Winter Express Norway 1966

[Chris Weddell]

Hello All,

            Can anyone tell me anything at all about this cover. I am tempted to steam off the tape but I will leave that for the moment. I can see it is addressed to the Cpl, I cannot make out the next line but I can make out the Winter Express, Norway on the label. The cover was redirected and on the back of the cover is a London B.A.P.O. 1 datestamp.

Any help with this would be great.

                                                        Chris

[Chris Weddell]

The Back of the cover.

         

[Michael Dobbs]

Hi Chris

From the address at the back of the cover I can tell you that the sender was J A Smith (John Smith), a founder member of the Society and our Chairman 1952-57 / 1958-84 and President 1984-86.  He is a well known FPO collector and you will find all sorts of covers addressed to him.  This is clearly a philatelic cover, possibly asking the addressee to send him some covers or wanting to get a backstamp and have it returned to sender.  In this case the cover was forwarded to the addressee at him home address.

I will now see if I have any information on Winter Express in Norway in 1966!

Mike  :)

[Michael Dobbs]

Chris

I have now found the BFPO number of Ex Winter Express in 1966 - my records show:

[b]BFPO 591[/b] Exercise Winter Express
Location: Bardufoss, Norway
Dates: 7 February 1966 - 27 March 1966
Datestamp used: FPO 1063
BFPO number inserted into the Post Office Guide as amendments published in the Post Office Circular (POC) on the following dates:
Inserted POC 15/12/1965 acceptance of telegrams
Inserted POC 26/1/1966 air parcel rate 6/6d

British Postal Museum & Archive: File POST122/12259
The exercise involved approximately 950 military personnel supported by a postal detachment from 19 Brigade Group Postal and Courier Communications Unit RE.

Note from DPCC to PSD/OMB dated 22/9/1966 notified that "this BFPO 591 has not been carried into the 1966 POG; therefore no deletion notice is required".

Mike Knott in his listing of "British Forces Post Offices in Norway" (FPHS Newsletter No 259 - Spring 2004) gives dates of 27 February to 26 April 1966.  I don't know the source for his dates - mine above came from the Post Office Circulars.

Mike  :)

[Chris Weddell]

Mike,

        Thank you for your help.

                      Cheers

                      Chris