Nicosia presentation honours Georgios Katsanis through daughter’s book

Nicosia, Cyprus. A book written by Angeliki Katsani about her father, Georgios Katsanis, who commanded the 33rd Commando Squadron and was killed during Turkey’s 1974 invasion, has been presented in Nicosia.

A daughter’s account

The veteran commandos’ association (Psasn) and Yermanos Publications organised the presentation of Georgios Katsanis, The Commander of St Hilarion and His Legacy.

Katsanis arrived in Cyprus in 1973 with the rank of major. He later assumed command of the Kyrenia-based 33rd Squadron.

The fighting in July 1974

Following the start of the invasion on July 20, the squadron received orders to return to its Bellapais dispersal area for rescue operations. Repeated air attacks near Klepini forced the battalion to complete the journey on foot.

Squadrons crossed behind enemy lines that night with the objective of capturing Kotza Kaya hill, south of St Hilarion castle. Holding that position was considered essential to preventing a Turkish bridgehead linking Kyrenia and Nicosia. The 33rd battalion under Katsanis was tasked with taking Petromouthia hill.

At 11pm, following a diversion by artillery, companies from the 31st battalion launched an assault and captured the Turkish paratrooper camp without casualties. Turkish Cypriot paramilitaries had held the camp since 1963.

Counterattacks against the commandos continued until around 5am. The infantry formation expected to replace them failed to arrive, and the commandos received withdrawal orders.

A sniper killed Katsanis as his unit disengaged. His comrades tried unsuccessfully to retrieve his body.

Identification and burial

Katsanis remained listed as missing for 46 years. In 2020, his remains were identified in a mass grave, and he was buried that year in Sidirokastro, his hometown in Greece.

He received a posthumous promotion to lieutenant general.