Mike,

There is a 1917 Report on PoW Camps in Egypt that was produced by the International Red Cross inspectors. The original is in French and can be accessed on the ICRC WW1 site.
Perhaps of more use is an English translation which can be found online at
https://archive.org/stream/turkishprisoner00inte#page/54/mode/2up.
Sidi Bishr is covered on pages 48-55.

The report can be read online or downloaded.

The ICRC WW1 site holds many records of PoWs held in Egypt, although none of the Turkish internees. The Allied Lists of German PoWs, issued weekly, started to refer to Sidi Bishr and its abbreviation Si. early in 1917. The cover sheet of German list No.126 can be found at:
https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Zoom/D/05/03/C_G1_D_05_03_0009/C_G1_D_05_03_0009_0271.JPG/

PoWs were given numbers locally at each camp and it appears that the Sidi Bishr numbers were allocated sequentially based on arrival date, regardless of nationality.
As an example, another page from the German list No.126 shows two PoWs with Si. numbers
https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Zoom/D/05/01/C_G1_D_05_01_0030/C_G1_D_05_01_0030_0046.JPG/

Hopefully, this will give your colleague a starting point?

Kind Regards, Alan

Hello Kathryn,

Another Malta postcard for you from the Royal Edward !!

As before, the censor mark is CM2-2852 and the censor's signature is clearly F J Riddell.
Contemporary records show Frederick James Riddell as Bedfordshire Regiment, detached to the Essex Regiment at the time. As the Essex Regiment were one of the larger contingents on this voyage of the Royal Edward, this unit may have been allocated the 2852 censor handstamp?

The writer signs as Fred and I think it's a reasonable assumption that this is Fred Sketchley writing whilst at Malta to his brother in Smethwick. According to Genes Reunited, Fred enlisted in 1915 at Birmingham with the Hampshire Regiment. The everymanremembered.org website records his service number as 11944 and his brother's address (same as the postcard). Unfortunately, he seems to have perished in the torpedo attack, as CWGC record his death on 13.8.15 at the age of 27.

Fred uses some colourful language in his message ......the black girls and chaps moving round our vessel, I've got my eye on one big fat wench, she keeps winking at me...!! This does at least confirm that the troops were kept on-board whilst coaling at Malta.

The Received From HM Ships marking is dated AUG 15 15E, which is consistent with other examples sent as naval bag mail from Malta. Unfortunately for his brother, the postcard would have been delivered after news of the sinking, but maybe before the casualties were named?

I hope this is useful to you, but a request if I may - do you have the arrival & departure dates for the Royal Edward at Malta? I believe they were 6th August and 7th August respectively, but it would be useful to confirm these dates.

Kind Regards,
Alan

....now adding the missing attachments!

Sorry for the omission.

In the latest FPHS Journal 310, page 136 illustrates a cover sent from Port Said to Japan and Alan Baker asks how the mail was handled. Some information is available for Malta, based on my write-up in 'Malta in WW1 – Postal History'. This is not a complete answer and is offered on the FPHS Forum for others to add to or comment on.

Reference Material
Very little official data has been located, although a note found in the Japanese National Archives (www.jacar.go.jp) from the GPO London provides evidence that mail for the Japanese Navy in Malta was handled via London, averaging 2 or 3 mail despatches per month in the 2nd quarter of 1918. Copy of the two-page note is attached.

Separately, the UK National Archives at Kew has, in file MT23, a number of documents relating to the re-supply of the Japanese Squadron from Japan. Apparently, in 1917, initial arrangements were made for Japanese vessels to transport provisions and equipment as far as Colombo, from where it would be taken to Malta on British shipping. This generated delays due to the limited number of ships available from Colombo and the Japanese segment was accordingly extended to Bombay. No mention of carrying mail, but it is an obvious potential route from Malta and Port Said to Japan.

