios Papadopoulos KALOGYROS, another Dhekelia employee, collected and hid them until they were needed. On 09.08.56, he successfully set off several in two RASC storerooms at 625 Camp.

[Paphitis]

KOURSOUMBA, Demetra.

Code-names: Gabriel and Pankratios. Born 1935 in Kaimakli, she was a housewife who became one of the 'Grivas girls', who performed a variety of chores from delivering messages and carrying weapons, she was arrested and held in Nicosia's Central Prison.

KAKKINOU, Loulla

Nicosia-born, she was 18 years-old when she was arrested in March 1956, the first female to be charged with terrorist offenses. She was released from prison on 13.08.57. She often visited GRIVAS at his mountain hideout. EOKA claimed she was housewife.

KALLINIKOU, Rita.

She was Andreas CHARTAS's chief courier in Nicosia. She was arrested with him at her home on 01.02.57 as she was typing an order from Grivas, warning families of informers that they, too, might be punished if they continued to support and assist the 'traitors'.

KARMIOU, Rea.

Born 1939, she was a tall brunette in the final year of her studies at Larnaca Lyceum. With her friend, Phaedra ECONOMOU, a blonde of medium height, she volunteered to plant bombs at the Grand Hotel, attaching them to chairs in the dining room. The bombs were timed to explode at 20.00 when several British officers would be having dinner.

http://www.britains-smallwars.com/cypru ... ist_k.html

[Oracle]

Thanks Paphitis ... those are a good start.

I get the impression EOKA were very protective of the women who helped the struggle ...

KAKKINOU, Loulla

Nicosia-born, she was 18 years-old when she was arrested in March 1956, the first female to be charged with terrorist offenses. She was released from prison on 13.08.57. She often visited GRIVAS at his mountain hideout. EOKA claimed she was a housewife.

Very sketchy, as it's from the Britain's small wars site ..

From another site, I think this may be her but not certain ...





If so, I think someone has made a film of her life (maybe her daughter?).

[Paphitis]

Thanks Paphitis ... those are a good start.

I get the impression EOKA were very protective of the women who helped the struggle ...

KAKKINOU, Loulla

Nicosia-born, she was 18 years-old when she was arrested in March 1956, the first female to be charged with terrorist offenses. She was released from prison on 13.08.57. She often visited GRIVAS at his mountain hideout. EOKA claimed she was a housewife.

Very sketchy, as it's from the Britain's small wars site ..

From another site, I think this may be her but not certain ...





If so, I think someone has made a film of her life (maybe her daughter?).

I have a book at home written by a very senior female EOKA operative or branch leader. I forget her name as I have not read the book yet.

I will let you know the title so that you can get a copy and read it.

BTW, I am not ignoring your question in the "ERCAN" thread. I will respond to it soon.

[Oracle]

Thanks Paphitis ... those are a good start.

I get the impression EOKA were very protective of the women who helped the struggle ...

KAKKINOU, Loulla

Nicosia-born, she was 18 years-old when she was arrested in March 1956, the first female to be charged with terrorist offenses. She was released from prison on 13.08.57. She often visited GRIVAS at his mountain hideout. EOKA claimed she was a housewife.

Very sketchy, as it's from the Britain's small wars site ..

From another site, I think this may be her but not certain ...





If so, I think someone has made a film of her life (maybe her daughter?).

I have a book at home written by a very senior female EOKA operative or branch leader. I forget her name as I have not read the book yet.

I will let you know the title so that you can get a copy and read it.

BTW, I am not ignoring your question in the "ERCAN" thread. I will respond to it soon.

The book title would be most welcome .... I'd also like to get to the bottom of the rumour about Grigoris Afxentiou having a secret wedding ... so romantic (and sad).

Please do look into an answer to the question on "Ercan" as I seriously think, if someone is in breach of an Institute's Charter/license conditions, it should become universally effective against them ... wouldn't it be great? To have Turkey lose its licence if it carries on flying to "Ercan"?

