I have been sent this image from another forum.  It has the same sort of red number and date marking at the bottom.  It is from Gernmany directly to Switzerland. This apparently shows that the red marking was applied by the Red Cross as there is no other common link between the two covers.  The first cover I posted should not have passed throgh German held territory in May 1942.

Out of interest, it is well out of my collecting field, is the double SS a censor mark from the SS ?

[attach id=6729]20230530_red-cross-date.jpg[/attach] 

John

I have just got this 1942 cover from Canada to Switzerland.  It is unusal in that the POWs name is at the top left and that here is some info about him on the net. He was the only one of the four crew members of a Hudson which was shot down on the 30th of May 1942 to survive.  It is also interesting that the censor (C 7) had to use two different types of label to fully seal the opened side.  I guess he did not want to cover the stamp with the paper label.

[attach id=6727]Temp_0008.jpg[/attach]

I have not seen this large bilingial hand stamp before and so far cannot find anything about it on line.

I am also puzzled by the red date stamp at the bottom which is five months after the Toronto post mark.

Any suggestions will be most welcome.

John Cranmer

I attach a scan of the rear of a cover from FPO 120 in Palestine to Egypt, censored upon arrival in Egypt by Base Censor. My enquiry is, what was the usage of the circular 3 stamp. I believe it was applied in Egypt and believe at least numbers up to 124 were used. WAs it a way of identifying the Base Censor? Hoping members can assist.

Peter

Many thanks for your response - it has helped me put together a response which I have nearly completed.

However, one query - I thought that unit censors could only be officers, but you mention NCO - is that correct?

Mike

Peter

I have been meaning to respond to your query for some time - I do n't think it answers your question (re newspapers posted overseas) but does expand upon the Whitney listing.  It is taken from "English & Welsh Postmarks Since 1840" by James A Mackay (published by him 1980).  Under the section "Postmarks on Newspapers and Periodicals" the text relating to the relevant illustrations (2304, 2306-2309) states:

"Datestamps including the name 'London' were intended as cancellers and incorporated an obliterating element (2303, 2305), the majority having patterns of short lines (2304).  This style has continued to the present day in various guises (2306-9)."

As I say, doesn't help your query, just explains their use.

Mike

Hi Brian,

Thank you for this, you are almost certainly correct. I was searching for Hank Munden or Camp Munden from my reading, but thankfully, you came to to the rescue.

Many thanks for the help. Peter

Good evening,
Could this possibly be KAAPMUIDEN STATION, which was on the route of the Eastern TPO?

Hello Andrew,

Yes, this cachet is known and does turn up, however correctly used it is not common. I have seen it on some philatelic items. I have attached an image of another commercial use.

Regards Peter

Hi Jim,

Thank you for this, it is much appreciated. I always forget to check Whitney, so your help has pointed me in the right direction.

Regards Peter

Hi Mike,

The green envelopes as described would not have a censoring officers signature, so long as a honour statement was signed by the sender, there was no need in such cases to open the items and the censor cachet was applied by the Unit as routine.

The plain covers sound correct.

Items would have been forwarded too the Base Censor for a number of reasons, but commonly it appears later in the war as the Unit censor cachet was not applied, or indeed if the item had been posted overseas (assuming UK service personnel) or was not in English language.

Unless you can read the censor signature, there would be no way of tracking the censor down, this would be an appointed officer or NCO.

Regards