Unit Censor A 50 - 1944

[Michael Dobbs]

I have received an enquiry from the website - can anyone identify the unit which used censor UNIT CENSOR A.50 ?

Possibly based out of Ceylon or The Maldives.

Are there any articles or publications on these Indian censor please ?

Thanks, Mike  8)

[Frank Schofield]

Mike
The double ring datestamp No 150 these seem to be a temporary datestamp used during WWII, I have never seen a listing of them
The faint Unit A.50, once again I do not know if there is a listing anywhere
The censor C/8 was the code for Bombay, probably a transit mark
Frank Schofield

[Peter Harvey]

Hi I assume that the reference to the Maldives is linked to Indian FPO 150 which Proud lists as in the Maldives 2/43 - 10/44. There are some of these double ring date stamps listed in Proud's Indian APO Vol III, (a few), however nowhere near as many as crop up. Never seen any research on this topic.

Pete

[Michael Dobbs]

Frank & Peter

Many thanks for your responses - I have looked in Brigadier Virk's "Indian Army Post Offices - Locations and Movements 1939-47", published by FPHS March 1973. 

On the datestamps without a number he states "Datestamps showing only a number are illustrated in Figures 125 and 126.  Normally, this type of datestamp was intended for use at civil post offices in India for segregating troops' mail for purposes of censorship, concessions and circulation.  They were issued to Army Commands for distribution to the affected civil post offices through their Circle offices.  Numbers are known running from 1 up to the 700's.  A few of these, numbered in the 500's and600's, were issued to FPOs, apparently in error."

Virk lists FPO 150 as Maldives 2/43 - 6/45, but I don't think that 'number only' 150 is the same as FPO 150.

Mike  ???

[Nick Colley]

I agree, Mike: the problem with the 150 mark is that the magic words 'Field', 'Post', and 'Office' are missing (or, if you prefer, the letters F, P, and O....).

Conventional thinking might lead us to suppose that the mark therefore fails to  qualify as a Field Post Office ?  ;)

chrs
N

[akennedy]

This 150 has no connection with FPO 150, therefore no connection with Maldives.
It is a postmark held at an Indian civil post office for use (for security purposes) on Forces mail posted at the office.
I have only seen occasional reference  to odd numbers. I think one short reference in one of our early newsletters.
There is no record that I am aware of of the circular Indian army censor marks.
I don't know whether the India Study Circle has any relevant information.
Alistair