The Japanese Squadron was based at Malta and they had a liaison officer, Lt.Cmdr Sakano, integrated with the Mediterranean Naval Staff in Valletta. Whether the mail was similarly integrated remains to be proven.

Postal History Examples
Mail between the Japanese Squadron and Japan is scarce and as Alan mentions, the writing is generally only in Japanese symbols. This suggests Naval bag mail, only opened on arrival in Japan.

There is a further example (only one known to-date) sent from Malta in May 1917 through the GPO. In this case, the Yokohama address is written in English, with the onward local address (Kyoto) in Japanese symbols. This postcard bears a 1d Malta KG.V stamp and a boxed cachet reading Passed By/Censor IJN. A copy of the cachet is attached and although there is nothing suspicious, it would be nice to see further examples.

Conclusions
Three potential routes for Mail to/from the Japanese Mediterranean Squadron:
1. Naval Bag mail via GPO London – presumably London-Japan via Moscow & Vladivostok?
2. Naval Bag mail via Japanese fleet provisioning service
3. Commercial service via GPO Malta; this would require the address in English

Hopefully this is of interest to some and will generate further knowledge,
Alan Green

Hi Susan,

Top photo is a Dragonfly, presumably a Westland-built example for the British Armed Forces.

Bottom photo looks like a Vickers Valetta - wing planform is wrong for a Dakota.
The IWM have a photo of a Valetta in Malaya during the Emergency
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205212403

Hope this is useful,
Alan

Frank,

The Malta Postmen's handstamps were oval with seriffed numbers and had a gap at the top centre in the frame (in the types used prior to 1926).

I have attached a scan of Malta No.5, which was used in Sliema. No evidence that the 5 on this cover was Maltese.

Regards,
Alan

Chris & Frank,

As there have been no further comments, maybe I could add some of my thoughts?

I agree that there are no recognisable Malta marks, but I wonder about the address?

Would a submarine have a Lower Ranks Mess? (assuming that's what L.R.Mess stands for?)

I wonder if the next line is H.M.S. Q.E. (i.e. HMS Queen Elizabeth). If so, does this change the likely location as HMS QE was, according to the RN Pink List of 1.1.16, with the 5th Battle Squadron, Grand Fleet.

Hope my comments are helpful (even if they're wrong!)
Alan Green

Hi Chris,

The only Meredyth correspondence that I have are 3 AMLCs sent from Malta.
They cover a very short period of time (only six days), but there are some interesting comments:
8.11.43 Union Club, Malta "Here I am at last...my ship is not here....some items left behind in Bombay..."
10.11.43 RN Mess, Union Club, Malta "May be off at any time to join my ship..."
14.11.43 RN Mess, Union Club, Malta "I am off again shortly, back to where I came from....there seems every likelihood of my really catching my ship this time & about time too."
Hopefully, this information will fit together with your other items and produce a picture of the Reverend's travels.

Kind Regards, Alan

Chris,

Thanks for your reply and I believe you are correct in associating Meredyth with HMHS Vita. I've attached a page from the Navy List for Dec.43 which shows his assignment to the ship from 23Jun43.

I haven't been able to confirm that HMHS Vita actually picked up Meredyth at Malta, although Vita was in the area, having supported the Salerno landings in September 43.
The last correspondence I have from Meredyth at Malta is dated 14.11.43.

In case anyone is interested some of his 1944/45 correspondence is currently listed on ebay, although the main lot finishes tomorrow morning (21st Feb).

Kind Regards,
Alan

All,

The attached Air Mail Letter Card was sent from Malta on 8th November 1943 and it had me puzzled for a while, as there is no equivalent type listed in ORJ Lee's British Forces Air Mail Letter Cards & Air Letters (2nd edn 1988).

Further research reveals the AMLC is probably an Indian Military lettercard, as the legend S.S.P. Ltd apparently refers to Sree Saraswaty Press at Calcutta. The writer, a Royal Navy chaplain, had recently travelled to Malta from Bombay, so a hand-carried Indian AMLC seems to fit.

