Using this type in the only left (uncancelled) stamp might indicate it is an arrival cancellation used to make sure that all stamps are cancelled.

Hi Mike,

As you suggested it was published in July 1969, in Stamp Magazine.

Regards,
Khalid

Hi Jim,

As regards the postage rate, yes. 1s3d. was the air mail rate per a half ounce.

I am not really sure about the route of the cover!

Regards,
Khalid

Attached, registered forces cover sent in 1953 from (mostly) RAF Sharjah to England, via RAF Bahrain, franked with 6d stamp cancelled "FPO 518, dated 27 April 1953".

I understand that the internal registration fee during this period is 6d, & the internal rate is 2½d, this makes the total rate 8½d.

My question: Why the cover franked a 6d postage rate ?

I apologise for the number of messages posted in the last few days!

Regards,
Khalid

I have a forces cover sent from RAF Sharjah to the USA, via RAF Bahrain (FPO 518 dated 13 December 1951).

My question: Why this cover franked the rate 13 pence? Is the correct rate during this period is 12 pence (1s)?

Regards,
Khalid

Hi All,

I have a 1951 forces mail cover from RAF Sharjah to Scotland, via RAF Bahrain (30 JUNE). The cover franked with a total of 10d stamps cancelled (FPO 518).

Is this a correct postage rate to Scotland, and if yes, does anyone knows when it was introduced and when it was changed?

Thank you very much,

Regards,
Khalid

Hi Jim,

Thank you for the message. I have this reference, very important and useful but I couldn't find the details I am looking for.

I assume the route is:

RAF Sharjah - Bahrain - Shaibah & from Basrah via BOAC to England.
RAF Sharjah - Bahrain - Habbaniyah.

Regards,
Khalid

Is there any published work about RAF Airplanes movements during the 1940s & 1950s? I am interested in particular to understand the 'Forces Mail' routes from RAF Sharjah to England.

Any comments and suggestion will be appreciated.

Regards,
Khalid Omaira

Is this cover the earliest known example from RAF in Bahrain?

The cover sent via the Indian Bahrain post office, franked with 14 annas Indian stamps (All Up rate to England) cancelled with "BAHRAIN AIR / PERSIAN GULF", dated "31 July 1940".

I want here to correct my thought about the usage period of K46 on Dubai (or Sharjah) mail. I now found an example used from Sharjah on March 5th, 1943. The cover sent from B. O. A. C. in Sharjah.

I found in a book written by William C. Robertson, titled "FREE FRENCH CENSORSHIP IN SYRIA" a cover with Franchise Militaire handwritten. The author states: ([b]"Franchise Militaire" indicates that it was free military mail; this is the source of the initials "FM" sometimes seen on French military covers[/b]). In another book written by him "SYRIA AND LEBANON - FREE FRENCH CENSORSHIP WORLD WAR II", he show two examples: A surface cover from Aleppo to Alexandria dated 27/11/41 with "FM" handwritten, and another one, surface from Damascus to Egypt with the same initial. The two covers without stamps, but with different censors types or cancels.

Today, I found in London Gazette that "John Fullerton" was appointed as Chaplains in 1944 (see the attachment). In the Keene United Church site (http://www.keeneunitedchurch.org/The_Hall_of_Reverends.html), I found what seems to be his biography.

[quote author=Ian Muchall link=topic=276.msg1175#msg1175 date=1327420408]
Khalid,
I have two examples of covers with FPO 936. The first is dated 3 Jan 1957 with 2 1/2annas overprint and the other is dated 4 Aug 1958 with 2 x 9NP overprint both on GB stamps. The stamps would exclude Bahrain as these stamps were issued to Oman and other Trucial States. (Ironically Gibbons do not list Sharjah as using these!) Unfortunately the senders address is not on the reverse.
I will keep looking through my box of FPO's which is quite a challenge.
Ian
[/quote]


Hi Ian,

Thank you very much for the details. Recently, I bought a nice cover of FPO 936 with the same details but sadly it is lost!

All the best,
Khalid

Dear Mike,

Thank you very much for your time and your interesting and insightful points.

[quote author=Mike Dobbs link=topic=276.msg1297#msg1297 date=1335110886]The cover you have illustrated (FPO 551 of NO 56) ties in well with known facts - the sender gives his address as being with a "sub unit" of HQ 24th Independent Infantry Brigade located in Sharjah and gives the correct address for Sharjah (BFPO 64).  I cannot make out the actual day from the scan, but hopefully it is after 20 November 1956 ![/quote]

At the beginning I thought the cancellation reads 7 November 1956, but after another look it is 27 November 1956.

[quote author=Mike Dobbs link=topic=276.msg1297#msg1297 date=1335110886]Is it coincidence that a new FPO recording for Sharjah (FPO 551) is recorded with the arrival of 24th Brigade ?  Did the Brigade bring its own Postal Unit or was a postal detachment supplied from Aden/Bahrain ?

As for datestamp FPO 551 there is a general recording for this datestamp during the period 10 SP 53 - 9 DE 56 for "BAHRAIN, MUSCAT & DUBAI MEAF 24 Sharjah".  This does need to be broken down. [/quote]

I found the earliest use of FPO 941 in Bahrain is 10 December 1956, after one day from what recorded in Proud's book. Do you think this might proof that FPO 551 was in Bahrain before 10 December  1956? So, the theory of transferring FPO 551 to Sharjah with 24th Brigade might not strong.

[quote author=Mike Dobbs link=topic=276.msg1297#msg1297 date=1335110886]I am convinced (but with no evidence) that with the arrival of 24 Brigade HQ there would have been an FPO established and it is likely from the available evidence of FPO postmarked that this was provided by the Middle East postal service.  What we require is a complete breakdown of FPOs recorded from Sharjah during this period (with details of senders addresses) along with any recording from Bahrain (or other Middle East location) during the same period.  If there is a mix and match it is likely that mail was sent to Bahrain for cancelling, if not it is indicative of a Forces Post Office having been established at Sharjah.[/quote]

In my RAF Sharjah FPO 551 collection, I found 1 cover used in 1953, 4 in 1954, 1 in 1955, and 4 in 1956. I will list below the details of the 4 covers that used in 1956:

1. Date: 27 / 1 / 56; Address: 1234350 CPL SARSBY. DW, BILLET 39 RAF STN, SHARJAH, MEAF 24.
2. Date: 21 / 6 / 56; Address: Sgn. Fan. J. Wilhcain. Temp atl., R. A. F. Sharjah.
3. Date: 25 / 10 / 56 ; Address: 23283158 PTE A MARKS, I PLATOON A. COY., I GOSTERS, B. F. P. O. 64.
4. Date: 27 / 11 / 56 ; Address: 23136890 PTE  OGDEN, SUB UNITE, HQ 24 INDEP  INF  BDE, BAFPO 64

All the best,
Khalid

Few days ago, an eBay (Item number 140953592026) item was ended with a description states: "[b]RAF India Demilitarization 1946 South East Asia Command in Sharja, Middle East[/b]". The cover is dated March 1946, with a sender address ([b]184866 S/L. FULLERTON. J. / IN TRANSIT. R.A.F.[/b]), I sent a message to the seller to know why he thought this envelop was sent from Sharjah, and he replied "[b]The cover came from an advanced collection and was described as such.   There were many camps at that time and opened and closed within weeks[/b]".

As recorded by Proud, this type is known used in Bahrain during the period 7 February 1946 to 15 April 1946.



My question: is it possible to know where (Mr. Fullerton. J.) was working when the envelop was sent? Is there any record where we can find more details about his location at that time?

Thank you very much!