My 'Find of the Day' 27 April 2020

[Peter Harvey]

Okay, second cover of the day, not Military or Forces, so I hope you will excuse this, but I have not seen this before. It is WW2.

By Find of the day, I actually found this cover on the internet for sale today. I did not buy it because of the price tag, but is struck me that I have not seen the datestamp below.

So, a 13 JU 43 cover with significant tape repair General Post Office Found open or damaged,  appears to be internal in Ireland and cancelled with the s/r datestamp CENSOR OFFICE BELFAST.

I have not seen this before and thought I would share it.

ADDED: Overnight I have managed to get a copy of the front. Sent to the 6th Inniskillings in 1943, APO Box No 4330 (so a convoy or troop movement allocation) I assume going to North Africa as they joined the 78th Div with the Eight Army before Sicily. Cover is marked Undelivered for Reason Stated, Hosp, Returned UK etc. Also now seen Frank's earlier posting, thank you.

[Michael Dobbs]

Peter

Not seen it before either - one for our civil censorship study group colleagues.

Mike

[Nick Colley]

This rings a bell. Haven't we had something on the Forum before showing an example of that mark? My memory tells me Frank Schofield had some involvement at least in the discussion, if not the initial posting?

chrs
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[Frank Schofield]

Nick & Peter

Suggest see my post of Sept 11th last year regarding this censor mark

Frank

[Nick Colley]

Thanks, Frank. I'm most relieved that my memory is not quite as bad as I thought it might be.....

SO we have two examples, June and September 1943, both from the Mediterranean theatre, going into Belfast. Do we know if there was any particular reason why the 'Authorities' were particularly interested in what 'gossip' was entering Belfast from overseas (was it only from the Med?) at that time?

Largely rhetorical, really, that question.

chrs
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