I wonder if anyone on this Forum has access to ORJ Lee's companion volume Indian Military Air Letter Cards 1942-47 and could advise the Lee type number for this particular AMLC?

Many Thanks,
Alan Green

All,

No doubt to my mind that this is No.4178, which was used by the postal censors in Valletta between June 1916 and March 1919 (at least). These dates for 4178 are based on the extensive research of individual covers for the "Malta in WW1 Postal History" book mentioned by Robin.

The censors in Malta were somewhat unusual as they were civilians employed by the local government, yet were issued with censor handstamp types normally reserved for military units. As such, most of the mail bearing these marks is of civilian origin. The censors were located in offices adjacent to the GPO postal clerks. From October 1915 there was also an Army Post Office on Malta, yet very little of the mail through the Army PO shows any signs of censorship markings, apart from OAS-Medtn handstamps. Almost the reverse of what one might expect!

I hope this helps,
Alan

Tony,

There is an Air-Britain book covering the RNAS during WW1 "Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911-1918" and my summary notes refer to 2 Wing in the Aegean

2 Wing - sent to support the Dardanelles campaign and later, the Salonica campaign. Early formation and complement are complex, but it was transferred to the Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918 when the individual Squadrons became Nos. 220-223 Sqdns, as follows:
A Squadron, at Thasos with DH4's & Sopwith Camels - to No.222 Sqdn RAF
B Squadron, at Mitylene with a variety of types - to No.223 Sqdn RAF
C Squadron, at Imbros with DH4's & Sopwith Camels - to No.220 Sqdn RAF
D Squadron, at Stavros with anti-submarine flights of seaplanes - to No.221 Sqdn RAF

2 Wing/C Flight had been formed in the Aegean during 1916 (thought to be at Mudros during May) and had moved to Imbros by 6.10.16. Formally, became C Squadron at Imbros on 1.1.17.

It would appear from your cover that the term C Squadron was being used earlier than recorded in the A-B book, but hopefully the other details are helpful?
Alan

Greetings,

Not an area that I'm familiar with, but the datestamp inscription looks to me to be T.W.3, not TAN3.

Hope this helps,
Alan

Hi Chris,

An interesting question and I can provide some information re:Malta, although it doesn't provide a total answer.

I believe your theory is correct that his condition was probably the reason for transfer at Gibraltar. Malta had surplus hospital capacity in Sep/Oct.1915, so even if Egypt was full, Malta could have accommodated him if coming direct from Gallipoli. See image of Bed Capacity/Occupancy.

The numbers of sick & wounded transported by sea at this time are staggering - I've attached two monthly reports for Malta in Sep/Oct.15 with approx. 9,600 & 8,000 arrivals respectively. Perhaps more relevant are the numbers of departures to the UK (approx. 7,300 & 6,000 resp.) - maybe your man was amongst them?

As I understand, the policy was to move sick & wounded to the UK if they were unfit for further service or could be safely moved for further medical treatment.

As regards which Hospital Ship, I have transcribed the following HS movements at Malta for Oct.15 from the Malta National Archives. Although these are all arrivals at Malta, the comments include previous ports of call. Maybe this information will come in useful? With over one HS per day on average during Oct.15, it would be hard to pinpoint an actual ship without further specific date information regarding your man's arrival at Gibraltar. Maybe there are similar records for Gibraltar?
Hope the formatting is OK!

