Charalambos Michael
Timeline Events
Biography
He was born in the village of Kalopsida1, Famagusta district, on October 12, 1938.
He was killed on March 16, 1956 in his village, by a bomb explosion.
Charalambos Michael finished the primary school of Kalopsida and worked in Larnaca2, helping his poor family financially.
He was a child with a special love for Greek history. He read about the lives and exploits of the fighters of 1821 and wanted to be like them. When the struggle began, he joined EOKA among the first. He took the oath in Larnaca and acted in the city's attack groups.
“ I found my way to fulfill my ideals ”
would tell his father, who would brag about his actions
He took part, among other things, in attacks against British soldiers with the aim of seizing weapons from them for the needs of the EOKA strike groups in Larnaca.
On March 16, 1956, he took part in a bombing attack, which he planned with his fellow activists in Kalopsida. The military vehicles were waiting at the exit of the village, on the hill. The signalman gave the signal that a military vehicle was approaching and Charalambos Michael detonated his bomb as soon as he saw it. At the moment he was about to throw it, a bus carrying school children stopped in front of him, and the military vehicle in which he also saw a cousin of his stopped behind him. There was a general strike that day and the British transported him to Dhekelia, where he was working.
Charalambos immediately pulled his hand back holding the detonated bomb, which exploded and tore him to pieces.
His little sister Maria, only ten years old, who saw her brother in pieces, suffered a shock and a few days later died of a heart attack, doubling the mourning of the entire village.
