I have received the following information from our South African member Jim Findlay:

[color=maroon]This cover is from South Africa's "Border War" in South West Africa (now Namibia). SWA was a League of Nations/United Nations mandate of control by South Africa from WW 1 – the UN passed Resolution 435 for SWA to get its independence (1990). The communists were sponsoring the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) as terrorist/freedom fighters to gain control of SWA. SA established bases along the SWA – Angola border to combat the infiltration by SWAPO members who forced locals to support them (communist style intimidation and murder). Initially there was 1 Military Area (1976)(Afrikaans Militere Gebied) with sub-areas which was later divided into 1 MA, 2 MA and 3 MA. There were also 7 Sectors with FPOs as the dynamics of the conflict changed.
The main logistics base was at Grootfontein and the operational bases were Oshakati, Rundu and Katima Mulilo. Field Post Office 2 (VPK = Veld Poskantoor) was at Grootfontein with FPO 2.21 (Oshakati) FPO 2.22 (Rundu) and FPO 2.23 (Mpacha at Katima Mulilo).
The Maintenance Unit was responsible for 'supplies' (food, water, vehicle fuel, oil, lubricants etc) and each operational base had such a unit.
2nd Lieutenant B Proeg was a 'regular' or 'PF' Permanent Force member as indicated in his service number and obviously in charge of the Petrol Point at Rundu.

There are numerous censor mark varieties that were used similar to that illustrated.

There are 3 books on the postal history of this conflict by George van den Hurk – "Border War Mail", "More Border War Mail" and "Final Border Mail". These were self-produced and there are copies of copies that appear on auction from time to time.[/color]

Mike

John

Thank you for the link - the person who made the original enquiry I posted is in fact the author of the said article!
I see from the "Endnotes" that it originally appeared in "This article first appeared in GEOSIX, Whole Number 249, September 2013, the journal of the King George VI Collectors Society"

He has clearly gone round all the philatelic options to try and find out additional information (KG6 CS, BNAPS and now FPHS!).

Mike

I have received the following enquiry:

[color=maroon]I am interested in WW2 British military censorship in British Guiana.
In my modest collection I have four covers from British Guiana with the British army handstamp
Crown/Circle/PASSED BY CENSOR/No/XXXX
and with a signature diagonally written at lower left typically indicating censorship at the unit level. Given the statement in Townsend and Howe that no British troops were stationed in British Guiana during the war, I am trying to find out about the origin of these handstamps and what units used them. The covers are dated 1943-44. Regrettably there are no sender's names and addresses on the back of the envelopes.

The numbers shown on the handstamps are 8799, 8896 and 8897. I not been able to locate any lists of the numbers giving the units to which they were assigned and their locations. I would be very grateful for any help the Society can give me in this and would be pleased to provide scans of these covers and be in contact with any member who wishes to follow-up with me.
Thank you.[/color]

I responded to say that I held the records of a deceased member (Alistair Kennedy) who did record examples of Army censor handstamps.  Of the three numbers he had quoted Alistair did record 8896 as being at Georgetown on 7 JA 44 - this indicates that the item of mail was cancelled using a Georgetown datestamp on that day.  There is no other information.

If any member can help with additional censorship numbers or indeed information on British Army personnel in British Guiana during WW2 I would be grateful.

Thanks, Mike

"The BNAPS Catalogue of Canadian Military Mail Markings - Volume 3: From Victory in 1945 to Afghanistan", compiled and edited by C D Sayles (August 2006) confirms Alan's response that C.F.P.O. 31 was located in Tokyo, Japan (16 Apr 52 - 15 Sep 55).

Mike

"The BNAPS Catalogue of Canadian Military Mail Markings - Volume 3: From Victory in 1945 to Afghanistan", compiled and edited by C D Sayles (August 2006) confirms Alan's response that the Canadian Base P.O. was located in Vancouver, Canada.

Incidently, I.O.D.E. in the address relates to: the General Brock Chapter of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE).

Mike

Tony

The regiment concerned is the [b]2nd Battalion, The Connaught Rangers[/b] - both battalions served on the Western Front in 1914-15. 2nd Battalion suffered such heavy casualties that in December 1914 it had to merge with 1st Battalion.  See the following websites:

National Army Museum
https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/connaught-rangers

Forces War Records
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/units/243/connaught-rangers
2nd Battalion:
04.08.1914 Stationed at Barrosa Barracks, Aldershot as part of the 5th Brigade of the 2nd Division.
14.08.1914 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, First Battle of Ypres;
26.11.1914 Transferred to the Ferozepore Brigade of the 3rd (Lahore) Division and amalgamated with the 1st Battalion.

Forces War Records shows six F H or Frederick Howard Jackson's under Connaught Rangers in WW1 – three under "Record Year 1914".

Hope this helps, Mike

John

The following are details of the "book" Alan mentions - actually it is a website:

British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS)
From the On Line Resources and Exhibits (ORE) section
https://bnaps.org/ore/ore-index.php#top

"Thanks for the Smokes" – Charles Livermore
Canada - World War II overseas tobacco distribution scheme.
https://charleslivermore.com/tobacco/aaindex.html

Hopefully I can also attach the article he refers to (and which refers to the online resource).

Mike

Proud Volume III showes it as:
M.E.F. 179 Bde (FPO B179)        (12.4.46) - (7.6.46)
next entry is:
Held by B.A.P.O. 2.6.47

So presumably your date of AU 15 / 46 extends the period of use by 179 Brigade.

Aaah Ross - just realised that you are one of our Australian members, so a visit to our National Archives at Kew is not an easy option!

When I next visit The National Archives for my own researches (and I want to go soon - whether or not before Christmas I don't know) I will look at the relevant War Diary to determine location.

Mike

Ross

I cannot help with the details you have asked for, but I believe that you will be able to find the answers in the following War Diaries held at The National Archives, Kew.  It appears that 1936 Company was in existence from December 1942 to November 1945.  These are the relevant War Diaries:

WO 169/6500 1936 Company Pioneer Corps Dec 1942
WO 169/12993 1936 Company (Basuto) African Auxiliary Pioneer Corps (AAPC) Jan-Dec 1943
WO 169/17441 1936 Dilution Company African Auxiliary Pioneer Corps (AAPC) Jan-Dec 1944
WO 169/21008 1936 Company (Basuto) African Pioneer Corps (APC) Jan-Nov 1945

The War Office 169 (WO 169) class are War Diaries for the Middle East .

Mike

Sorry Neil - I cannot help.  I thought I could as I had a recording of that censor number, but then realised it was from the very same cover as yours which I noted came from the late Alistair Kennedy.

Mike

Member Albert Coles sent the attached article regarding a cover addressed to No 2 Aircraft Construction Squadron RAAF in the Cocos Island in 1952.
It came from the Cinderella Philatelist magazine for January 2023 (a bit ahead of its time!).

I hope it will be of interest to some of you.

Mike

I agree with Alan - this loooks like 87 not 37.

Mike

Jim

Your second cover (dated 17 OCT. 45) is definately 143.

I see in Proud's book there are asterisk's (*) after various dates, but I haven't been able to find a note or reference as to what this represents!

Unfortunately earlier editions of books on RAF postal services overseas (by John A. Smith in 1957 and W (Bill) Garrard in c.1991) do not show a location for 143 or indeed anything for 147.

Sorry I cannot help further.

Mike

Sorry to say there is no record of Type A500 censor 8371 by the late ALK in the ledger in which he recorded WW2 censor marks.

Mike