An extremely scarce World Wars & Colonial Service medal group of 8: Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Spurrier Last, Cyprus Regiment, late Assistant Chief Secretary Colonial Service, Zanzibar, and Honourable Artillery Company

- 1914-15 Star (835. Dvr. J. S. Last. H.A.C.)
- British War Medal. Silver issue (835 Dvr. J. S. Last. H.A.C. -Art-)
- Interallied Victory Medal (835 Dvr. J. S. Last. H.A.C. -Art-)
- The 1939-45 Star
- The Africa Star. No clasp
- Defence Medal
- War Medal 1939-45
- Zanzibar (Sultanate): Order of the Brilliant Star. 4th Class 'Officer's' badge. Silver-gilt & enamel, with silk rosette

The first four medals professionally mounted in the swing-style, and as-worn by the recipient. The mounting bar retaining the original long hinged pin and clasp fittings

Note: The Second World War medals are all Royal Mint issues, and all are fitted with their original un-used silk ribands as-issued

Sold together with:

- A contemporary 'as -worn' 7 x space medal riband bar (less War Medal riband), worn May 1945 - May 1946

The riband bar professionally mounted on two rows, the reverse of the mounting bar retaining its original stout long hinged pin and clasp fittings, and as-worn. Lieutenant- Colonel Last, would have worn this ribbon bar in the period May 1945 - June 1946, and like all other service personnel of that period would 'NOT' have included the riband of the War Medal - which riband was only announced in June 1946, and ribbons for the War Medal only available from a later date in June 1946. As Joseph Spurrier had relinquished his commission in the Cyprus Regiment effective from 17 April 1946, he never had the opportunity to wear the riband of the 'War Medal' in uniform.....

Medals verification: The Great War and the Sultanate of Zanzibar awards confirmed as entitled per the below following references. The medal rolls for the Second World War issue are not yet in the public domain

- 1914-15 Star: WO 329/2571, shown as roll as having first entered theatre of war 'Egypt' on 12/11/15
- British War Medal. Silver issue: WO 329/322, shown on roll as Driver, with remark Commissioned 20/9/18
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/322, shown on roll as Driver, with remark Commissioned 20/9/18
- Sultanate of Zanzibar Order of the Brilliant Star. 4th Class: Published in London Gazette 1 November 1929

The recipients Medal Index Card, shows medals his forwarding address, as 'Asst District Commissioner, Zanzibar'

Joseph Spurrier Last, son of Joseph Thomas Last (who in 1911 Census, is described as Zanzibar Government - Retired Pensioner) and Mary Catherine Last (nee Mulholland) was a native of Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire, England, where he was born in 1897, and where he was baptized on, 1 December 1897. He served with the Honourable Artillery Company in Egypt and Palestine from 12 November 1915 to 1917. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, R.A., on 20 September 1918 (then on Home Service). Post war, he was appointed Assistant District Commissioner at Zanzibar in September 1919, and was acting District Commissioner at Pemba, December 1926 to April 1927. He also held appointments as Acting Chief Secretary, Clerk to the Executive and Legislative Councils, and Editor of the official gazette, July to September 1927; Acting Assistant Chief Secretary for various periods, 1928-32. Awarded Order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar, 4th Class, 1929. The preamble to the award of the Order of the Brilliant Star as published in the London Gazette issue of, 1 November 1929, is quoted below.

Quote,

Whitehall, October 29, 1929.

The KING has been pleased to give and grant unto the under mentioned gentlemen in the employment of the Zanzibar Government His Majesty's Royal licence and authority to wear Decorations -conferred upon them by His
Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar in recognition of valuable services rendered by them : —

ORDER OF THE BRILLIANT STAR or ZANZIBAR.

Insignia of the Fourth Class.

Joseph Spurrier Last, Esq., Administrative Officer, Zanzibar.

After leaving Zanzibar, Joseph relocated to the British Crown Colony of Cyprus, in the Mediterranean. During the Second World War, he was commissioned into the Cyprus Regiment, being appointed 2nd Lieutenant with effect, 4 May 1940. His officers number was 144873 . For his services during the Second World War, that included overseas deployment on active service, he was awarded the Africa Star quartet of campaign medals including the Defence Medal. By April 1946, Joseph Last, was holding the War Substantive rank of Major in the Cyprus Regiment, and he relinquished his commission effective 17 April 1946, from which date he was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel (The Supplement to the London Gazette issue of 17 May 1946 refers)

Lieutenant-Colonel James Spurrier Last is recorded to have died in Episkopi Limassol, Cyprus, on, 15 January 1989

Cyprus Regiment 1940-1945: The Cyprus Regiment was a military unit of the British Army. Created by the British Government during World War II, it was made up of volunteers from the Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, Armenian, Maronite and Latin inhabitants of Cyprus, but also included other Commonwealth nationalities

The Cyprus Regiment was founded on 12 April 1940. It included Infantry, Mechanical, Transport and Pack Transport Companies. Cypriot mule drivers were the first colonial troops sent to the Western Front. They served in France, Ethiopia, Palestine, and Italy carrying equipment to areas inaccessible to vehicles. They were used to supply and support other troops at Monte Cassino

On a brief visit to Cyprus in 1943, Winston Churchill praised the "soldiers of the Cyprus Regiment who have served honourably on many fields from Libya to Dunkirk."

About 30,000 Cypriots served in the Cyprus Regiment. The regiment was involved in action from the very start and served in the Battle of France, in the Greek Campaign (the Battle of Greece, in which about 600 soldiers were captured at Kalamata, in 1941), North Africa (Operation Compass), France, the Middle East and Italy. Many soldiers were taken prisoner especially at the beginning of the war and were interned in various POW camps, including Stalag VIII-B Lamsdorf, Stalag IV-C at Wistritz near Teplitz (now in the Czech Republic), and Stalag IV-B near Dresden. The soldiers captured in Kalamata were transported by train to prisoner of war camps

In the post-war years the regiment served in Cyprus and the Middle East, including Palestine during the 1945-1948 period. The regiment was disbanded on 31 March 1950

The total Cypriot contribution in WW2 as part of the Cyprus Regiment was 20.000 personnel. At the end of January 1944, the Regiment consisted of 10,008 recruits comprising; 7,967 Greeks, 1,999 Turkish, 37 Armenians, 3 British, 1 Polish, and 1 Maltese. The casualties totalled 358 dead and 250 missing. They are buried in 56 cemeteries in 16 different countries

A rare to find confirmed senior officers medal group to a Lieutenant-Colonel who served with the Cyprus Regiment 1940-1946, and almost certainly the only British officer of the Cyprus Regiment to have worn in his regimental uniform the riband, of the Zanzibar Order of the Brilliant Star

Condition: GVF

Code: 23835