Kyriakos Matsis

Kyriakos Matsis (Κυριάκος Μάτσης) (23 January 1926 - 19 November 1958) was a Greek Cypriot guerrilla member of EOKA. He was Yiannakis Matsis' brother who was Member of the European Parliament for Cyprus from 14 June 2004 until June 2009

Early life

Matsis was born in Palaichori, Cyprus. He received his secondary education at Famagusta gymnasium and then studied agriculture at the University of Thessaloniki.

EOKA

In 1955, when the fight against the British began, he became one of the first members of EOKA. In 1956, he was caught by the British, and was imprisoned. He managed to escape, and fled to the mountains of Pendadactylos (Πενταδάχτυλος), where he set traps and continued fighting. He was then named "αετός του Πενταδαχτύλου", Greek for "eagle of Pentadactylos".

Death

On 19 November 1958 the British discovered a hideout in Dikomo, in Kyriakos Diakos' house, where Matsis and his company, Andreas Sofiopoulos and Kostas Christodoulou, hid. The British found the hideout when a traitor directed them to their exact location. The British surrounded the house, and Matsis burned all his letters before telling his two friends to surrender. When the British called for his surrender, he didn't reply immediately, later shouting "If I come out, I will come out shooting!".

Matsis was killed in the ensuing gun battle. He was buried in the Imprisoned Graves, in the Central Jail of Nicosia.