SOUTH AFRICAN FORCES IN PALESTINE.

[Ross Debenham]

I attach a scan of an "On Active Service" from Indian F.P.O. 79 dated 29 August, 1918. It is censored using censor marker 1151. Now I thought it was from a South African officer in an Indian Regiment. The pencil notation on the back of the cover says that the FPO was in the Mulebbis area in Palestine at the time. However upon consulting Dr Google I discovered that the South African Cape Corps were in Palestine at the time and attached to the British and Indian Brigade. Is there anything about this cover that may connect it to the SA Cape Corps.

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Ross,

Chris Grimshaw may comment on the Censor CM7 cachet as he has been recording these. In Frank Daniel's book, he records CM7 1151 with FPO 179 and Indian FPO's 83 and 318 all of which operated in Palestine at various times.

Peter

[Graham Mark]

Hello Ross
The official "Military Ops, Egypt & Palestine" (Falls Vol.2, part II) at p418 talks of the re-organisation of the infantry divisions in the Spring of 1918, when British battalions were replaced, mostly by Indian battalions but also by 1st Cape Corps, which became the junior battalion in 160 Brigade, 53 Div.
At p490 describing the Battle of Nablus, 18 Sept 1918, "... The Cape Corps then captured "Z" Hill by midnight and pushed forward to Square Hill which was found to be strongly held.  After a five minute bombardment it was taken at 4.45am on 19th ..."
No other mention in the book except in the Order of Battle in Appendix 3.
Graham

[Alan Baker]

Apologies for being late on this one. AK's ledger records CM7/1151 against Indian FPO79 from June - August 18 and the Indian FPO328 in October 18. Also SZ52 on 21st June 18, which Proud records as being in Egypt.

The name of the censoring officer is slightly unusual, Capt EA Wolter. FWR only has one entry for him in 1914 as being attached to the RAMC. First names Ernest Alfred

On Ancestry, there is a record of a gentleman by this name travelling with his wife from South Africa on the SS Kenilworth Castle, arriving in Southampton in September 1910. Possibly the same person