Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War ‘Portuguese East Africa’ King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded to Company Sergeant-Major Lazar Amusumba, 2/2 King’s African Rifles

King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (414 C.S. Mjr., 2/2 K.A.R.) good very fine £500-600

Lazar Amusumba of the Asisia Tribe, from the village of Chiwita in the Chinteche District, enlisted into the King’s African Rifles at Zomba, Nyasaland on 1 July 1910. He was appointed a Lance Corporal on 1 July 1916, Corporal, 7 July 1916, Sergeant on 1 January 1917 and attained the rank of Compant Sergeant-Major on 1 November 1918. He served in the K.A.R. Reserve, June 1912-May 1913, re-engaging into the 1st K.A.R. on 1 June 1913, and suffered from a contused wound to the foot in May that year. During the Great War he served in Jubaland, July-October 1914 and fought against German forces in British East Africa, December 1914-May 1916. On 3 January 1919 the award of a K.A.R. D.C.M. to Amusumba was approved by General van Deventer for services in Portuguese East Africa:

‘For conspicuous gallantry in action and devotion to duty. This Warrant Officer has always displayed great bravery and the utmost contempt of danger in action. This was particularly noticable at Lioma on 31st August 1918 when only one officer was left in his Company. He has always set a good example to his men, and has been untiring in his efforts to promote and maintain the efficiency of his Company’.

C.S.M. Lazar Amusumba, 2nd Battalion K.A.R. died on 6 May 1919.

Note: Soldiers of the King’s African Rifles received their Great War medals in 1922/23. As they were not issued to those who had been killed or died in the war or during the intervening years, the K.A.R. D.C.M. to Amusumba would have been his only award. It is therefore a scarce medal to a K.A.R. soldier who was killed/died at the time of the Great War.