So we have another what appears to be Canadian cover (as it is addressed to Canada) with a US postage stamp to pay for the 6c air mail rate - see John Cranmer's cover under "How to understand this WW2 cover and letter" posted on 11 January 2021.

FPO 118 was allocated to APO S.479 under 7 L of C Postal Unit on 14/4/44 and was still shown as being with 7 L of C PU on 6/8/44.

Proud shows this as Bizerta, Tunisia (31/3/43 - 17/3/44).

I am sure that I have seen this type of censor cachet before - but where I cannot remember!

Mike  :)

I suspect not for the majority of you who regularly view or paticipate on this forum - but something a bit different to the WW1, Navy or RAF and Russia-related topics which regularly appear on the forum!

Back in April 2020 under "Cover of the day 19/4/2020 BFPS commemorative covers" I mentioned that I was compiling a list of modern British Forces Postal Service (BFPS) commemorative postmarks and covers.  That work continues and I believe that I have compiled at listing right up to the present day.  In doing so I have discovered that a large number of numbers were not used for some reason (and I don't know the reasoning).  For information I have listed these numbers below:

1778 Although the late Alistair Kennedy records it for HMS Victory 1978 Portsmouth 21 October 1978 - could it be that it was allocated for this event but never actually used?

1792 Although the late Alistair Kennedy records it for a Falkland Islands Exhibition on Forces Postal History at the National Postal Museum - - could it be that it was allocated for this event but never actually used or the event was cancelled?

1795 The late Alistair Kennedy records that on 5 May 1983 the Ministry of Defence withdrew the cancellation, which was to commemorate the first anniversary of the sinking of the Sante Fe off South Georgia.

1844 1903 1926 1935 1950 1963 1977
1869 1905 1927 1936 1955 1965 1985
1871 1907 1928 1937 1957 1966 1986
1894 1909 1929 1938 1958 1969 1988
1898 1910 1930 1939 1959 1970 1991
1917 1931 1942 1960 1971 1993
1920 1933 1946 1961 1972 1994
1924 1934 1947 1962

2001 to 2022
2024 to 2029
2033 to 2099

2122 2218 2245 2345 2410 2456 2771
2148 2221 2246 2363 2414 2648 2776
2152 2223 2284 2367 2425 2686 2949
2155 2233 2288 2382 2426 2720 2953
2164 2243 2308 2391 2427 2760 2954
2244 2327 2400 2428 2769 2986

3003 3065
3005 3071
3076

Two of the above "not used" numbers were as a result of items previously listed as being allocated a number but when actually used they were under a different number as follows

2288 Listed for "Young Philatelists Day Dortmund Huckarde" but BFPS 2248 used instead.

2986 Listed for "362nd Anniversary of the Battle of Langport" but BFPS 2978 used instead.

Should anyone have any covers which may contradict this I would be grateful for details and a scan of the cover please.  I should like to thank member Pete Chapman who 2 years ago sent me his listing of such covers which has been of tremendous help in establishing the above details.

Mike

Chris

The red cachet looks like 56 ?? RIFLES  F F or E F

Mike

Neil

Rather than muddy the waters, I think that you may well have clarified the answer - thank you.

As regards who may have handled the letter to the UK, that may well have to wait until we can get back to The National Archives and look through various war diaries (Divisional postal unit and higher postal authorities) to see if they mention mail handling and routes (I have found the Canadian postal unit war diaries contain a great deal more detailed information than many British postal unit war diaries).

We shall have to wait and see.

[b]"The BNAPS Catalogue of Canadian Military Mail Markings - Volume 2: The World War 2 Era 1936-1945"[/b] Compiled and Edited by C.D. Sayles (BNAPS Ltd, April 2011) lists FPO 524 as follows:

TCA.5, CA.5 from April 1944

DCA.5: 5th Canadian Armoured Division - Ration Point - UK, Italy, NW Europe
CA.5: 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade - UK, Italy, NW Europe
Nov 1941 - Jan 1946

[b]"The Canadian Military Posts Volume 2 - Between the Wars and World War Two - 1920 to 1946"[/b] by W.J. Bailey and E.R. Toop, Edited by Edward B. Proud (1985) lists FPO 524 as follows:

FPO 524 issued 3/11/41 to FPO DCA5 - recorded used 2/8/43 - ??
FPO 524 5 Cdn Armd Bde Ortona area recorded used 23/12/43 to 27/3/44
FPO 524 from 5 Armd Bde - recorded used 21/4/44 to 1/10/45 (returned 9/1/46)

[b]"Handbook and Checklist of Canadian Military Post Offices to 1986" [/b]by W J Bailey and E R Toop (Unitrade Press, 1987)
This shows FPO 524 as being with FPO CA5 (UK, Italy, NW Europe) Nov 41 - Jan 46

[u]Unit[/u]:
I can confirm that [b]5 Canadian Mobile Laundry & Bath Unit RCOC[/b] (Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps) formed part of 5th Canadian Armoured Division.

