Home Depot 1940

[Michael Dobbs]

I have an interest in the history and postal history of the Home Depot from it formation in 1939 until the present day (now BFPO London).

Attached are two covers with the datestamp HOME DEPôT - R.E.P.S. / 19 dated 23 MY 40 and 4 JY 40 respectively.  They both have the time slug of -PM.  Exceptional use of a number of these datestamps has been recorded for the period May to July 1940.

From about 17 May 1940 mail from troops of the British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) in France reached the Depot un-postmarked as a result of the chaotic situation on the other side of the Channel at that time, and the retreat towards Dunkirk.  When the mail reached the Depot it was postmarked and sorted for onward despatch to addressees.  Datestamp HOME DEPOT / 19 and occasionally HOME DEPOT / 18 have been recorded used on such mail.

Mail from Iceland (APO 500) also reached the Depot un-postmarked during the early days of the islands' occupation.  No postal unit accompanied the first troops to land in Iceland during May 1940 and mail to the UK was placed aboard any homeward bound ship.  On arrival some of this mail found its way to the Depot where it was postmarked and sorted for onward distribution to addressees.  This practice continued for about the first two months for certain units who were unable to get mail through to the APO in Reykjavik.  During this period datestamps HOME DEPOT / 2, 12, 18 and 19 have been recorded on mail from Iceland.

Mike  :)