Concession Rate During the Kenyan Emergency

[abump]

Attached is a cover mailed from DeS, Kenya to England in 1950 with a Northern Rhodesia regiment cachet, and franked 20c.  In researching the postal history of this period, 1950-1959, I read that initially the rate was 20c for British units, but 25c for officers and NCOs seconded to units such as the K.A.R. and the Kenya Regiment.  I have multiple examples of the latter, but I am wondering why this particular cover was franked 20c. 

I also include a cover from what I assume was an RAF signals squadron (see back flap) mailed in 1957 to England, but franked 25c.

Is it possible that there might have been confusion on postal rates, and that the N. Rhodesian regiment cover slipped through?

Thanks,
Al Bump

[Michael Dobbs]

Al

My apologies for taking so long to respond - your query simply slipped through the net as I was busy on many other topics and issues !  Whilst I may not be able to answer your query in full I can at least provide some answers:-

The second cover you illustrate is not an RAF cover - it is from Comcan Signal Squadron which to give it its full title is the Commonwealth Communication Army Network (COMCAN) Signal Squadron in Nairobi.  This was an Army unit - part of the Royal Corps of Signals:

COMCAN was responsible for "linking a couple of dozen countries all over the world. This long-range world-wide system relied on immense static high-powered machinery feeding aerials suspended over wide acres on towering masts" - taken from "From Semaphore to Satellite" - The memoirs of Major General David Horsfield, Royal Signals (http://www.davidhorsfield.org.uk/)

The Post Office Box 4014 Nairobi, Kenya address was allocated to the Army Wireless Chain Signal Squadron; later redesignated as the COMCAN Signal Squadron.

As regards postage rates - there my information is very sketchy - all I can go on is my own small collection:

?? 1947 to UK from RAF Eastleigh - 15c
8 DEC 1949 to UK from HQ 52 Coy EAASC (General Transport) - 20c
6 NO 51 to UK from East Africa Training Centre - 20c
23 AP 52 to Fanara, MELF 15 from 32 (EA) Military Prison & Detention Bks - 20c
26 JU 53 to UK from 1st Bn, The Buffs, BFPO 10 - 20c
30 NO 53 to UK from BFBS, East Africa Command - 40c
15 JNE 1954 to UK from Military Hospital Nairobi - 20c
3 DEC 1954 to UK from Military Hospital Nairobi - 20c
9 AUG 1954 to UK from RAF Eastleigh - 20c
1 MAY 1957 to UK from RAF Eastleigh - 20c
5 JLY 1955 to UK from COMCAN Signal Squadron - 20c
14 DE 56 to UK from HQ 70 (EA) Inf Bde - 20c
14 JAN 1957 to UK from Office i/c/ Records, East Africa - 20c
26 JUL 1957 to UK from COMCAN Signal Squadron - 20c
29 JUL 1957 to UK from 89 Field Survey Squadron RE - 20c
15 MY 58 - to UK from HQ 70 Inf Bde - 25c
23 SP 58 to UK from CRE East Africa - 25c
2 JAN 1960 to UK from Signal Sqn, KAR - 25c
19 APR 1968 to UK from British Army Training Team Kenya - 35c

From my own covers (and I do have a few more) I don't think I can agree with the comment "but 25c for officers and NCOs seconded to units such as the K.A.R. and the Kenya Regiment" unless someone can produce such covers posted at the 25c rate during the period of 20c postage.

From the above you will see that in 1947 postage was 15c; 1949 to mid-1957 postage was 20c; from mid-1958 to 1960 postage was 25c and at some point it rose to 35c by 1968.  Your COMCAN cover of October 1957 at 25c narrows down the postage rate increase to sometime in 1957.

There was a change in postal rates to HM Forces overseas with effect from 1 October 1957 and this was notified in the Post Office Circulars of 17 July and 31 July 1957.  I have not yet found any reference to changes in postal rates from HM Forces overseas to UK.

However, I think what you have got is a change in concessionary postage rates.

Regards, Mike  ;)

[akennedy]

Also my apologies for not responding earlier - too much to do and not enough time!
I would also have given the rates as indicated by Mike.
I would add that there is no way there would have been a distinction in rates between officers and other ranks - that was a nineteenth century distinction.
Alistair

[abump]

Thanks very much, Mike and Alistair.  I went back over the 13 covers that I have for this conflict and what Mike says about the rates makes much more sense.  Also, thanks for enlightening me on the acronym 'COMCAN'.  Since I'm in the U.S., is there any way to research the rates on line?  You mentioned the P.O. circulars; are those available?

Al

[Graham Mark]

It may be of interest to consider the civilian postage rates:
I cannot give all the rates but from November 1939 the rate to UK was 20c for 1oz oz and 15c for additional ozs, surface mail.  This rate continured through to at least 1957.
The UPU rate was 40c for 1oz and 25c per additional ozs from 28 March 1951 until at least 1957.
For these details my reference is Furfie M: [i]International Postage Rates 1890s - 1957[/i], published by the author at Ashford, Middx, in 2010, ISBN 9780952220824.
For later rates I am sure someone in the East Africa Study Circle could assist.
Graham Mark

[Michael Dobbs]

Al

Sorry, but the Post Office Circulars are not available online - they are held in the British Postal Museum & Archive at Mount Pleasant.

It is possible that there may be references to postal rates in the East African General Routine Orders (held within class WO123 at The National Archives)  - again these are not online.  When I next visit the National Archives at Kew I will have a look.

With regards to Graham's comments, it does look as though the rates on Forces mail were a concessionary rate.  He mentions a 20c (civilian) surface rate to UK, whereas all my covers were air mail.

Regards, Mike  :)