WWI FPO cancels help!

[Tony Walker]

I think this may test the resources of the Forum

Attached is a scan of a battered cover sent by Ern Passmore to his brother Harry Passmore on board HMS Canopus in 1916.  Ern was with the 1st/6th Devonshires at this time, preparing to relieve (unsuccessfully) the besieged British garrison at Amara north of Basra.  It contains a fine letter of the conditions the men were enduring.

Alongside the scan are my tracings of four cancellations on the reverse, two of which overlap each other, or are only partially struck.  The two double ring cancels are incomplete - can anyone suggest what the missing wording might be?

1.  I think there may be a fourth word after CHIEF BASE OFFICE ----, as there is space before a short thick line.  Also there seems to be a single word at the base with an O and M maybe.

2.  The smaller double ring cancel overlaps the one above, and the top of the cancel is not struck, but judging from the space between the end of the thick bar and the P of post, the missing word would seem to be longer than say, FIELD or ARMY ?

I suppose bundled around in HMS Canopus for several years any envelope will show signs of wear and tear, like the letters which are largely in pencil.

I'm out of my depth here with all this Army stuff, give me the Navy any time..

Cheers
Tony

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Tony,

The darker overlapping is Base Army Post Office Z at Alexandria

The lighter overlapping is Chief Base Office I.E.F. Bombay.

The SZ5 is super, I think the 22 Mar 16 which Proud has as Suez, South Section Canal Zone from 15 Feb 16 through to July 17.

Proud also records the India FPO 53 Feb 16 as Iraq, Sheik Said Area.

Regards Peter

[Tony Walker]

Peter,

That was immensely helpful - thank you, and also for correcting my 12 MR to 22 MR

Can I ask you to put the cancels in order, presumably the Indian FPO 53 was struck first, at the base camp near Basra, which ties in neatly with Ern's letter although he has dated it 8th Feb !
 
Would this then be followed by the Chief Base Office cancel (day date not known), or the SZ 5 cancel?  The base Army Post Office being struck last?

I should have mentioned there is a small wide double ring cancel in red PASSED / CENSOR with a capital D in the centre on the front.  No adhesive though.  Who did that?

Cheers
Tony

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Tony,

The Passed Censor D would have been applied in Iraq, with the FPO 53 by the Indian Army.

I am not sure why Bombay, the logic would have been Indian FPO 53 to the Base Office, then to the British Base APO Z at Alex and then to SZ5, but I don't know how this would fit, why from Iraq to Bombay. I am assuming SZ 5 as it was trying to meet up with HMS Canopus.........

Not sure maybe others will comment?

Peter