8. [Cyprus / Famagusta / Mudros Content] – [Wemyss, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rosslyn / Governor of Moudros] – Lukach, Harry Charles [later Sir Harry Luke] / [Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Rosslyn Erskine Wemyss / Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Michael de Robeck].
[Collection of five items of Signed Portrait of Sir Rosslyn Wemyss and Excellent Manuscript-Letter – Exchange with Harry Lukach, later Sir Harry Luke] The collection includes: 1. Original SIGNED Portrait of Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, while Rear Admiral, Senior Officer and Governor of Moudros / Mudros / 2. Together with autographed and signed manuscript-letter by Sir Rosslyn to his friend and subordinate, Harry Lukach [later Sir Harry Luke], who obviously had sent him congratulations when Wemyss was appointed as Admiral Sir Jellicoe’s replacement in December 1917 as First Sea Lord: “My dear Lukach – it was nice of you to send me your telegram but you will realize that I haven’t looked upon my appointment as an object for congratulations, though it is none the less nice that I should receive them from my friends. I had a letter from your father the other day, who told me that he thought it was possible that you decided to get out of your present Job, & that if so I could possibly be [?] for you to do so. If you have any ideas on the subject, do write & let me know, for you may be quite sure that I shall be only too glad to do anything to help you in that direction, for as I have told you before, I think that your powers should be need in some less circumscribed area than where you are at present – All good luck – Believe me – Yours very sincerely (s o) R.E. Wemyss” (dated 5th January, 1918) / 3. Together with Harry Lukach’s answer in a manuscript letter from February 11th, 1918, on Stationery of “Famagusta Club – Cyprus”: “Dear Sir Rosslyn, I am most grateful for your letter of the 5th January, & for your kindness in thinking of me among your many preoccupations. I need scarcely assure you that I am only too anxious to [?] what Service under the Admiralty, if this were possible, as I feel that, although I have recently been given promotion inside Cyprus to the Commissionship of Famagusta, I might perhaps be of more use at present Day in Palestine, the Balkans, or Elsewhere in the Near or Middle East than here. If any Naval Mission in those theatres required someone to do work of a kind for which you thought me fitted, I do not think the CO would think of declining to second me if you were to be good enough to ask for my services, especially as I am known to you personally through having had the privilege of serving on your Staff, Yours very sincerely (so) HCLukach”. / 4. Together with a stunning Typescript-copy of Luke’s application from his post in Famagusta, Cyprus, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies on 31 October, 1918, in which Luke lists his many achievements and asks for an administrative or political appointment in Turkey or Persia “if on conclusion of peace any territories in those countries should pass under British administration or control (this typescript is written while Lukach is Commissioner of Famagusta, Cyprus and he mentions the service under Sir Rosslyn Wemyss) – Luke also includes a typescript of C.D. Fenn for the Chief Secretary to Government in the year 1916 in which the Government confirms appreciation of his valuable service in connection with the administration of Mudros. Luke kept all these items together in his collection with the scrapbook-collection of printed Mudros – Orders he received from Wemyss and de Robeck while on Mudros (see below description of item No.5).
[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Mudros, Authority, c. 1918. 33,5 cm x 21,5 cm. Size of the Original Photograph Portrait of Sir Rosslyn Wemyss: Image: 14.5 cm wide x 19.5 cm high, signed in ink and mounted on board which measures 17.5 cm wide x 22.7 cm high. / The Volume with official documents counts c. 100 pages. Original Hardcover. The extremely rare photograph of Sir Rosslyn Wemyss in very good condition and beautifully signed and only with some minor signs of wear / The Mudros – Volume of official orders by Wemyss, de Robeck and Lukach with some minor staining to boards, very occasional only some foxing to pages. Otherwise in excellent condition.
