Pavlos Kouroupis

Pavlos Kouroupis
Born1929 (1929)
Dentra, Messenia, Greece
Disappeared22 July 1974 (aged 44–45)[1]
Kyrenia, Cyprus
StatusMissing for 50 years, 3 months and 13 days
NationalityGreek
EducationEvelpidon Military Academy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
OccupationColonel[2][3][4]
Known forFirst commanding officer defending Cyprus during the start of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, first disappearance of the conflict.[5]
SpouseMaria (Mary)[6][7] Kouroupis (née Karvouni)
Children1
AwardsLieutenant General (posthumously)

Pavlos Kouroupis (Greek: Παύλος Κουρούπης; 1929 – 22 July 1974)[1] was an officer in the Hellenic Army.[8] At the time of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, Kouroupis was a Colonel[2][3][4] and CO of the 251st Battalion of the Cypriot National Guard, the unit closest to the Turkish landing site. With his unit, Kouroupis opposed the Turkish army at the Battle of Pentemili beachhead, stalling its advance for two days.[5] Kouroupis was forced to retreat before numerically far superior Turkish forces and is considered the first missing person of the conflict.[5] Kouroupis was presumed dead during the defence of Kyrenia.[9][10]

According to published reports in the Greek press, the Greek Intelligence Agency attempted a rescue of Kouroupis and other Greek Army officers who were held captive in Turkey. The rescue operation failed and Kouroupis' fate is unknown. He was posthumously awarded the rank of Lieutenant General of the Hellenic Army, the highest military rank of the Hellenic Army. Pavlou Kouroupi Street, in the Aglantzia suburb of Cyprus' capital Nicosia is named after him.

  1. ^ a b "Κουρούπης Παύλος του Γεωργίου". Κατάλογος των Κυπρίων Αγνοουμένων.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference et.gr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Έπεσε ηρωικά μαχόμενος…". Kalamata Journal. 9 March 2015. Η φωτογραφία είναι από την προτομή του Παύλου Κουρούπη, Συνταγματάρχη του Πεζικού, που έπεσε τον Ιούλιο του 1974 στην Κύπρο, μαχόμενος ενάντια στους Τούρκους εισβολείς. Translation: The photo is from the bust of Pavlos Kouroupis, Colonel of the Infantry, who fell in Cyprus in July 1974, battling against the Turkish invaders.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference FEK was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c "Ο Ταγματάρχης που με μόνο δύο λόχους αντιμετώπισε το πρώτο κύμα της εισβολής στην Κερύνεια". mixani tou xronou. 21 March 2019.
  6. ^ "35 χρόνια κατοχής στην Κύπρο! Οι αγνοούμενοι περιμένουν..." Ebdomi weekly newspaper of Eastern Attica. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Η ΜΑΧΗ ΤΗΣ ΚΕΡΥΝΕΙΑΣ ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ ΜΑΙΡΗΣ ΚΟΥΡΟΥΠΗ ΣΥΖΥΓΟΥ ΑΓΝΟΟΥΜΕΝΟΥ ΗΡΩΑ ΔΙΟΙΚΗΤΗ 251ΤΠ ΑΝ/ΓΟΥ ΠΑΥΛΟΥ ΚΟΥΡΟΥΠΗ". Ebdomi weekly newspaper of Eastern Attica. 31 July 2009.
  8. ^ "Ο Ήρωας Αντισυνταγματάρχης Παύλος Κουρούπης [video]". NewsNowgr.com. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  9. ^ Dionysios Kardianos (1984). Pethainontas stēn Kypro. Ekdoseis K. Epiphaniou. p. 130.
  10. ^ Βασίλης Γκουρογιάννης. Κόκκινο στην Πράσινη Γραμμή. Metaichmio Publications. p. 214. ISBN 978-960-566-902-7.