As a matter of interest, I have checked through 'Pictorial of World War I United States Fleet HANDSTAMPED CENSOR MARKINGS' by Curtis Kimes and there are several censor marks which incorporate the word 'naval' but none with 'navy'.
This book was published in 1995 (and I occasionally get copies for sale).
I appreciate that the cover referred to was WWII and not WWI but the above is just for the record. 

Chris et al:
If you care to take a look on Delcampe under the heading 'HMS Belfast' you will see that I have two sets of items for sale relating to the exact same Society airletters serviced on HMS Belfast and carried by two different ships on the Thames on that day.

Anyone interested in purchasing either item or others I have please contact me direct and do not go via the aforesaid sales link.

I have a file on these which I purchased when our good friend the late John Daynes died several years ago, as part of his library. You will see that some of the covers were stamped to order and their usage as such is quite scarce,

Best wishes to all; hope to see some of you on 7th  August at WAR & PHILATELY.

Hi all,
Would any member have a copy of 'Postal History International' Vol.2, No.11?  I should like a scan/copy of Ted Proud's article on page 416 about the Nanning War 1831-1832 in Malay please for a correspondent. Any other references to the Nanning War would also be appreciated.

Many thanks.
Peter.  

peter.high94@hotmail.co.uk

This is my contribution to the 'Cover of the Day'. It is also a request for help.
The cover has been sent from an Army Hospital Ship. From the reverse can be seen the flag motif of B.I.S.N. Co. Ld, so it's a British India owned vessel...but which one?
The double ring oval cachet may at one time have had the ship's name at the bottom, each side of the star - possibly.
The sender's (?) name top left may also give us a clue - W. L. Allutt.

An attractive cover anyway - any suggestions appreciated.

Keep safe.

Details about HMHS Herefordshire do seem sparse. I have two postcards written in her; 14 Sep 16 at Alexandria & 32 Oct 16 (yes 32; probably should be 22) at Salonika. Both have double oval cachet.

Other details I have gleaned: Built 1905 for Bibby Line. 7,200tons. Requisitioned at beginning of war as troopship; during this time used straight-line named cachet. This was used in the early days as a hospital ship. Hosp ship from 25 Jul 16 to 1(?) Jan 18. 380 beds.

Firebrace states Jan 17 : sailed between Salonika & Malta. 4 Feb 18 attacked by submarine in the Mediterranean; torpedo missed. Sep 16: sailed between Alexandria, Salonika, Malta & England until Dec.

Gould lists cachet on p198 (1st vol)

That's all I have I'm afraid. 

Regards, Peter

Following further research, I am now satisfied that Aquileia and Aquileja are one and the same vessels.

Thanks Mike. I have passed it on to my correspondent in India.
Rgds. Peter

Has anyone come across correspondence or photos of the British hospital ship Suntemple? She was formally HMHS Berbice, a naval hospital ship from 4 Dec 1915 until 1919, at which time she was purchased by the Admiralty from her owners. From this time (according to Dittmar & Colledge) she flew the blue ensign. She continued hospital ship service until 1922 when she was sold and renamed Suntemple. (She was replaced by RFA Maine). I had expected that, on being sold and renamed, she would have had her hospital ship colours painted over. However, I have a photo pic postcard of her still in hospital ship colours (white superstructure, with green band and red crosses on hull and funnels) with the name Suntemple. Moreover, I have another photo of her in hs colours, captioned (in the negative) HMT Suntemple, Constantinople 1922.
I can find no mention of Suntemple in service as a hs. It has been suggested that she was serving during the Charak crisis of 1922-23. She is not listed as a British ship in 'The Chanak Affair' (David Walder 1969).

Any comments/notes would be appreciated. Peter  :D :D

I have received the following queries from an Indian correspondent/collector and would appreciate any useful comments/answers please so that I might help him.
Attached is a parcel piece with pasted Army Form W-5192A, sent on
January 31,1946 from Indian FPO 23 in Surabaya, Indonesia (Nederland
Indië) where it was located from November 7,1945 to May 10,1946.

Virk mentions in his "Indian Army Post Offices in the Second World
War" that from 1943 onwards, different schemes for sending forces
parcels to England were introduced including one called "Gift Parcel
to GB" which was exempted duty provided it followed the instructions
and contained the items from the list of restricted/permitted items
which could be sent.

Here are some questions.

1. What was the specific Postal Notice including date and contents,
which issued instructions for "Forces Gift Parcels to GB" from Indian
APS?

