Cypriots were the first Colonials to serve in France in 1940. The number of Cypriots who, during the second world war, joined the Armed Forces as volunteers was 20.000 and includes those who enlisted in the Cyprus Regiment, the Cyprus Volunteer Force, the Air Force, the Womens’ Auxiliary Territorial Service and Womens’ Auxiliary Air Force. It was estimated that a further number of 10.000 Cypriots who had been living at the beginning of the war in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States enlisted and served in the Armed Forces of those countries. http://www.cyprusveterans.com.cy/ http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/33041
Merchant Navy seems a slight stretch, but Joseph Farrugia was lost on SS Empire Lough after it was hit by long range coastal batteries. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2786518/FARRUGIA,%20JOSEPH%20PASQUALE%20EMANUEL
There was an interesting post under '1940'...where else ? http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/19320-indian-cypriot-muleteers-with-the-bef/page-2 (Post #34)
Coincidently, I noticed this set of medals whilst doing my Friday evening browsing rounds: http://www.medalsonline.co.uk/medal-groups/four-capt-j-a-p-greenwood-machine-gun-corps-and-cyprus-regiment-born-and-died-in-cyprus-served-with-cyprus-volunteer-force-1946-49.html
2 Paybooks I have to Cypriots ME/7913580 Yacovos Yacovides who was with the RAC (Civil Defence Force) CY/4281 Photise Nicolaou of the Cyprus Regiment
For what it is worth, around 124 Cypriots living in Australia enlisted in the armed forces during WW2 http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/PlaceSearch.aspx (clicking on any of the "1 records" lines will lead you to full details on each individual)
Some, like former President Glafkos Clerides: International Bomber Command Centre had remarkable experiences. AMPC NCOs incarcerated in Stalag 383 included: Turgut K Gulen, then from Terra, Paphos Michail D Drakou, then from Aheretou, Famagusta Djemal M Ali, another from the Paphos area (Chrisohovi) Joannou Clitos, from Potamiou, Hilarion All four - if they were still living - were likely to have become refugees in 1974.
Cyprus Regiment - Wikipedia 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.[1] 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 Casino. 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."[2] Ancestry database for POW's held in German POW's has 10 from this Regiment TD