British Security Mission in Syria 1942

[Michael Carter]

I recently acquired an air mail cover, sent from Birnam, Perthshire to a Captain I.E.Gray, British Security Mission in Syria, Middle East Force.[/b] The cover is an embossed GB 2 1/2d blue stamp = a 1/2d green and 1/- brown GB stamps + blue Air Mail label. Stamps bear 3 rather indistinct CDS, one from Angus, Scotland and I believe the date is 12.8.42. No receiving CDS on back or front.

I have tried to find out something about British Security Mission in Syria but on google no trace of any military mission in Syria. Can anyone give me information about this Mission. By 1942 the Vichy French had been defeated in Syria.

Mick Carter No 1521
07702 862572

[Peter Harvey]

Mick,

Could this be a reference to Spears Commission to Syria, that would have been in 1942 and later to the Lebanon. This certainly had a 'security' role and the appointment of Spears by Churchill, was to ensure the security of British interests in the region. He certainly would have surrounded himself with a number of more junior officers.

Spears being Major General Edward Spears.

I also found link to a Captain David Richard Jones serving with the British Security Mission to Syria in 1944.

[Michael Dobbs]

Mick

I've carried out a search of The National Archives website and found the following three files under War Diaries:

WO 178/13 (War Diary: 20 Syria Security Mission)
1941 Aug-1944 Jan

WO 169/15961 (War Diary: Syria: British Security Mission)
1944 Feb- Dec

WO 169/19903 (War Diary: Syria and Lebanon Area: British Security Mission to Syria)
1945 Jan- Sept

These should provide the information you are looking for and as the addressee is an officer he is likely to be mentioned at some point, especially as a new arrival or leaving the mission.

Mike

[Michael Carter]

Peter and Michael,
Thanks you very much for your messages which certainly gives me information to point me in the right direction. I will try and speak to you by phone about how I obtain this information from War Diaries, this is something I have never done before

I hope this message goes to both of you, this is only the second time I have used the Forum so not sure of finding my way around it and replying.