A Job Well Done: A history of the Palestinian Police Force 1920-1948 - Edward Horne, Anchor Press, 1982
p. 54
Eventually Mrs. Bramley did return to England while her husband stayed through 1922 to get his force just right. At last he laid his request to retire because of failing health before the government and the search started for his successor. On 29th December, choice fell upon Mr Arthur Stephen Mavrogordato, who took up his duties in January.
p. 55
Meanwhile what of the new Commandant of Police? Prior to his appointment to Jerusalem, ‘Mavro’ had a quiet and uneventful career in the Colonial Police Service. He had joined the Cyprus Police in 1903 and became an Inspector there two years later. He had enough promise to be selected as Assistant Commandant of Sierra Leone in 1913, and it was from that territory that he replaced Bramley in 1923. He took command in March and went out of his way to see that everything went as smoothly as before. But a year later General Tudor retired from his post as ‘Supremo’ of all forces in Palestine and Mavrogordato became the new Inspector-General of Police and Prisons, a post he held down with consummate ease. It is worth pointing out for those who have an eye for and odd situation, that Mavrogordato, the civilian police officer now had charge of his own police force, both gendarmeries as well as the handful of soldiers in Palestine. Together, these forces amounted to an armed force of Brigade strength. The situation is rare and is sufficiently anomalous to be mentioned here.
After ‘The Colonel’ the rank and file took the view that ‘Mavro’ was of easier and more relaxed disposition. For instance Headquarters was not galvanised with activity when he arrived at his desk each morning. Everything and everyone ran at a gentler pace. If his inspections were somehow less of an ordeal, and his journeys around Palestine, less frequent than the men had hitherto expected from their Chief; the Three District Superintendents took it upon themselves to maintain standards.
p. 54
Eventually Mrs. Bramley did return to England while her husband stayed through 1922 to get his force just right. At last he laid his request to retire because of failing health before the government and the search started for his successor. On 29th December, choice fell upon Mr Arthur Stephen Mavrogordato, who took up his duties in January.
p. 55
Meanwhile what of the new Commandant of Police? Prior to his appointment to Jerusalem, ‘Mavro’ had a quiet and uneventful career in the Colonial Police Service. He had joined the Cyprus Police in 1903 and became an Inspector there two years later. He had enough promise to be selected as Assistant Commandant of Sierra Leone in 1913, and it was from that territory that he replaced Bramley in 1923. He took command in March and went out of his way to see that everything went as smoothly as before. But a year later General Tudor retired from his post as ‘Supremo’ of all forces in Palestine and Mavrogordato became the new Inspector-General of Police and Prisons, a post he held down with consummate ease. It is worth pointing out for those who have an eye for and odd situation, that Mavrogordato, the civilian police officer now had charge of his own police force, both gendarmeries as well as the handful of soldiers in Palestine. Together, these forces amounted to an armed force of Brigade strength. The situation is rare and is sufficiently anomalous to be mentioned here.
After ‘The Colonel’ the rank and file took the view that ‘Mavro’ was of easier and more relaxed disposition. For instance Headquarters was not galvanised with activity when he arrived at his desk each morning. Everything and everyone ran at a gentler pace. If his inspections were somehow less of an ordeal, and his journeys around Palestine, less frequent than the men had hitherto expected from their Chief; the Three District Superintendents took it upon themselves to maintain standards.
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Farewell photograph of senior officers taken at the time of the departure of A. S. Mavrogordato Esq., the commandant circa 1931, early 1932.
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Some British police at Mount Scopus Depot, 1930, with khaki style uniforms.