Salonika Photo?

[Paul Reed]

This photo shows two officers of the 2/21st Londons (First Surrey Rifles). The photo is dated 1917, and the 2/21st were certainly in Salonika in 1917, but they later moved to Palestine and I am unsure whether the sort of building in the background is more typical to Salonika than Palestine? Thoughts and comments welcome.

[Kate Wills]

Those steps have witnessed a few comings and goings, judging by the fourth one up.

Are there any clues on the reverse Paul?

[River97]

Paul, Kate,

Hopefully there is some more info in the photo.

The First Surrey Rifles embarked for Egypt on 16 and 18 June 1917. Headquarters, 19 officers and 500 other ranks on the Minnetonka and 14 officers and over 400 other ranks on the Huntspill.

Due to the time of year it may well have been quite warm in Salonika (the officer n the right is wearing shorts). As for the building, that could be anywhere.

Cheers Andy.

[Paul Reed]

Nope, nothing on the reverse, sadly, except the date '1917'.

I was thinking it more likely to be Salonika than Palestine as the building doesn't look like the sort of structure I'd expect to find in Palestine? Or am I wrong about that.

The gentleman on the left is Rowlands Coldicott, who wrote London Men in Palestine. The one in shorts is his lifelong friend, William Coburn Cowper, whose photo this was.

[Kate Wills]

My guess is it is perhaps more likely to be the Palestine Campiaign. I say that because so few members of the British Salonika Force were housed in substantial buildings such as this. Aside from a few offices and hotels in the city of Salonika, most of the force was scattered across two wide fronts up country.

[armourersergeant]

Well i am in two minds!

When I look at the background I would say Palestine. However when I look at the uniforms I think salomika. I am of course not basing this on any sound reasoning...as you may guess!

Regards

Arm

[Paul Reed]

Thanks for all that. I was presuming the building was a Bn or Bde HQ given the telephone wires going into it. What about this one? It's also dated 1917.

[RossHR]

My Grandfather's letters describing a village talks about it being half Bulgarian Grecian & Turkish of white painted 2 story mud huts with verandahs, which sound similar to Palestine so its difficult to know if more substantial buildings weren't also similar.

[apwright]

The building could easily be in Salonika. The square columns, the arched door and the two smaller arched windows/doors to each side (looks like the edge of a second behind the chap on the right's head), are very reminiscent of the old Dioikitirio ("Palace of Justice" - now the General Secretariat for Macedonia-Thrace), but on a smaller scale.

http://www.easypedia.gr/el/articles/d/i/o/...4.jpg_e291.html

Maybe the work of the Italian architect Vitaliano Poselli, who built many (most?) of the great public buildings in the city between about 1885 and 1910 - including the Dioikitirio in 1891 - as well as a large number of homes for wealthy private citizens, mostly along the Kalamaria road (now Leoforos Vasilissis Olgas - Queen Olga Avenue). From the general state of disrepair, perhaps it belonged to a Turkish worthy who cleared out after the city was restored to Greece in 1912. From what I've read, many of these villas were used by the various administrative units of the Allied armies during the war. Or maybe it's something like the old German Consulate - of which I can't find a photo at the moment...

Adrian

[Paul Reed]

Many thanks for that Adrian - what about the 'bush' photo. Could be Salonika?