5th Canadian Armoured Division comprised:
- 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade
- 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- Divisional Troops

[u]Datestamps[/u]:
During October and November 1941 5th Canadian Armoured Division (which was initially designated 1st Canadian Armoured Division but the designation was changed shortly after its formation was authorised in Spring 1941) arrived in the UK with Divisional HQ and most units arriving on 22 November 1941 as part of the Fifteenth Flight.  British FPO datestamp FIELD POST OFFICE 509 was allocated to the divisional postal unit on 21 October 1941 while datestamps FIELD POST OFFICE 522 to 524 were issued to the unit on 3 November 1941.

All four datestamps numbers (FPOs 509, 522 to 524) were returned to the Home Postal Centre RE from 8 Base Army Post Office on 9 January 1946.

The second Bailey & Toop publication listed is a simplified checklist - I would go for Bailey & Toop published by Proud as a more accurate listing.  It is clear that these FPO datestamps (509, 522 to 524) were only ever used by the Canadians during WW2 - issued in October/November 1941 and return to Home Postal Centre in January 1946.

Unfortunately I have not been able to view the postal unit war diary at The National Archives - there are war diaries for the years 1942, 1943 and 1944.

I not able to help regarding postal instructions / facilities as I have still to research those areas in the latter years of the war.  However, I would tend to agree with the reasoning John's friends gave - for some reason this Canadian soldier just happened to have a US 6c stamp on him and used that.  I presume that the US and Canadian currency were more or less equal.

Mike  :)

Well, well, well ... who'd believe it - as soon as you mentioned the C.H.P. censor I instantly thought I'm sure I have a cover/card with that censor cachet on it and low and behold I find that I have a photographic picture postcard of HMS Crescent with the C.H.P. censor cachet.  It is postmarked London MAR 12 but year unclear but almost certainly from the correspondence below it would have been 1915.

I am not generally a WWI collector, let alone naval mail, but many years ago I did purchase a small number of items.  Thanks for bringing this to light!

Mike  :)

John

2 Medium Regiment Platoon RCASC - this is a RCASC platoon serving a Canadian artillery regiment.  I have details of the Regiment as follows:

HQ 2nd Canadian Medium Regiment RCA
- 18 Canadian Medium Battery RCA
- 25 Canadian Medium Battery RCA
- 2 Canadian Medium Regiment Platoon RCASC

2nd Canadian Medium Regiment RCA formed part of 1st Canadian Army Group RCA:
- 11th Canadian Army Field Regiment RCA
- 1st Canadian Medium Regiment RCA
- 2nd Canadian Medium Regiment RCA
- 5th Canadian Medium Regiment RCA

Sorry, I have no other information.

Mike  :)

Andrew

I somehow missed this - a very attractive Christmas card - thanks for showing it.

Mike  :)

Hi all

According to "Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy (Being a list of the Static Ships and Establishments of the Royal Navy)" Compiled by Lt Cdr B Warlow RN (Maritime Books, 1992):

CRESCENT Scapa Flow, Rosyth, Depot Ship
- CRESCENT (1892) Cruiser, Submarine Depot Ship 1917, Scapa Flow 1917-18, General Depot Ship Firth of Forth 1919, sold 22/9/1921
- GLORY (1899) Battleship, renamed CRESCENT 1/5/1920 Depot Ship, sold 19/12/1922
- SUTLEJ (1899), Cruiser, overflow ship Rosyth 1917-18, incliuded in establishment CRESCENT 1918, sold 9/5/1921

So, still in commission as HMS Crescent in 1919 - no date as to when taken out of service, but sold 22/9/1921.

Hope this helps.

Mike

Gents

Although not my collecting area, but I am following this with interest just to see where it goes and to see if the issue is finally resolved!

Tony - do you mean 1920, rather than just last year (2020) ?

Mike  :)

Chris

A very nice card - troops were so imaganitive in those days.

I've just found some New Years greetings cards from KFOR - the NATO-led Kosovo Force for the New Year 2002/2003 - from the Force Commander, Deputy Force Commander and the Greek Force Support Unit - all plain and somber unlike Chris' card!

Happy New Year to all our members - I hope 2021 will turn out better than 2020!

Mike  ;D ;D
(Hon Sec)

Alan / Chris

Indeed it is - how on earth you saw the B in Barnard I don't know!
Initially I thought it might be Howard.

I suppose if you find a list of officers in 2/5 DLI you can more easily recognise a signature - good work!

Mike  :)

Merry Christmas Chris, thanks for sharing this with us - a very nice card.
Christmas is an appropriate time for showing us such items - we don't often get a chance to view Christmas items.

Mike  :)

My selection are three Christmas cards from the Multinational Force & Observers in Sinai in 1982.

The first is from the French contingent, then the ANZAC contingent (front and inside) and then the official MFO Christmas postcard (both front and back).

Enjoy and have a lovely Christmas.

Mike  :)

Frank

Three very nice items - thanks for sharing them with us.

Mike  :)