Bimbashi JGV Donne

[Sue L]

Hello all

 

On the Roll of Honour in the St Mary's Church, Stone, near Kidderminster in Worcestershire there are the names of over 100 men from the village who fought in WW1 - see photo attached.

 

Most of the men are the usual Privates etc but there is one who stands out - Bimbashi JGV Donne at the top of the left hand column.

 

As far as I can tell from Google, a Bimbashi is a major in the Turkish Army but I cant make sense of why someone called Donne (possibly related to a vicar of the parish from the early 1900s) would end up in the Turkish Army.

 

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Thanks

 

Sue L

[Sue L]

Hi

 

Just found out that whatever JGV(John Gilbert Venables) Donne was doing as a Bimbashi, he apparently also served as  Lieutenant in the Reserve Cavalry Regiment and there is a service record for him at the National Archives.

 

Sue

[Ron Clifton]

He may have been an officer of, or attached to, the Egyptian Army. Although Egypt was nominally part of the Ottoman Empire, it was very much under British protection before and during the Great War.

 

Ron

[MaureenE]

If he was attached to the Egyptian Army, but still officially part of the British Army,  perhaps there may be some mention of him in the Monthly Army Lists, available online (for free)  on the National Library of Scotland  database  1914-1940 - Monthly army lists. Lists may be read online or downloaded, and there is a Search facility.

 

Cheers

Maureen

[helpjpl]

Monthly Army Lists (March 1919) - Officers now serving who are Attached to the Egyptian Army.

Donne, J.G.V.

https://deriv.nls.uk/dcn30/1061/5700/106157002.30.jpg

 

JP

 

[kenmorrison]

London Gazette 13/2/1917.

Temp. Lt. J. G. V. Donne, Res. Regt, of Cav., is transfd. to Gen. List for service with the Egyptian Army. 26th Dec. 1916.

 

LG 10/2/1920

Temp. Lt. J. G. V. Donne to be local Capt. for service with the Frontier Districts Administration,, Egypt. 18th Dec. 1919.

 

LG 15/12/1922

Temp. Lt. J. G. V. Donne, Gen. List, relinquishes the local rank of Capt. on ceasing to be empld. with the Frontier Districts Administration, Egypt. 5th Oct. 1922.

 

LG 9/1/1923

Temp. Lt. J. G. V. Donne relinquishes his commn. on completion of service, 5th Oct. 1922, and is granted the rank of Capt.

 

Ken

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

There may have been a family connection. "Soldiers of the Nile" by Henry Keown-Boyd (Thornbury, 1996) tells us:-

Donne, Benjamin Donisthorpe Alsop,

b. 4-10-1856; d. 23-9-1907; Royal Sussex Regt.; Date of Commission: 10-9-1875

Final British Rank. Lieutenant-Colonel; Dates of Egyptian Army Service: 9-8-1883 to 8-8-1893; Final EA Rank: Miralai (Colonel or Brigadier)

Active Service with EA: Commanded 10th Sudanese Bn., at the Battles of Arguin and Toski, 1889.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Guest]

Is he perhaps mentioned in the writings of Bimbashi Macpherson?-"Life in Egypt et.c??  Very entertaining book-he started during the Great War and lasted to the end of the next round. Intro. is by Larry Durrell.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

Yes, "Bimbashi McPherson" is a delightful book, with index - but not including Donne...

Kindest regards,

Kim. 

[Keith_history_buff]

Hope the following link is of interest. The Egyptian Army's Egyptian and Sudanese troops continued using the legacy ranks from the time of the country's association with the Ottoman empire.

https://www.ottoman-uniforms.com/1883-till-1914-army-of-egypt-officers-and-ncos/

[Sue L]

Wow!

 

It never ceases to amaze me what members of this forum know.  Thank you so much everyone for all the info.

 

Sue L