WW1 Army Post Office SZ

[Peter Harvey]

I would welcome any views on the attached. Initially I thought this was Army Post Office SZ28 with the 2 & 8 separated - so a variety on the known versions. But both Proud and K&C don't record SZ28 until November 1917.

On closer inspection this is almost certainly Army Post Office SZ 2 B - which I can not locate in Proud or K&C. In fact Proud does not record APO SZ2 in a s/r version, the date would fit with SZ2 in Egypt (maybe a counter version on a registered letter), also has the BAPO T used at Kantara.

Any thoughts from you WW1 boffins!

Regards Peter

[Peter Harvey]

Alan Baker emailed me on this cover so I though I would post his comments - thank you Alan:

The spacing is unlike anything illustrated in Proud for either SZ2 or SZ28. I think you may well be right in saying it is SZ2B

I have checked AK's ledger and he records CM3/3833 against APO SZ2 or FPO CD3, both in Egypt.

I have also checked FWR and Ancestry for the censoring officer, which I think is Lt D (EB) Polwhele, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, att 2nd Essex Regt. His medal card states he went to Egypt in July 1916

Incidentally, the BAPO T mark predates the first known date in Proud for D4 (17.2.1917)

[Peter Harvey]

I posted this a while back and received the comment from Alan above.

I received the cover today from Australia, amazing what you can find on eBay for a fiver !!

If other WW1 collectors would like to comment, I would welcome any thoughts. This certainly is SZ 2 B and a newly recorded datestamp from Egypt in 1916 not listed in K&C or Proud. Still amazing 105 years on that new items turn up - I think that is four I have found in as many years.

Comments welcome.

Peter

[Michael Dobbs]

Peter - WW1 is not my area, but I feel you ought to do a one page write up for the Journal - may attract further responses from members who either are not online or don't access the forum.

Mike