Early Life and Education
Michael Koukkis was born on August 10, 1922. His birthplace was the village of Prasteio in Famagusta. Like any other young boy attended the primary school in Prasteio, Mesaoria.
A Life of Service and Work
He later married and settled in Agios Mamas, Limassol. There, he worked as a labourer in the Amiantos mines. Koukkis held a strong interest in workers’ rights and he helped found the Cyprus Workers’ Confederation in his local area.
Military and Wartime Experience
At just 17 years old, he joined the army during World War II. He fought bravely on the Greek Front and remained in Greece throughout the occupation. Koukkis served in the Resistance with the British Intelligence Service working as an adjutant to British Major Chris. A hero with great pride in his military service. Often he wore his uniform, vowing to wear it until Cyprus united with Greece.
Commitment to the E.O.K.A. Struggle
When the liberation struggle began, he immediately joined E.O.K.A. and participated in the first armed attack on the Amiantos police station.
Koukkis and his wife maintained a secret hideout in their own home. They hosted Grigoris Afxentiou’s guerrilla group. The couple hid and distributed vital weapons and ammunition. Also he helped manufacture military equipment like grenades and mines.
Michael acted as a liaison and guide for fellow fighters and he took part in numerous attacks against the enemy.
Betrayal and Life on the Run
In January 1957, a traitor betrayed his activities. The traitor led British forces directly to his house. Koukkis narrowly escaped arrest and fled to the mountains and he joined the guerrilla movement full-time.
His group first lived in a hideout on Zalakas mountain near Agios Mamas. They later moved to the area between Foini and Omodos.
His Final Sacrifice
On October 7, 1958, his group engaged British forces near Arsos, Limassol. A fierce battle ensued. The intense combat overwhelmed him. Michael Koukkis suffered a fatal heart attack and died.
His wife, Athena, continued their work. She contributed to the E.O.K.A. struggle until its very end.
