Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 9 August , 2015 Share Posted 9 August , 2015 Dear GWF members, Can anyone enlighten me, regarding the activities, movements, or make-up of the Customs Department, Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force, please? I have lined up a 1914-15 Star to a Warrant Officer of this rather unusual unit: Frederick Richard Swynnerton, who had been with H.M. Customs, Bombay, before the Great War. He later translated to the IARO and 2/56 Punjabis (2Lt), and served during Third Afghan, before being released. His maternal grandfather was late Bengal Staff Corps (Colonel Angelo). His father (also Frederick Swynnerton) was a fashionable portrait painter in India. During the Great War, Swynnerton senior also joined the IARO and served in the Censors Department, Bombay, but died at hospital in Colaba, on 18 Dec 1918. Frederick Richard Swynnerton, born ca. 1893 in Delhi, returned to England after the Great War and got married. He died on 31 Jul 1958, at Golders Green, London... Any suggestions or information would be gratefully received. Kindest regards, Kim. Kimberley John Lindsay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 9 August , 2015 Share Posted 9 August , 2015 (edited) This should probably have been posted in The War On Other Fronts → Away From The Western Front → Middle East & North Africa ... ... rather than here in The War On Other Fronts → Away From The Western Front → Salonika & the Balkans I'll suggest a move to the Mods. Edited 10 August , 2015 by Kate Wills Thankyou MB; MOVED Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 10 August , 2015 Share Posted 10 August , 2015 (edited) The usual meaning of MEF would be Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, so the initial category of Salonika and the Balkans may have been correct. Cheers Maureen Edited 10 August , 2015 by Kate Wills moved back again. Well-travelled thread. Thanks Maureene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 10 August , 2015 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2015 Dear Maureen, Thanks for that. Yes, you are right: MEF was Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. The naming on the rev of his 15 Star is: W.O./F. R. SWYNNERTON, CUSTOMS DEPT., M. E. F. - and was described as Rare to Unit... Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 11 August , 2015 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2015 (edited) Dear Maureen and fellow GWF-users, Here is a picture of the aforementioned 1914-15 Star reverse. The unit is obviously quite unusual (to avoid using the word 'rare'!) but the background vis-a-vis Swynnerton is not yet quite clear. Apart, that is, from the fact that W. O. is probably Warrant Officer, and M.E.F. is Mediterranean Expeditionary Force - which, with a Customs wallah like Swynnerton, would point more to Salonika, than the Gallipoli adventure. Frederick Richard Swynnerton (1893-1958), whose father was a portrait artist in India, and whose uncle was a famous sculptor, was a Preventive Officer with H.M. Customs, Bombay, pre-Great War. (Interestingly, his maternal grandfather was R. F. Angelo, a retired Bengal Staff Corps colonel.) Any knowlegeable contributions would be most welcome, indeed! Kindest regards, Kim. Edited 22 April , 2019 by Kimberley John Lindsay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 11 August , 2015 Share Posted 11 August , 2015 I think the bulk of the admin for the MEF was carried out at Alexandria, so he could have been there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 11 August , 2015 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2015 Dear Gardenerbill (aka Mark), Thanks for that. I will certainly put out researcher feelers in the direction of Alexandria. Kindest regards, Kim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 13 August , 2015 Author Share Posted 13 August , 2015 Dear GWFs, Interestingly, the maternal grandfather of Lieut Frederick Richard Swynnerton, IARO attd 2-56 Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force), was twice recommended for the VC during the Mutiny. The uprising also claimed the lives of R. F. Angelo's uncle and a brother, both lieutenants. The award was not approved by the general. However, the latter nonetheless gave Lieut. Richard Fisher Angelo a Mention in Despatches. Kindest regards, Kim. Kimberley John Lindsay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberley John Lindsay Posted 13 August , 2015 Author Share Posted 13 August , 2015 Here is the next page... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 13 August , 2015 Share Posted 13 August , 2015 This should probably have been posted in The War On Other Fronts → Away From The Western Front → Middle East & North Africa ... ... rather than here in The War On Other Fronts → Away From The Western Front → Salonika & the Balkans I'll suggest a move to the Mods. The usual meaning of MEF would be Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, so the initial category of Salonika and the Balkans may have been correct. Cheers Maureen Ooops - innocent mistake, well intentioned motive! Sorry to put the Mods to unnecessary trouble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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