I have received the following query from the website:
[color=maroon]I found a cover with this cachet on the back:
Detachment 'A'
Royal Australian Air Force
CSOS Little Sai Wan Hong Kong
Force Mail Homeland
Family Domiciled
It was posted from a BFPO in Hong Kong.
So far, my searches have turned up information about the CSOS, but nothing about the cachet.
Any suggestions about where I should look?[/color]
I have found out that this query was previously posted on this message board - where you can view the actual cover and whicvh received plenty of answers in relation to the history of Little Sai Wan but not what the initials CSOS stood for.
http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=64956
See this site which states that a Composite Signals Organisation (CSO) (part of GCHQ) took it over from the RAF:
http://www.littlesaiwan-367su.talktalk.net/history.html
See these two auction site references which contain official mail from 1970 & 1971 with a similar type of CSOS cachet:
http://www.torstenweller.com/rdetailsprint1b.asp?CAT=WorldPH-Europe&CAT2%20=WorldPH-GreatBritain&rProductID=STK-00010695
http://www.torstenweller.com/rdetailsprint1b.asp?CAT=WorldPH-Asia&CAT2%20=WorldPH-Malaya&rProductID=STK-00010696
Despite extensive research I can find no reference to CSOS only to CSO (see above). Can anyone help ?
Thanks, Mike ???
Hello Mike,
CSOS is probably "Combined Services Orthopaedic Society" which was formed in 1974 to promote orthopaedic specialty in the Armed Services as a civilian organisation. Their web site is csos.co.uk
Kindest Regards
Robin
Hi Mike,
I think this is Composite Signals Organisation Station (CSOS) Little Sai Wan.
This was a GCHQ listening station, many of these small outposts were called CSOS (location name) and if you Google this you will see the terminology used:
A rather interesting article at: http://www.duncancampbell.org/PDF/1976-may-time-out-the-eavesdroppers.pdf
I recently read a number of articles on the Home Chain stations in WW2 and that reading (internet), introduced a number of post war CSOS's such as Bude.
Pete
Peter
Very many thanks indeed - such a simple answer, but a correct one. Following on from your suggestion I have now found a reference which actually states CSOS stands for Composite Signals Organisation Station - see Irton Moor at:
http://www.alancordwell.co.uk/hfradio/irton.html
Robin - thanks for your efforts, but I was about to post a reply to say that from what I had so far obtained from my own researches, especially into Little Sai Wan I could not buy your answer - sorry !
Mike ;D