[Paphitis]

PANAYIDOU, Cloe.

She was the Director of the Larnaca Children's Home, which was a charitable institution actively supported by the British establishment. Lady Harding often visited to discuss the Home's needs. She was unaware that Panayidou supported Eoka and allowed the organization to store weapons and munitions in the Home's premises.

PAPAGIORGIOU, Loukia

She died in Avgorou village on 05.07.58. When a Troop of the Royal Horse Guards, searching for Andreas KARIOS, arrested a youth suspected of Eoka connections, the village women started to riot, led by Loukia. More than 200 villagers surrounded the soldiers. Lt H D BLAKE called for assistance, With village youth hurling bricks and clamouring over their armoured vehicles, he fired his Browning machine gun. A bullet ricocheted from a wall and hit Mrs Papagiorgiou, killing her.

PAPAMILITIADES, Maroulla.

She helped Andreas AZINAS to smuggle arms to Cyprus from Greece. The 'papa' prefix to her name indicates her father was a priest. The family was related to Archbishop MAKARIOS.

PISSARIDOU, Maroulla Hadjipavli.

She was one of the chief clandestine printers, working at the Phaneromeni church, Nicosia, where Eoka propaganda leaflets were turned out.

POULLIDOU-NISSIOTOU, Eve.

She was the editor of the clandestine magazine, Agoge ton Neon. (Upbringing of Youth).

http://www.britains-smallwars.com/cypru ... ist_p.html

[bill cobbett]

The gentlemanly GB Tommy wouldn't think to stop and search the Cy heroines as this network of ladies (and indeed often children) smuggled supplies from village to village.

[Paphitis]

AFXENTIOU, Gregoris.

Code names: Zedhros and Zodro.

A former truck driver from Lysi, he served as a lieutenant in the mainland Greek Army from 1948 to 1952.

He was Eoka's No 2, a notorious and effective terrorist, who was killed 04.03.57 in a 10-hour-long battle near the Machairas Monastery in the Troodos Mountains. GRIVAS had recruited Afxentiou long before the start of the conflict, believing his four years' military training would be invaluable.

The Eoka leader's assessment proved correct. The battle was between his small gang and the Security Forces, including members of 1 Duke of Wellington's Regt, 1 Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and 3 Grenadier Guards. Of the 5-man gang, 4 surrendered. They were Avgustis EFSTANIOU, Antonis PAPADOPOULOS, Phidian SYMEONIDES and Andreas STYLIANOU. They were to receive long prison sentences.

Despite his comrades' surrender, Afxentiou still refused to come out of the cave. Eventually a Royal Engineer dropped petrol into a hole in the roof. The petrol was set alight and the cave exploded. When the troops were able to enter, they found his charred body. Underneath was a copy of Christ Recrucified by Abbot Irineos.

While Afxentiou was operational, he ran groups in Pitsilia, Famagusta/Gaziamagosa and Makheras. At the time of his death, he had a price of £5,000 on his head. He had been active since the first day of the conflict and was one of the 16 who escaped from Kyrenia Castle in September 1955.) GRIVAS called him, 'The eagle of Pentadactylos.'

Soon after the start of the Eoka conflict, he married his childhood sweetheart, Vasiliki Panayi, in a secret ceremony conducted by Abbot PAPASTAVROS in the small Karavas/Alsancak monastery, while EOKA gunmen were on guard outside.

AFXENTIOU, Vasilou

She married Grigoris AFXENTIOU in a secret wedding on 10 June 1955 and provided support for EOKA members in her village.

[Paphitis]

Oracle wrote:

The book title would be most welcome .... I'd also like to get to the bottom of the rumour about Grigoris Afxentiou having a secret wedding ... so romantic (and sad).

Very little is known about Afxentiou, Vasilou.

Do you have any more information you could add?

She may still be alive today and it is very sad that so much of EOKA's glorious history is not documented.