Can anyone help me decipher this signature?

[LaBelleSauvage123]

I’m doing some family tree research and can’t find this person - it’s definitely a male. What do you think?

I agree with kneehigh i had originally thought Hans, until I read the letter, then it was clearly a curlicue and not an s. It is Ham, with an abreviation dot. So probably Hamish.

I was a firm ‘non t cross’ believer until I saw ‘poste restante’ at top of letter. I became less firm in my faith when I saw that

I still haven’t read the whole letter! I’m going to save that pleasure for tonight!

It’s so wonderful that everyone is taking such an interest - I promise I’m investigating all suggestions but so far no luck.

If it’s Ham it could be Hamley as well as Hamish?

Or Hamilton ?

I thought it looked like Harris. I am going to get my DH to look as he has spent a year trawling over old records for his family tree

I think the surname might end in 'chwitz'

Krchwitz

That could work with Ham being a diminutive for Abraham as a given name, perhaps if he was of Jewish heritage?

Are we sure the first letter is an H?

The H in hoping in the last paragraph doesn’t look the same as the first letter of the signature.

I'm with you Knee - I think he's underlined "affectionately".

The second letter of the first name is an A, it compares to all the others in the text. Third letter of the first name could be an M, if you look at the word "remain" slightly above it. Or it could be N or a double R.

Wait is there more letter to see?

Yes full letter posted above.

Could it be Harris, if the dot is the top of the i.

Can op post a close up of just the surname?

Kylh _ ly

Kylhussly

If you look at the whole letter the initials in the postscript look like HK too.

It mentions Ismalia which is a city in Egypt.

Thinking Haris which is Greek.

Then Kyth....which is like Kythira the Greek island.

Koschwitz

This is as close as I can get it

I've PMed you with some possible relationships rather than broadcast them.

Oatgroat has cracked it! The surname is Kythreatis with either Harris or Homer as a first name. I need to look over all her extensive ( and wonderful) research, which I probably won’t have time to do until tomorrow, but all the links tie up with other ancestors and letters I have. I promise I’ll update with the full story when I have it. The power of Mumsnet - quite amazing!

Oh wow how exciting!!

Wow! Well done!