Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas stated that “honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice is not limited to ceremonies and commemorative speeches, but is expressed first and foremost through our own attitude, our efforts to fulfill our duty, and our responsibility toward our homeland and our history.”

“Our collective subconscious, as the bearer of eternal gratitude, compels us to continue our struggle until final vindication,” said Mr. Palmas in his speech at the Trisagio ceremony in memory of the fallen artillerymen, according to a statement from the Ministry.

The Minister of Defense noted that during the critical first hours of the Turkish invasion, the effective execution of the planned fire, as part of a comprehensive operational plan and in close coordination with the Infantry and Armored Units, would have ensured more favorable conditions for the response of the forces defending the front lines.

He added that, undoubtedly, the Artillery’s action, however important it may have been, could not by itself reverse the situation that had developed; nevertheless, it would significantly disrupt their operations, restrict the Turkish forces’ freedom of movement, and buy valuable time for the remaining National Guard units to counter them more effectively.”.

However, Mr. Palmas continued, the delay in the National Guard leadership’s response, the lack of coordination, as well as the inability to promptly deploy and reinforce the available forces to the bridgehead area, made it impossible to effectively counter the Turkish landing and prevent the bridgehead from taking hold during the first 48 hours.

He noted that this development, combined with serious decision-making problems in both Nicosia and Athens, resulted in the National Guard suffering significant losses in personnel and military equipment. The price paid by the Artillery was also extremely heavy, he added.

As the Minister of Defense stated, among the most dramatic events was their failure to reach their designated dispersal areas in a timely manner, a fact evidenced by the heavy losses suffered by the 185th Field Artillery Squadron in Athalassa, on the morning of July 20, before it had even been able to deploy operationally.

He added that the soldiers of the 190th Anti-Tank Artillery Squadron experienced something similar on the coasts of Lapithos and Karavas, making desperate efforts to set up their guns and fire under extremely adverse conditions.

Mr. Palmas also noted that particularly tragic was the accidental engagement of friendly anti-aircraft fire, which led to the downing of the Greek Noratlas transport aircraft participating in Operation “NIKI.”

He noted that the tragedy culminated in the destruction suffered by the 181st Field Artillery Squadron, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Stylianos Kalbourtzis, and the 191st Mountain Artillery Battery, under Second Lieutenant Pavlos Savvopoulos, at the Assientrousa Pass on the afternoon of July 23.

The two units, the Minister said, suffered extremely heavy losses under exceptionally adverse conditions, with many killed, missing in action, and prisoners of war, writing one of the most tragic chapters in the history of the Artillery and the National Guard.

He emphasized that under no circumstances, of course, do these losses indicate inadequate training, limited preparation, or low morale among the Artillerymen; on the contrary, they are a direct result of the broader operational circumstances that arose during the coup and the invasion, the inability to coordinate and utilize available forces in a timely manner, as well as the adverse conditions under which they were called upon to operate.

Mr. Palmas said that “fifty-two years later, in a homeland that still groans under Turkish occupation, as we reflect on the magnitude of the fighting spirit they demonstrated in their effort to repel Attila’s aggression, we bow our heads in their sacrifice with boundless respect and gratitude.”

The Minister of Defense concluded his speech with a line from the Nobel Prize-winning poet Giorgos Seferis: “Memory, wherever you touch it, hurts,” noting that “perhaps this is precisely where the deepest message of memory lies, because, as the poet reminds us, memory is not only pain, but also a duty.”

Source: CNA