Military Forwarding Office WWI

[Tony Walker]

I have a number of hand-written parcel receipts from WWI, which from one of them, indicates they were prepared at the MFO, Military Forwarding Office.  According to an internet search there was also a MFD, Military Forwarding Department.

If there was a well-established Department, why were they producing these time-consuming parcel receipts?  Did they then send them back to the sender of the parcel?  Surely there would have been a simple printed form to be used?

I'll attach a scan or two.  The receipts all refer to parcels received by Lt Mark Egerton RNVR of the Hood Bn., Royal Naval Division, and dated 1915 / 1916.  He was initially at the Blandford Camp before being posted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in mid 1916.

The parcels were sent primarily, probably exclusively by his parents, Admiral Sir George and Lady Egerton.  He was C in C at Plymouth (Devonport) until retirement in mid 1916.  Maybe his parcels received preferential treatment?

Has anyone seen printed receipts?  Comments welcome

Cheers
Tony

[Michael Dobbs]

Tony

As you know I'm not a WW1 expert - so I hope the following may be of use:

In a selection of press notices in a pdf file online - The War Office 16th December 1939 on "Parcels for Troops" stated that parcels which exceeded the permitted weight limits at the Post Office could be forwarded to troops using the Military Forwarding Organisation: 

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FiCvAooC1UEJ:https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/handle/2152/35499/txu-oclc-35776857-1939-12-16.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1%26isAllowed%3Dy+&cd=13&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client
(this is a direct pdf online link so I don't know how it will work)

"All parcels should be carefully addressed to the consignee and his unit care of Military Forwarding Officer, Old Docks, Southampton, and despatched carriage paid to that address."  So there we have two official terms for MFO = Military Forwarding Organisation and Military Forwarding Officer; ignore the 1980s term Multinational Force & Observers in the Sinai as that is not relevant here!

I know nothing about MFO in WW1, but I did use MFO when I left the Army in 1975 to move my belongings which could not fit into a suitcase home from Germany.  Many married service personnel would also use the MFO to move their belongings from one home to another as they were posted from one location to another.  So it was more than just a parcel service, it was a freight service.

An internet search throws up the "Military Forwarding Services, Old Comrades Association" on the Science Museum Group website, which states that "The Military Forwarding Services, The Old Comrades Association began in September 1919" which after a laborious search I found has these records located at its National Railway Museum in York.  This is the introductory page:
https://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/people/ap195/military-forwarding-services-old-comrades-association

Whether these records may help I don't know, but it mentions a Military Forwarding Depot rather than Department.

Good luck in your research.

Mike  :)

[Alan Baker]

According to Wikithing, a free parcel service was set up at the naval docks at Deptford.

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Tony,

Very nice, I also have quite a correspondence from Lt Egerton.  First I've seen of these items though.

The War Diary Deputy Director Army Postal Services Salonika, WW1  (only surviving APO Service War Diary) has quite a bit of information on the Military Freight Forwarding Service.  Will see what I can dig out.  No mention of a receipt service from memory but would make sense.

If memory serves correctly cost was rail charge to port of dispatch and a further 7 /- for delivery where ever recipient was located. Total weight was limited to 56 lbs.

When one looks at Parcel delivery postal costs of 2 /6d for a parcel up to 11 lbs quite  a reasonable charge.

Cheers Chris

[Tony Walker]

Thanks for all the info. and leads everyone.  It's taking shape.

One last query (possibly..)

One of the parcel receipts from the MFO is signed by a

JH Ward 3rd Wn RN
D.N.T.O.
23.8 15

What does Wn stand for? He notes in the receipt the parcel was received from Admiralty House and is addressed to

Lieut. W.M.Egerton RNVR
Hood Battalion
2nd Brigade
RN Division
Mediterranean Exp. Force

I assume the D.N.T.O. stands for Divisional Naval Transport Officer?  How does this fit with the MFO which I had assumed was a central military based service?

Scan of initial write up attached

Cheers
Tony

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Tony

Try w r 

Writer perhaps

Chris