Lt Townsend 1915

[Chris Grimshaw]

A few months ago I posted various items from this correspondence. Now writing up various items I've obtained from Russia in 1915 through to 1917 I find as usual more questions than answers.

Scans show a cover from Moscow in December 1915 addressed to Townsend who was serving in the 1st Warwickshire Yeomanry with the MEF in Gallipoli.

Letter was sent c/o the War Office. No London transit cancels or arrival markings By the time he received this letter he was in Egypt.  He never actually made it to Gallipoli, he was at Mudros during November 1915 and in Egypt by 16 Jan 1916

The previous cover I posted was censored by the circular Russian Censor mark No 85 (addressed as this cover) This example shows the same censor but No 95, I also record No's 69 - 74 and 138 from this same correspondence.

Not been able as yet to work out his connection with Russia pre war or in 1914

[Chris Grimshaw]

A second item from this correspondence

A 4 Kopek Postal Stationery card, this one addressed to this parents in Somerset,

Writer mentions towards the end that 'the censor is very severe now, we must write clearly and not long'.

Chris 

[Chris Grimshaw]

A further cover dated 7 November 1915 shows a different form of censorship

Oval mark with what looks like a 4 II or something similar

A second example is present, a uprated by 2 Kopek, 4 Kopek Postal Stationery card cancelled 27 April 1915. Will scan and post later as its a different cancel which I don't feel is Moscow.

Chris

[Chris Grimshaw]

Stationery Card referred to earlier,

My mistake, this example is 3 Kopek not 4  uprated to 5 Kopek

Not sure where the cancel is from, One for Howard I feel.

Chris

[Chris Grimshaw]

Final cover in this correspondence from Russia,

Registered cover sent to the Rev Townsend, Bridgewater, Somerset. Cancel dated 9 December 1917, received in London 18 December 1917, (two different calendars)

Very feint large Boxed censor marking over the stamps. with what looks like Russian script in purple on the face and reverse. Boxed '78' Russian censor?

On arrival in London Opened by the Censor and resealed as shown.  No indication if forwarded to Townsend.  In an earlier letter of 195 Townsend writing back to his parents writes 'Don't forward anymore letters from Russia'

These covers show how correspondence becomes scattered over the years.  I have a very large run of his material which contained 1 item from Russia, The I first item in this post came from a Dealer/member and the remaining items from a fellow member.  It's likely there are other items from the 1915 / 1917 period in existence.

Chris

Chris

[Tony Walker]

The purple mark on your covers 3 and 4 are very similar to those used on the RNAS armoured car division when they were fighting on the southern Russian front.  Whilst the 'A' is very similar the 'U' on my covers shows a curved left side line.  The mark translates as 'Allowed by Censor'.

However mine are boxed and often have a number plus the letters O.B.O. meaning Odessa Military District, so I doubt your mark originates from the same source.
Cheers
Tony

[Chris Grimshaw]

Thanks Tony

Russian Censor markings look to be a very complicated area. Not sure what literature has been published on these.

Cheers

Chris

[Howard Weinert]

Chris, I can supply some information on your items. Item 1 has a Moscow cancel and Moscow censor mark and seal. Item 2 has a Moscow cancel and censor mark. Item 3 has a Moscow cancel and Moscow censor mark (D. Ts. = Passed by Censor). Item 4 has a Petrograd cancel and censor mark (D. Ts.). The postage is overpaid by 1 kopeck. Item 5 is a registered cover from Mardinovka in Kherson province (southern Ukraine). London receiver is dated 18 Feb. 1918. There are large and small Petrograd censor marks. Postage was overpaid by 5 kopecks. The censor wrote on reverse that the evelope contained 1 sheet of paper and postage stamps. If you look at the backflap you can see part of the sender's name and the sender's home address in Moscow: #8, Maly Znamenskii Street. The visible last name is De Couriss. If you can lift the censor seal you would see the first name. It turns out that E. V. De Couriss is listed in the Moscow phone book at that address in 1915 and 1916. This family was part of the nobility in Kherson province. All of your items were sent by 1 or 2 members of this family. The post card messages mention the Couriss name and the village of Isayevo in Kherson province. Also mentioned is Vadim Couriss who died in 1922 at age 25.

[Chris Grimshaw]

Howard

Thank You, This is brilliant information. With the connection with Ukraine, I'm now wondering if this is the same family he married into in 1920 when he was serving in Southern Russia.

Will have to go back to the later material, there is also an ID card for a lady present in the later material.

Watch this space.  Chris