1 April attacks (Cyprus)

The 1 April Attacks were a series of attacks across Cyprus in 1955 by the Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston (EOKA) which led to the start of the Cyprus Emergency.[2] Multiple British locations were attacked after midnight by EOKA members. This attack was accompanied by the distribution of leaflets across Cyprus.

1 April Attacks
Part of the Cyprus Emergency
Date1 April 1955
Location
Nicosia and Famagusta, Cyprus
Result Destruction of British facilities across the island
Belligerents

 British Empire

 EOKA
Commanders and leaders
Governor Sir Robert Armitage Georgios Grivas
Markos Drakos
Grigoris Afxentiou
Casualties and losses
Unknown 1 killed (Modestos Panteli)[1]

Attack

On the night of 31 March–1 April 1955, simultaneous attacks were launched across the island after midnight at various British or British-linked facilities, including:

  • in Nicosia, the government radio station, the Secretariat, the Education Office and the installations behind Wolseley barracks (this attack was led by Markos Drakos);
  • in Larnaca, the central police station, the district administration, the court building, the police superintendent's home, Commissioner Muftizade's home;
  • in Limassol, the central police station, the police station of Ayios Ioannis quarter, the Episkopi garrison; in Limassol district also sustained heavy damage by the explosions.
  • in Famagusta district, the depot of the army camp near the Famagusta-Larnaca road, the fuel tank of the Dhekelia garrison power station. (The latter attack was led by Grigoris Afxentiou).

During this attack, Modestos Panteli of the EOKA died from electric shock trying to cut a cable, the first casualty of the Emergency. The attacks were accompanied by the distribution of leaflets from EOKA claiming responsibility and calling on Cypriots to participate in the struggle. Several EOKA officers were arrested in connection to the attacks and sentenced to long prison terms.[3]

References
  1. "The First casualty of the war! The first hero of EOKA ! 1st of April 1955 ! Modesto Panteli". Stoxos.
  2. "BOMB ATTACKS "ON CYPRUS"". The Canberra Times. 2 April 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 6 August 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "The EOKA struggle during the Governorship of Armitage (1 April - 3 October 1955)", A history of the liberation struggle of EOKA (1955-1959) accessed 7 November 2013
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