Early Life and Education

Panagiotis Toumazou was born on July 12, 1939, in Famagusta. He completed his primary and secondary education at the Greek High School in his hometown. Before dedicating himself fully to the cause, he worked for a time as a customs officer.

Joining the Resistance

While still a student in 1955, Toumazou joined the struggle. He became a member of a school team that included Petrakis Giallouros and also worked with groups from the Commercial Lyceum of Famagusta. His activism began with distributing leaflets and painting slogans. Later he progressed to more direct action, participating in strike groups and ambushes. In December 1955, he took part in a bombing attack on a military vehicle. On July 20, 1958, following orders from the Organization, he and a comrade attacked a Turkish agent who was working for the British.

Life as a Guerrilla Fighter

After the authorities discovered his activities and began hunting for him, Toumazou fled to a guerrilla group in the Solea sector. There, he adopted the pseudonym “Onisilos.” His fellow fighter, Antonakis Solomonos, recounts their final mission. “In October 1958,” Solomonos said, “we set an ambush for thirteen consecutive nights on the Kakopetria-Karvounas road, under orders from our sector commander to strike.”

The Final Ambush

On the thirteenth day, Toumazou cut a branch from a wild olive tree and placed it in his pocket. He told his comrades, “If I fall, let the British find this and learn that we are fighting for peace.” The evening of October 22, 1958, at 7:15, two large military vehicles appeared. Together the three fighters, including Andreas Angelis, launched their attack. Solomonos fired his automatic rifle while Toumazou pressed the switch to detonate a mine. For no reason the mechanism failed, and the mine did not explode. When Toumazou stood up to throw a grenade, a British bullet struck him in the head. Solomonos tried to retrieve his body, but flames from British flamethrowers surrounded him, forcing him to retreat. Panagiotis Toumazou remained on the field, the olive branch still in his pocket.

E.O.K.A. Oath

I swear in the name of the Holy Trinity that:

Commitment: I shall work with all my power for the liberation of Cyprus from the British yoke, sacrificing for this even my life.

Duty: I shall perform without question all the instructions of the organisation which may be entrusted to me and I shall not bring any objection, however difficult and dangerous these may be.

Obedience: I shall not abandon the struggle unless I receive instructions from the leader of the organisation and after our aim has been accomplished.

Dedication: I shall never reveal to anyone any secret of our organisation neither the names of my chiefs nor those of the other members of the organization even if I am caught and tortured.

I shall not reveal any of the instructions which may be given me even to my fellow combatants.

If I disobey my oath I shall be worthy of every punishment as a traitor and may eternal contempt cover me.