Early Life and Background
Andreas Patsalidis was born on August 14, 1930, in the village of Kannavia, located in the Nicosia district. He completed his primary education in Kannavia before working in Amiantos, where he helped establish the local New Syntechnia (youth organization). Later, he took a position at the Platanias forestry station.
Early Involvement in EOKA
Andreas was among the first members of EOKA, joining the fight for Cyprus’s liberation. On November 23, 1955, he participated in Operation “Towards Victory” under the command of fellow fighter Christos Tsiartas, ambushing British forces on the Kakopetria-Spilia road.
He worked closely with local EOKA leaders and guerrilla units in his region. Alongside hero Costas Anaxagorou and other comrades, he helped seize radios from the Platania forest station and took part in an attack on the station itself.
Supporting the Guerrilla Struggle
Andreas and his wife secretly stored weapons and ammunition in their home, which also served as a distribution hub for supplies sent to fighters in Pitsilia, Troodos, and Marathasa. To improve safety for hidden rebels, he attempted to dig a hideout in his house, but the hard ground made it impossible.
On June 20, 1958, a guerrilla group visited his home in Kourdali with two key missions:
Finding a way to construct a secure hideout.
Blowing up a nearby bridge using a mine.
Tragic Accident and Heroic Sacrifice
While preparing for the operation, the mine accidentally exploded as the fighters were learning how to arm it. The blast killed Andreas Patsalidis, Costas Anaxagorou, Alekos Konstantinou, and Panagiotis Georgiadis, completely destroying the house.
Miraculously, Andreas’ wife, Irini—who was four months pregnant—and their 16-month-old daughter, Maria, survived. Irini later recalled:
“I was holding my child when the explosion happened. I waited for the falling roof tiles to stop before I could move. Before the British arrived, my brother Kyriakos and Sergeant Dimos Voskaridis, my husband’s comrade, came to help. With my sister Marikou’s assistance, they gathered and destroyed the remaining weapons, saving them from enemy hands.”
Andreas Patsalidis’s bravery and sacrifice remain a powerful symbol of dedication to Cyprus’s fight for freedom.
