Tommy

Please see the topic heading "[b]ON SERVICE machine cancellation 1943[/b]" started by John Cranmer on 16 January 2023 (and last updated 8 March 2023).  His query was about the very same cancellation, but his is dated OCT 13 1943.  It is a Canadian cancellation. 

Mike

Recently an RAF R4 censor cover was shown on the facebook-page of the Military Postal History Society. The owner of the cover wanted to know more about it, above all from where is was sent. The only information I could provide was that the R4 No 50 censor is unlisted in the "Censorship in the RAF 1918-1956" handbook.  I suggested that I would show the cover on this forum to see if anybody here can tell us more about this cover. Where was the "On service" machine cancellation in use?

Interesting cover, surely the question is now, why was a letter sent to the Red Cross in Switzerland, routed through South Africa. Interestingly as well is that it did not receive any "treatment" from the German authorities as well.

Sorry about the above I have just realised that the censor is [b][u]South African[/u][/b] not Dutch. 

John

These are scans of the front and back of a cover that was sent from Canada to the International Red Cross on the 25th of March 1944 it was censored in the UK but then also in the [b]Netherlands[/b].

I have never seen this before and have no idea how this cover went into the Netherlands and why it was censored there appaently not by the German Censors.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

John Cranmer

Neil,

My thanks

Nick

Nick

I haven't seen one from my specialist area (Aden). However, I note these dates are around the time that use of Airgraphs and Airletter Cards began in the Middle East, both also charged at 3d. I would guess that normal postcards sent airmail might also have been accepted at 3d, but use would have been small as much less could be written than on an airgraph or Airletter Card. 

Neil W

John,
I have a cover with the bilingual 'Prisoner of War/ Kriegsgefangen Post'  sent from Canada to a Canadian officer who was interned in Sweden. This was censored by the Germans as well. He was in Sweden for 6 months before arriving home in September 1944.

I collect stamps and postal history in connection with activities in the Middle East, Africa and Dodecanese Islands. Many of the covers involve Indian Forces and I have had problems with identifying the Indian Forces concerned and where operating, through their FPO nos. I recently acquired a superb book, Indian Army Post Offices- Locations and Movements - 1939 to 1947 by Brigadier D. Virk who was in charge of The Indian Army Postal Services in the above areas. This book is essential to postal historians in these countries during WW11.

Indian FPO 144 was in use from 1942/46 in India. It was raised at Delhi in 15.12.42. Then used at Poona (Dehu Road) from June 1943 to August 1943 then at Dhond from September 1943 to 7th February 1946. It was disbanded at Nagpur on 4th May 1946. I hope this assists and I would recommend you try and get a copy via the Internet

I collect stamps and postal history connected to MEF during and after WW11. I also collect postal history of PAIFORCE, the allied forces who occupied Persia and Iraq from 1942 to 1946. This occupation was to prevent Axis Forces taking over the Persian Gulf oilfields and threaten the Suez Canal. Once this threat was removed the Allied Forces then set about supplying military equipment to Russia through Northern Persia and Iraq.

Prior to PAIFORCE being set up there was a small MEF Army in this area. In, 1941 due to insurrections by local populations and politicians in these two countries, it was feared they would ally themselves with the Axis Forces, to enable them to take over the Persian Gulf oil wells and threaten the Suez Canal This small MEF Force then fought actions at RAF Habbaniya, Baghdad, Syria and Lebanon to secure these countries under the Allied influence. These actions in 1941 are set out in a very readable book, Blood, Oil and the Axis by John Broich and published by ABRAMS PRESS. The ISBN no. is 978-1-4683-1399-4. This is a very interesting book and should appeal to all postal history members interested in this rather forgotten area of WW11