European Temporary Police c1920

[Guest]

I am attaching a photograph (taken almost 100 years ago) of my father wearing a dress uniform. I know he was in the A.S.C. and that he was in Egypt towards the end of WW1. However, among some old papers that were found in a loft, we have discovered this attached photograph, and also a Discharge Certificate from the Temporary European Police in Cairo, dated c 1920/21.

My father was born in November 1899 and this discharge certificate, (although part missing) shows he was 21 years old on discharge which would therefore make the document dated end of 1920/early 1921. It would appear that he served in the police for 18 months.

Does anyone have any information which would help me find out more? I know of several stories he told me regarding his time in Damascus, and the fact that he was attacked by Turks when on escort duty once. But unfortunately apart from his medal index card, the rest of his documents were in the "Burned Records".

I look forward to hearing from someone who can assist.

[Greg]

Dear Muth61,

This is defintitely not an ASC uniform - and everything points to it being a police uniform. Note the duty band on his left sleeve, the blue tunic, the revolver case on his left side and the fez. I have never heard of the Temporary European Police in Egypt, despite having a long term interest in colonial policing but there was a period of considerable violence after the war, so European reinforcements would be a likely response by the British.

I can't quite understand the reference to Damascus whch is in Syria and which became a French possession between the wars unless he served there during his time in the Army before he joined the police.

Martin Thomas from Exeter has written a number of works on the security situation in North Africa after the war and discusses the situation in Egypt but would not go into anything particular about the police in detail. Here a re a few books and articles about the area and the period but not I am afraid about the Cairo Police in particular

Tollefson, Harold. Policing Islam: the British occupation of Egypt and the Anglo-Egyptian struggle over control of the police, 1882-1914. Vol. 38. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999.

Tignor, Robert L. "The" Indianization" of the Egyptian Administration under British Rule." The American Historical Review 68.3 (1963): 636-661.

Tollefson Jr, Harold H. "The 1894 British takeover of the Egyptian ministry of interior." Middle Eastern Studies 26.4 (1990): 547-560.

Goldberg, Ellis. "Peasants in revolt–Egypt 1919." International Journal of Middle East Studies 24.2 (1992): 261-280.

Thomas, Martin. Empires of intelligence: security services and colonial disorder after 1914. University of California Pr, 2008.

Jeffrey, Keith. The British army and the crisis of empire: 1918-1922. Vol. 1. 1984.

Gallagher, John. "Nationalisms and the Crisis of Empire, 1919–1922." Modern Asian Studies 15.03 (1981): 355-368.

Mak, Lanver. The British in Egypt: Community, Crime and Crises 1882-1922. Vol. 74. IB Tauris Publishers, 2012.

Fisher, John. "British Responses to Mahdist and Other Unrest in North and West Africa, 1919–1930*." Australian Journal of Politics & History 52.3 (2006): 347-361.

Thomas, Martin. "Bedouin Tribes and the Imperial Intelligence Services in Syria, Iraq and Transjordan in the 1920s." Journal of Contemporary History 38.4 (2003): 539-561.

[Guest]

Thank you so much for your very informative response. I did not think this was his ASC uniform though, My father's medal index card states that he was a "Driver" T4/262290 with the ASC and his Victory and British Medals are under Roll No. RASC/101B.189 Page 19388.

So far I have not been able to ascertain ANY information regarding his service. I don't even know where and when he enlisted ! He was born and lived in Birmingham. Do you have any idea where I might find information regarding his service ? As I said before his WW1 records were destroyed in the bombing. Also information regarding the T4 division would be wonderful.

I am attaching a copy of the Discharge certificate ( or 3/4s of it !) for your information. Also a full copy of one I found on ebay for an American dated a similar period.

I apologise for my error which I have just noted ! It should have read "Temporary European Constable" .

Many thanks