RECEIVED FROM HM SHIP - NO CHARGE TO BE RAISED Hand-Stamp

[Thomas Johansen]

I have attached an image of the front and partial back of a cover and would like to understand from when to when this hand-stamp was used. Seems they intended to first tax it but since then cancelled it.

The back of the cover reads "First from Persian Gulf" I believe - any ideas why that would have been applied? Also, with the date of the hand-stamp being March 3 1918 is it possible to identify where the in the Persian Gulf that the cover may have come from?

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Thomas,

I do not know about the obliterator, it is similar to several I have seen from Egypt, although they tend to be diamond or parallelogram shapes.

I would suggest that on arrival the recipient wrote 'First from the Persian Gulf' to the back of the cover, no doubt based on the letter that was enclosed or an updated address. So written on arrival, rather than prior to posting.

Regards

Peter

[Philip Kaye]

Hi Thomas,
I may be wrong, but it looks to me as though the handwriting on both sides of the cover is the same. What do you think? Without the name of the sender I fear we may not find more info on where it was sent from as we don't know how long before March 3 1918 the letter was written.
Cheers,
Phil

[Alan Baker]

Philip - could well be

Thomas - re you able to read the censor number?