APO 1160

[Colin Tabeart]

THe back of this cover just has a manuscript "c/o APO 1160 / 8 Sep 41". Can anyone point me to where the APO was at that date please?

[Michael Dobbs]

Colin

Such APO numbers were temporary addresses used by the Army/RAF contingents / drafts or small deployments going overseas.  Except in a few cases they usually ceased once said individuals, contigents. drafts, etc arrived at their permanent overseas locations.  They were allocated by the Army Post Office.  As far as I am aware there are no surviving records which give allocations for these APO numbers.  For more information please see my article "Numbered Army Post Office (APO) Addresses Used on British Forces Mail During WW2" in Journal 274 (Winter 2007).

I have been trying to compile a list as and when I can obtain information (not often!).  I have listed APO 1160 from Post Office Circular entries as follows:

APO 1160
EFM telegraph service authorised [POC 13 Aug 1941]
EFM telegraph service ceased         [POC 22 Oct 1941]
EFM telegraph service authorised [POC 18 Mar 1942]

Sorry I cannot be more helpful.

Mike  :)

[Colin Tabeart]

Mike, as usual you have been v helpful. Do you know what "EFM" stands for? Many thanks, Colin

[Frank Schofield]

Colin

Do you think the initials I.A after his rank can stand for Indian Army?

Frank

[Colin Tabeart]

I did wonder!

[Alan Baker]

FWR lists JH Melling, 2/Lt, Indian Army.

[Michael Dobbs]

Colin

Expeditionary Force Message (EFM) telegrams were for messages of a personal character only.

Initially the text of such telegrams had to be in plain English, no code words were allowed, and all telegrams were subject to censorship.  The surname of the sender had to appear at the end of the text, but any other names could be added if desired.  Telegrams to Forces abroad could not be accepted as urgent, deferred or letter telegrams; and no accessory services such as prepaid reply (RP), delivery on ornamental form (LX), etc, were allowed.

Later EFM telegrams were composed of a series of pre-determined standard phrases which were numbered.  Ther sender would select up to three numbers in which to compile their telegram.  Copies of the list of standard phrases were distributed to all telegraph offices.  An example is number 64 (Best wishes for New Year).

Mike :)

[Colin Tabeart]

Thank you both very much - makes a very ordinary cover much more interesting. But we still do not know where APO 1160 was. Best wishes, Colin

[Nick Colley]

Well, as Mike said, 'Such APO numbers were temporary addresses used by the Army/RAF contingents / drafts or small deployments going overseas.' That implies that the unit/draft to which this APO number was assigned was mobile/in transit. Without knowing what constituted the unit/draft, or the date, then determining where it was seems to be something of a conundrum.

chrs
N

[Colin Tabeart]

Absolutely! :)  But as the sender put APO 1160 on the back (in the expectation of a reply?)  it may be that this particular one was a bit longer-lived? In Sep 1941 a surface letter from east of Suez could take 2 months to get to UK, ditto outbound presumably. Not that it necessarily was from E of Suez. Good job we cannot crack them all - must leave some work for our reliefs! Colin

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Colin,

Mike is 100% (as you would expect) I have 1160 recorded both in Suez (from an air letter where the writer mentions passing through Suez and I write this) and on a PPcd from Durban, where the writer states the card is a clue to my location......separate correspondents.

I don't think this helps your cover.

Peter

[Colin Tabeart]

Many thanks Peter - all grist to the mill as they say. Are either/both your examples dated?
Colin

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Colin,

Yes sorry, the Card was 10/9/43 with POMM and the Air Letter is undated with POMM. I will look out for others as I am sure I have some examples.

Peter

[Colin Tabeart]

Many thanks Peter. As Mike says these were temporary allocations it seems likely that yours of Sep 1943 was allocated to a different outfit to mine of Sep 1941.

[Michael Dobbs]

It is possible that APO 1160 was used as a permanent address for some considerable time - I gave the following examples in my article:

APO 400 1940: Faroe Islands
APO 500 1940: Iceland
APO 620 1941: No 2 Canadian Tunnelling Company, Gibraltar

It needs some research to try and track down the number in unit war diaries and some of the information provided in your responses may offer a clue, but still a long shot.

Mike