2. What was the Indian forces parcel rate to GB in January 1946
(including the dates during which that specific rate was in effect)?

3. Is the 72c postage mentioned by the sender for parcel weighing
under 5lb correct? What was the forces parcel rate to GB in effect
under BMA in Malayan currency?

4. When BMA stamps were allowed to pay postage at Indian BPOs and FPOs?

5. What was the conversion rate of Malayan cents to Indian currency in
January 1946, fixed by Indian P&T Department for Indian APS in Malay?

6. What was the rates of duty applicable on parcels sent from Surabaya
under SEAC to GB in 1946?

7. When the modified Army Form W-5192A was issued to Indian forces?

Many thanks
Peter

A query has been sent to me as follows:

FRANCE-Tracing label 1939/45 Cover f.w. 50c x 2 adh. canc. **/** Signy-le-Abbayetown cachet-no dates.      Has in top left corner "C.C.F/2028" pinkish label and sent to"International?Red Cross PoW Agency in Geneva.
On back "?Wehrmacht Geoffnet" label code e {Frankfurt}
It is understood that there were different colours for labels for this tracing service.

Can anyone give any information about these labels please? Was the colour significant?

Thanks & regards,

Peter  :D

David

I assume that you are aware of the book on this subject published in 2000? 'Prigionieri italiani in Gran Bretagna (1940-1947)' Ricerche storiche e testi a cura di Luciano Previato.
All in Italian, it lists and illustrates cachets used in the British POW Camps housing Italian POWs. It's difficult to obtain in the UK but our Society has a copy in the library.

Regards,

Peter ;D

There is a Vigilant listed in Dittmar & Colledge 'British Warships 1914-1919' under 'Fishery Trawlers'. Port no. A.534; gross tons:139; launched : 1902.

Regards,

Peter

Hello Chris
HMHS Dorsetshire was a Bibby Line ship built 1920 by Harland & Wolfe at Belfast. 7450grt and a service speed of 12 knots. One of a pair (the other was Somersetshire), she was designed with higher than normal 'tween deck clearance so that she could be converted into a troopship if required. When launched in 1920 (22 April) she was the largest motorship at the time and was completed as a tin ore cargo ship.
In 1927 the 5 year trooping contract was renewed and to cater for the increased demand the cargo ships Dorsetshire and Somersetshire were converted into permanent troopships, as a result of which her tonnage was increased to 9345grt.
In September 1939 Dorsetshire was converted into HM Hospital Ship No.23 with beds for 493 patients and accommodation for 59 medical staff. On 31 January 1941, during a voyage to Tobruk to evacuate troops, she was, despite her markings as a hospital ship, attacked outside Sollum in Libya. Although the enemy had been advised of her hospital ship status, she was again attacked on 1 February. On 12 July 1943 she was bombed and received superficial damage when 13 miles from Cape Passero whilst supporting the Allied invasion of Sicily which had commenced on 9 July. She was decommissioned on 8 March 1948.
All the above is from my notes, most probably gleaned from various sites on the web and from books.
I have two covers from her, one from a Sister Doris L Webb, QAIMNS(R) (cancelled FPO 300, North Africa, 4 FE 44, with PASSED BY CENSOR crowned circle 830), another addressed TO her and an Airgraph from her as well (28 Nov 43, with crown circle censor - could be 830).  Another cover from the ship is cancelled by the red PO Maritime Mail slogan of London (undated).
I have a photo postcard of her showing no. 23 on her hull. I can send a scan if you are interested.

That's all I can tell you. Hope it helps. Regards,
Peter :)

I have a cover from HMHS Oxfordshire addressed to India. It has a mute cancellation of Malta on the front and, on the reverse, Indian cds's of 6th and 8th July 1916.

[Just for the record, I have a photograph of the Oxfordshire in hospital ship colours taken at Dar es Salaam on 19 December 1916 (Imperial War Museum). She was there assisting in the German East Africa Campaign.

David Ball asked for reports examples of Cm2 - 2747 on items from the hospital ship Devanha.
I have two within the timescale he quoted.
1. on a pic postcard of HMHS Devanha. APO SZ2 cds 5 NO 15
2. on a pic postcard of Le Caire, Egypt. Newly arrived at Southampton. Writer says that they have come over with a load of convalescents from Egypt.  "....we have been 13 days on the way here, we had it very rough."  Cancellation is 8 barred mute of Southampton. Casualties were probably from the Dardanelles.

Regards,

Peter