The battle at the Barn at Liopetri

O n 2 September 1958 at the Barn at Liopetri EOKA fought one of its most epic battles. The humble barn was dubbed "A New Inn at Gravia". Regarding the four heroes of the battle, Andreas Karyos, Elias Papakyriakou, Photis Pittas and Christos Samaras, EOKA leader Dhigenis wrote in his Memoirs: "It is very difficult for me to distin- guish among these four brave young men and say who was the bravest of the brave. At that moment they all competed to see who was to die the bravest" . The facts related to the battle of the Barn and the heroic deaths of the four young men are as follows: On the night of 30 August the four freedom fight- ers went to Liopetri to train the local EOKA mem- bers in ambush-related issues. At 2.00 a.m. on 1 st September military vehicles appeared near the vil- lage. The fighters made an attempt to leave the vil- lage but were unable to do so because of the pres- ence of soldiers. They then decided to drive through the vice in which they were held. In the attempt they exchanged fire with British soldiers but were forced to return to Liopetri. At about 3.00 a.m. they took refuge in the barn belonging to Panayiotis Kallis. There followed a curfew and interrogations of all the inhabitants who until 3.00 a.m. were held behind barbed wire. The barn was searched but without result. At 1.00 a.m. on 2 nd September the British returned following information received, surrounded the barn and demanded from the owner to be told where the four fighters were hid- ing. The owner and his family gave no information despite the torture to which they were subjected. The British called on the fighters to surrender but The battle at the