Continuing my Depot theme - on 18 May 1941 the Home Depot moved to Nottingham and from 9 November 1942 the Depot  was known as the Home Postal Centre (effective date of a revised War Establishment).

Along with the redesignation new datestamp were introduced inscribed with the new name - steel datestamps 1-16 were issued, although No 15 & 16 have not been recorded used.  In addition whilst Crouch & Hill have allocated 5, 6, 7 and 10 to various departments of the HPC they do not appear to have been recorded used.  If you have any of these used please do let me know.

In addition a number of rubber datestamps have also been recorded used (they are not numbered).

The attached scan is a piece from 1943 which shows steel datestamp 3 on 22 OC 43 and a rubber datestamp used the following day 23 OCT 1943.

Thanks, Mike  :)

In a further exchange of emails with the person making the initial enquiry below, he further states:

[color=maroon]Many thanks I have been collecting Luft 3 and Colditz for 35 years my main aim luft 3 wize is to get a letter or postcard for all 76 of the escapers I am just under half way but getting older and time goes to fast these days hence my request for your help, I may even have a few swaps but will purchase of any of your members gladly[/color]

I can well understand the "getting older and time goes so fast these days" comment - applies to me as well!  I don't have time to do everything I want in relation to the hobby!

Mike  :)

I have received the following request:

[color=maroon]Hi I am looking for ww2 pow mail from any of the 76 great escapes stalag luft 3 can you help?[/color]

A long shot, but does anyone have such mail for sale?

Mike  :)

I have an interest in the history and postal history of the Home Depot from it formation in 1939 until the present day (now BFPO London).

Attached are two covers with the datestamp HOME DEPôT - R.E.P.S. / 19 dated 23 MY 40 and 4 JY 40 respectively.  They both have the time slug of -PM.  Exceptional use of a number of these datestamps has been recorded for the period May to July 1940.

From about 17 May 1940 mail from troops of the British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) in France reached the Depot un-postmarked as a result of the chaotic situation on the other side of the Channel at that time, and the retreat towards Dunkirk.  When the mail reached the Depot it was postmarked and sorted for onward despatch to addressees.  Datestamp HOME DEPOT / 19 and occasionally HOME DEPOT / 18 have been recorded used on such mail.

Mail from Iceland (APO 500) also reached the Depot un-postmarked during the early days of the islands' occupation.  No postal unit accompanied the first troops to land in Iceland during May 1940 and mail to the UK was placed aboard any homeward bound ship.  On arrival some of this mail found its way to the Depot where it was postmarked and sorted for onward distribution to addressees.  This practice continued for about the first two months for certain units who were unable to get mail through to the APO in Reykjavik.  During this period datestamps HOME DEPOT / 2, 12, 18 and 19 have been recorded on mail from Iceland.

Mike  :)

Chris

It looks as though it is simply a unit designation AE Cable Section - see page 10 of attached document
[url=https://www.re-museum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Library-War-Diaries-WW1.pdf]https://www.re-museum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Library-War-Diaries-WW1.pdf[/url]

Starts AA to AZ Cable Sections, then BA to BZ Cable Sections, etc.

Also look at [i]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/II_Corps_Troops,_Royal_Engineers[/i] and scroll down to 'B' Corps Signal Company which included AP Cable Section and J Cable Section - further evidence that AE was merely a designation and was not an abbreviation for something.

Mike  :)

Chris

A very good find.  Its very pleasing when one acquires an item which clearly shows use of a datestamp previously stated as "not recorded" - well done!
It must mean that there are likely to be others out there to expand period of use!

Mike  :)

I have received the following enquiry from the USA:

[color=maroon]I am trying to find the date (month) codes used by the British Army Post Office in Constantinople in 1855. I have an example POST OFFICE BRITISH ARMY JU?? 1855. Is this June or July? Any help will be appreciated,[/color]

Can anyone assist please?

Thanks, Mike  :)

A Very nice cover Ross.  I do like covers which shows the senders details in full, especially naval covers which usuall tend to have undated POMM markings.  Yours has a nice IFPO datestamp.  Given the senders rank I do think that he may well have been the NOIC himself.  However, other specialised naval collectors on the forum will no doubt be able to confirm one way or the other.

Mike  :)

Ross

You have an almost impossible task to try and resolve the address!  I've tried looking for a hospital ship in WW2 named Union but no joy.  I wonder if "Union" refers to the Union of South Africa - but where would such a letter go to as there is no apparent location given.  Although I stated an almost impossible task - I correct it to an impossible task!

Mike  :)

Howard

A very attractive card with an unusual combination of soldiers on parade - pity  you were outbid for the companion card.

Mike  :)

I thought that members may be interested in this - it is an item from the collection of Adrian Safier (Chairman Whitstable PS) which he circulated to his contacts around Kent.  It is an item of mail sent from the Grand Hotel Yokohama to a Captain Booth in the Buffs in India in 1893.  See the write up on the page.

Mike  :)

I have received the following enquiry

[color=maroon]My father served in the Australian Army in ww2 in the middle east. He sent letters home in blue envelopes with BY AIR MAIL printed on them. They did not have stamps. Was the airmail service free or was the postage included in the purchase of the envelopes? I would be grateful for any help you could give me. [/color]

I have responded to ask for a scan of the cover, but can anyone help with the question please ?

Thanks, Mike

I am looking for members help here - do any of you have covers postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 555 during the period 1977-1990?
If so please send me details - date and any indication as to location or use.
The reason being is that our post-WW2 draft publication is a bit of a mess as regards this datestamp:

Jul 77 – Sep 80 GERMANY  Exercises BFPOs 559, 536  Ex Cuckoo's Nest, 535, 531 Murnau
`         Ex Robust Quadrant,  533 Leutkirk (Lissom Lancer), HQ 15 Para Bde

No clear breakdown of dates and exercises and/or BFPO numbers.  Alistair Kennedy's card indes is not much help in this area, except that it has identified the 1977 use on Ex Cuckoos Nest:
19 Jul 77 - 25 Jul 77 GERMANY  BFPO 585  Vogelsang Training Area  Ex Cuckoos Nest (7 July - 3 August 1977)

Even the attached scan I only have the date and the fact that it was used during the Staff College visit in 1984 - no BFPO number or location (other than Germany).

Many thanks, Mike  :)

Andrew

I have been in and amended the incorrect spelling - so I will delete this post after you have seen it.
I had to go through each individual post to do it - especially as it affected the topic heading!

You can amend incorrect information by selecting the "modify" option and either correct a spelling mistake or delete text or add text.

Mike

Chris

Whether this helps or not I don't know - but LDN is a common abbreviation for LONDON.
I don't know if this makes sense in your context.

Looking at it closely it is definately OHMS LDN - now is it a 7 or a Z ?  He writes his 7 and Z with a line through the slope.  It could be that this refers to a London civil postmark?

Mike