The battle at the Barn at Liopetri

ANDREAS KARYOS B orn in the village of Avgorou, Famagusta District, on 16 July 1926. After graduating from the village primary school, he later studied theology, accounting, En- glish and Greek literature. He was an officer of PEK and a founder member of SEK, PEON and the reli- gious association of his village. In January 1955 he joined Gregoris Afxentiou. He organised and headed the EOKA struggle in Avgorou. On 1st April 1955 he took part in the operation to cut the electric wires near Avgorou and received severe burns. He was arrested several times for his action and after his team’s attack on Achna police station, he was placed on the wanted list. He was arrested in November 1956 and incarcerated at Pyla Detention Centre, from where he escaped on 12 March 1958. He continued his action as deputy sector commander in the Kokkinocho- ria area. He was known for his faith in God and his country. The following words are an indication of the purity of his patriotism: "I love our island of Cyprus, with its ancient civilisation, my heart beats for it and at its altar I will lay down my life itself, if I have to" . k k k It is worth mentioning that Andreas’s brother, George Karyos, also died fighting the British in a battle on 28 October 1958. Their moth- er, Flourentza bade farewell to her second child in an improvised couplet: "In forty days two sons for Cyprus did I give To see my country free I only hope to live". The body of Andreas Karyos riddled with holes from bullets and bayonets