Mine for the 21st April

[Nick Colley]

Yesterday's French naval item has attracted so much interest (?), that I'm posting another one. This is to a junior officer serving aboard the heavy cruiser [i]Duquesne[/i], part of the de-militarised French fleet at Alexandria. This ship was the flagship of the French C-in-C, Admiral Godfroy. It is from Marsat, a commune about 10 kms north of Clermont Ferrand in the Auvergne. Sadly, I can't discern what year it is with any confidence. It looks as if it may be 1941. If that is so, then Marsat was in Vichy France, south of the demarcation line.

In June 1943, [i]Duquesne[/i] was incorporated into the Free French Naval Forces.

I think the censor tapes and other cachets are self-explanatory, except the red circular mark, which is, annoyingly, only partly inked. Any ideas what this might be ?

chrs
N