Dr T Kurdian, MEF

[PRC]

1 hour ago, michaeldr said:

Are you saying then that the double use of the acronym did in fact overlap in time (see SJ's post suggesting something later for the use in Mespot) 

 

I've been hunting round trying to get a defeinative either way and have so far drawn a blank as far as the actual date when the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force ceased to exist and the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force came into being.

 

My point was simply that there was more scope for the the same acronym to be in use because the campaigns were being run by two separate organisations.

 

The nearest I came to an end-date for the Mediterranean Expeditonary Force was a part of the first and only Despatch of General Sir Charles Munro which appeared in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette of 10 April 1916. It's been transcribed and is on the LLT.

 

Relevant section is, I think:-

 

Subsequently I proceeded to Egypt to confer with Colonel Sir H. McMahon, the High Commissioner, and Lieut.-General Sir J. Maxwell, Commanding the Forces in Egypt, over the situation which might be created in Egypt and the Arab world by the evacuation of the Peninsula. Whilst in Egypt I was ordered by a telegram the War Office to take command of the troops at Salonika. The purport of this telegram was subsequently cancelled by your Lordship on your arrival at Mudros, and I was then ordered to assume Command of the Forces in the Mediterranean, east of Malta, and exclusive of Egypt. Consequent on these instructions, I received approval that the two Forces in the Mediterranean should be designated as follows: –
(a) The original Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, whicfh comprised the Forces operating on the Gallipoli Peninsula and those employed at Mudros and Imbros as the ” Dardanelles Army,” under Lieut.-General Sir W. Birdwood, K.C.B., etc., with headquarters at Imbros.
(b) The troops destined for Salonika as the “Salonika Army,” under Lieut.-General Sir B. Mahon, K.C.B., with headquarters at Salonika. The Staff of the original M.E.F. was left in part to form the Dardanelles Army, and the remainder were taken to make a General Headquarter Staff for the increased responsibilities now assumed.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/british-field-commanders-despatches/sir-charles-monros-gallipoli-despatch/

 

Peter