Pantelis Katelaris

He was born in the village of Episkopiou¹, Nicosia province, on December 24, 1932.

He was killed on January 18, 1958 in the village of Agios Ioannis Malountas², Nicosia province, by a bomb explosion.

Pantelis Katelaris graduated from the Episkopeio school and worked as a carpenter in the Public Works department. He was a GSP athlete in the 800m and at 1500m.

He became a member of EOKA in September 1955 and soon assumed the leadership of a seven-member group in his area, with which he developed a great activity in the gathering of hunting and other weapons from the villages of Orini, in the manufacture of mines, grenades and other explosive devices. He also distinguished himself in attacking the enemy and detaching arms from English military men. At the same time, he was a member of a strike group in Nicosia, with which he took part in bombings and attempted executions, one of which was against the English judge Sio. He was a liaison in the Mountain Nicosia sector.

From March 1957, he also acted as liaison between the sub-sector of the Mountain area, Stavros Stylianidis, and the head of the Nicosia Mountain sector.

On October 27, 1957, he was arrested along with his mother and some of his siblings while they were trying to hide hand grenades, which they had made with other EOKA members in his village. He managed to escape and take refuge in the guerilla.

On January 18, 1958, he was killed by an explosion in his hiding place in Agios Ioannis Malountas, while he was building bombs and was secretly buried by his fellow fighters. His death remained a secret until the end of the race, when his bones were moved to his hometown.

Source/documentation: https://agiosioannism.org