The mysterious case of the disappearing Flying Officer Craddock

[Nick Colley]

If I remember rightly, the first sentence and a half of my write up for this item was based on one of Bill Garrard's books.
The RAF Postal Service structure was on a Regional Postal Headquarters basis, allotted by number. The establishment at Malta opened in November 1943. As far as I know, this is the only item known which tells us what number it was.

As for the rest of the item, here's its itinerary:

Despatched from:
FPO 164  12.8.44  Cyprus

Then:
BAPO 4    16.8.44  Cairo
14 RAF Postal HQ  18.8.44  Malta
USAPO 399  24.8.44  Maison Blanche, Algeria
FPO 660  8.9.44  Bastia, Corsica
FPO 660  12.9.44  Bastia, Corsica
FPO 111  16.9.44  Marseille
USAPO 399  3.10.44  Maison Blanche, Algeria
USAPO 700  4.10.44  Oran, Algeria
USAPO 509  7.10.44  Bastia, Corsica
FPO 660  12.10.44  Bastia, Corsica
FPO 660  13.10.44  Bastia, Corsica
FPO 242  25.10.44  Naples (?)
      ?        13.11.44  UK

There was no 63 Wing in the RAF at this time. The annotation referring to 63 Fighter Wing refer to a USAAF unit of that name, operating in the western Med at the time of this cover. For those so minded, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/63rd_Fighter_Wing

chrs
N

[Robert Hurst]

Nick

The last (UK) cancel looks to be [i]Wantage[/i] which up to 1974 was in Berkshire and now is part of Oxfordshire. The envelope is certainly a lovely item.

Robert

[Nick Colley]

Ah, yes, so it is. I can see it now I know what it is :-)

Thanks for that.

chrs
N