Middlesex Regiment 1915 Officer’s Silver and enamel Presentation Cigarette Case. A gift to Stanley Howard Greville-Smith, 8th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment from his father for Christmas 1915, as gifted when the recipient was resident in the Federated Malay States at Singapore. Greville-Smith later worked as a solicitor in the East African Protectorate, and became the Resident Magistrate at Mombasa in July 1919.
Silver hallmarks for London with date letter ‘u’ for 1915 to from front and back case on inside, jewellers details for Sampson Mordan & Co. Outer case surmounted by the regimental badge of the Middlesex Regiment and the enamelled colours of the same. Gilt inner lid attractively engraved: ’S.H. GREVILLE-SMITH / 8TH: BATTALION: / MIDDLESEX REGIMENT / Singapore F.M.S. From His Father / Xmas. 1915.’ and additionally engraved: ‘The Brooklands / Hounslow / Middlesex’. Measuring approximately 84 mm by 65 mm.
Condition: enamelled regimental colours with some knocks and enamel loss conducive with use, other slight signs of use and minor dents to the silver case, overall Fair Condition.
Stanley Howard Greville-Smith was born on 28th August 1889 in Hounslow, Middlesex, the son of Frederic Charles Greville-Smith-Schmidt and Isabel Elizabeth Emma Howard, and was originally commissioned into the Volunteer Force on 15th November 1907 as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, but then transferred across to the Territorial Force on its formation on 1st April 1908, and from then on saw service with the 8th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment.
Despite holding a commission during the Great War, it would appear to Greville-Smith pursued his occupation as a solicitor and did not serve on active service in uniform. He was working out in the Federated Malay States at Singapore when for Xmas 1915 he received a Middlesex Regimental Presentation Case ‘from his father’. At the time of this give the case is inscribed to him ’S.H. Greville-Smith 8th: Battalion Middlesex Regiment’.
Greville-Smith however then appears to have found employment out in the East African Protectorate, and was appointed the Acting Registrar of the High Court at Mombasa on 1st April 1918, and then the Resident Magistrate at Mombasa on 1st July 1919. Greville-Smith died on 21st October 1930 in Brentford, Middlesex.
