Early Life and Call to Action
Dimitrakis Charalampous was born in 1925 in the village of Limnatis, in the Limassol district. After finishing his local primary school, he worked as a builder. He answered the call for liberation in July 1956, immediately joining the rebel group in his area. With this group, he took part in several ambushes against British forces on the Limassol – Amiantos road.
Narrow Escape and Arrest
On February 2, 1957, British soldiers, accompanied by a traitor, conducted searches in the village. Charalampous narrowly escaped their attention and went into hiding. The operation led to the mass arrest of local E.O.K.A. officials, who authorities sent to detention centers. Soldiers captured Charalampous a few days later, holding him for 17 days before his release.
Leading the Local Resistance
E.O.K.A. later appointed Charalampous as the leader for Limnatis. He operated as a semi-insurgent, working closely with the area’s rebels who used the “Koutaliano Cave” and surrounding orchards as hideouts. His wife, Artemis, actively supported the struggle by preparing food for the fighters, washing their clothes, and even allowing the couple’s home to serve as a site for preparing mines.
A Final Act of Love and Bravery
On October 13, 1958, Dimitrakis helped his wife Artemis choose a dress for a relative’s wedding, selecting the one he liked best. After making these happy arrangements, he left to escort his department head on a tour from Limnatis to Lania. In the Kokkinogia area, a British ambush surprised them. A fierce gunfight erupted, during which Dimitrakis Charalampous sustained mortal wounds.
A Wife’s Enduring Promise
Artemis attended her husband’s tearful funeral wearing the very dress he had chosen for her just hours before his death. She later shared, “When they brought my dead husband to me, his face was smiling. This is my consolation. In no way did I want to take off the clothes that I wore to the wedding, the ones that my Dimitris liked. I happily accompanied him to his funeral, while my tears had dried.”
