BRITISH 1918-1962 GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL FOR CYPRUS

BRITISH 1918 - 1962 GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL

37mm wide circular cupro-nickel medal with ornate scrolled ribbon suspension bar with ‘CYPRUS’ clasp; face with the crowned head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, circumscribed ‘ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F.D.’ (Elizabeth II by the Grace of God Queen Defender of the Faith); the reverse with a standing winged Victory with Greek helmet, an upright trident in her left hand, a laurel wreath in her right hand crowning an upright winged sword. The medal is impressed named to: 23376927 GNR. H. K. ROSE. R.A. The medal has been court mounted for display.

The medal was originally instituted on 19 January 1923 to be awarded to Army and Air Force personnel involved in small conflicts outside Africa and India where a separate campaign medal was not issued. This clasp relates to the Cyprus Campaign, when in 1956 the Cypriot movement for union with Greece (called "Enosis") started under the leadership of Archbishop Makarios and General George Grivas rose up against the Turkish population. The General led the guerrilla organisation EOKA against the British troops stationed on the island. The conflict was often a bloody affair, involving 40,000 British troops over 4 years.