Egyptian Expeditinary Force 1915-1919?

[Ian Jewison]

I have recently bought a set of documents to a Major who served in the British Army, however I haven't got a clue what the unit or the "Nile Order" is!

This person served with the Intillegence Corps, G.H.Q. Egyptian Expeditinary Force....I presume in Cairo?

His nature of employment was "1st class agent"? July 1919 he received a "M.I.D" for "valuable service" and September 1919 "Order of the Nile"

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks, Ian

[Ed_Haynes]

I think you have most of this already.

He served with the Intelligence Corps, G.H.Q. Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Presumably he would have been based in Cairo, but may have ranged more widely.

The "Order of the Nile" is the Egyptian order which was habitually awarded to British officials, the Nishan al-Nil.

With more information -- his name for example -- we could probably provide a good bit more information.

And you just have the documents (what documents?), no medals? So sad.

Ed Haynes

[Ian Jewison]

Hi Ed,
No medals I'm afraid!!! Would this be a named medal? If not I could always get a replacement .....

His name was "John Borrodaile Manson"....I have just noticed his civil occupation was company secretary to Anglo-Egyptian Banks Ltd. Cairo and his wife/home address was also Cairo.
He was also fluent in English, French, Italian and Arabic....unfortunately the only document from WWI and his service with E.E.F is his "Officers Record of Services. Army Book 439"

Also his ranks appear to be "Local":

2nd Lieutenat 1.11.1916
Lieutenant (not promoted!?!?!?!)
Captain 1.9.1918
Major 9.4.1919

/Ian

[Rick Research]

Manson is not listed in the 1935 British edition of "Who's Who?" nor as a Peer or Knight (at least a living Knight) in the 1970 "Burke's."

The Order of the Nile wasn't named, but was awarded strictly according to the recipient's salary-grade. You will, however, have to match the squiggle of the reigning person, don't remember who the WW1 era Caliph was... can only think of ousted post-WW2 King Farouk.

You don't want one of HIS version of the Order!

[McCulloh]

RE: Order of the Nile

Michael Pierces' The Mamur Zapt mystery series are set in Cairo at about this time. Pierce was a serving officer in the Sudan and has an amazing eye for cultural and political detail, as well as a great plot line. In one of the books (I think it was the "The Girl In The Nile") he describes how the Khedive awarded the Order. It was Egypts' version of the OBE. The books are great, and well worth reading if you want a flavour of the era and the place.
(Rick, I find Falco has become plus ca change... etc).
Cheers,
JeMc

[Ed_Haynes]

As there is some misunderstanding here, here is some information on Nishan al-Nil / Order of the Nile:

Established to reward persons, military or civilian, who had rendered useful service to Egypt. Unlike most of the pre-1952 awards, the Order of the Nile was continued after the Revolution. The highest class, the Collar of the Nile, is awarded to the president fo Egypt and to heads of state and royalty of foreign nations, and all Egyptian recipients are entitled to recieve a full military funeral on their death.

Established: In 1915 by Sultan Husayn Kamil. The statutes were amended by Royal Order No. 5 of 1923 and Royal Order No. 49 of 1926. After the revolution, the order was completely reorganized by Law No. 528 of 18 June 1953 and further amended by Law No. 12 of 1972. The order is known to have been manufactured by Lattes (Cairo, Egypt) and Tawfiq Bichay (Cairo, Egypt).

Obverse: The first badge was a ten-pointed star with alternate rays of gold and faceted silver, having at its center a point-down five-pointed white-enameled star with a crown in gold between its two upper rays and serving as a suspension device. In the center was an Arabic inscription: “What benefits Egypt owes to the Nile, her source of prosperity and happiness.” The Republican badge remained the same, but with the crown predictably removed.

Ribbon: Medium blue with yellow edge stripes.

first (Royal) badge:
-- Grand Cordon – sash, 66-mm sash badge, and 83-mm breast star
-- Grand Officer – neck badge and breast star
-- Commander – neck badge
-- Officer – breast badge with rosette
-- Chevalier – breast badge

Ed Haynes

[Ian Jewison]

Thanks very much Gents for the info.

I take it then Ed, that the award Major Manson most probably received was the Officer - breast badge with rossette?
I thought it was an actuall medal!!!!
Now the next question....where can I find one of these?

Regards, Ian

[McCulloh]

Try Spink and Sons. They had several grades last year. Also, Sotheby's at the sale before this last one had one I think. They aren't that uncommon. The English basically ran a great deal of Egypt in tandem/conjunction with the Khedive's government for almost 50 years. A lot of chaps received them in higher civil service jobs (like being the Mamur Zapt, or 'head of the political police').
Cheers,
JeMc

[Ed_Haynes]

Without more information -- and there is nothing in the documents you have? -- you can make NO assumptions about what class of any order any individual may have been awarded. I'd suspect one of the two lower grades, but without research you never know. I am told there are full records in the Archives in Cairo but you need to (a) be there, (b) get access and find teh files, and (c) have top-drawer Arabic skills.

If you do plan to "rebuilding" (a "nice" word) his group, most of tha major dealers -- some of whom have been mentioned -- would have at least the lower grades of the order. You will need to be careful that you get the pre-revoluntionary variety, though. No worries about matching rulers' names as with Turkish awards, though. The inability of most group "refurbishers" to read the relevant languages does lead to some give-aways and real howlers when British Crimea groups are faked, though.

Ed Haynes

[McCulloh]

You can do as I have done-hire a willing graduate student in history at the American University in Cairo to look up this guy's records. You can place a small ad in their student paper for a few pounds. It's cheaper than flying there and/or learning Arabic.
Cheers,
JeMc

[Tony Farrell]

Order of the Nile

Here's an example of the Commander's neck badge. Guess what? It's up for grabs. Send me £250 and I'll slap it in the post! Am I brilliant or what? It's a bit of a beast - just over 9cm from the top of the crown to the bottom ray. Niiiiiice! I've only just spotted this thread. Doh!

[Tony Farrell]

Order of the Nile

I might want to try adding the image! It is a Lattes example and is boxed. Bargain!

[Ed_Haynes]

A pretty specimen of hard-to-scan award.

Ed Haynes

[Tony Farrell]

Hmm, bit of a monster scan that was. I'll try and downsize it a bit. Here goes:

[Ian Jewison]

After 15 years and going through an old box I thought I would take another look....and I found him Gazetted......


He received the Order of the Nile 4th Class


/Ian