Kind Regards,
Alan

Date             Ship's Name           Comments
1915.10.01 HMHS Gloucester        526 S&W; 64 RAMC
                          Castle No.2068         
1915.10.02 HMHS Delta           Southampton (24.9). 364 RAMC to  Alex.
                        HMHS Gascon           From Gallipoli (28.9), Mudros (29.9). 440
                                                                S&W; 88 RAMC
                HMHS Rewa           From Devonport (25.9). Empty
1915.10.04 HMHS Nevasa           Cape Helles (1.10), Mudros (1.10)
                                                                S&W 32 Officers, 689 men
1915.10.05 HMHS Kanowna   London (25.9). 426 Hosp. Staff
                HMHY Grianaig E.2806  Southampton (20.9)
                HMHS Grantully Castle  Lemnos (3.10) 555 S&W; 51 Medical Staff
1915.10.07 HMHS Hunslet             Liverpool (27.9). 48 RAMC
                HMHS Massilia           Liverpool (29.9). 43 Medical staff
1915.10.08 HS Regina d'Italia Southampton (1.10). 24 medical staff
                HMHS Panama         Newport, Mon. (30.9). 213 Medical staff for Malta
                                                        + 57 proceeding east
                HMHS Dunluce        Mudros (6.10). S&W – 636 British + 289 French.
                          Castle                  + 64 Medical staff. French from wreck of Amiral
                                                        Hamelin, from 17th & 26th Artillery Regts
1915.10.09 HMHS Assaye         Anzac Cove (6.10), Mudros (6.10). 599 S&W
1915.10.11 HMHS Karapara Mudros (9.10). 446 S&W
1915.10.13 HMHS Soudan         Mudros (10.10). 445 S&W.
1915.10.14 HMHS Gascon         Gibraltar (10.10). 89 Medical staff
                HMHS Nevasa         Suvla Bay (11.10), Mudros (11.10). S&W – 39
                                                        Officers & 686 OR. 10 died en route
1915.10.15 HS Formosa (Fr.) Mudros (12.10). 475 British S&W
                HMHS Devanha Southampton (8.10). 114 Medical staff
1915.10.16 HMHS Carisbrook Southampton (9.10). 56 RAMC (5 Officers,
                          Castle                        12 Nurses, 39 Orderlies)
                HMHS Egypt         Southampton (13.10). 89 military
1915.10.20 HMHS Glenart          Suvla Bay (16.10), Mudros (17.10).
                          Castle                        396 S&W + 91 Medical staff
1915.10.21 HS Re d'Italia (It.) Naples (19.10)
                HS Italia (It.)         Southampton (14.10)
                HMHS Rewa         Mudros (19.10). 465 S&W + 91 Medical staff
1915.10.22 HS Brasile (It.)         Southampton (15.10). 98 Medical staff
        HMHS Oxfordshire Gibraltar (19.10). 153 Medical staff
        HMHS Karapara Mudros (20.10). 376 S&W
1915.10.23 HMHS Soudan         Mudros (20.10). 426 S&W + 86 Medics
1915.10.25 HMHS Somali         Mudros (22.10). 385 S&W + 2 Nurses +
                                                            66 Medics
1915.10.26 HMHS Karoola         Southampton (19.10). 17 Wounded
1915.10.27 HMHS Nevasa          Anzac (23.10), Mudros (24.10)
                    Hospital Ship No.29     S&W 38 Officers + 532 men
                HMHS Morea         London (20.10). 244 Medical staff – 50 nurses
                                                            for Malta, 194 proceeding
1915.10.28 HS Formosa         Mudros (25.10). 496 S&W
1915.10.30 HMHS Neuralia Suvla Bay (25.10), Mudros (27.10)
                            HS.11                      194 S&W, 194 Military + 69 RAMC
1915.10.31 HMHS Panama         Newport, Mon. (24.10). 56 military

I have a note of HMT Transylvania arriving Malta on 2nd June 1915. This is from Customs Pratique form #1400 held by the Malta National Archives at Rabat which also records HMT Transylvania as E0821.

For completeness, the Pratique form lists Transylvania's departure from Glasgow on 22.5, Devonport on 26.5 and Gibraltar 30.5 with 3027 troops.

I hope this helps, although it obviously gives an earlier date for the use of E0821.

I would be interested to know if these names/numbers are recorded anywhere, in the form of an Admiralty list, or similar.

Alan