Packet FPO 172

[Michael Gould]

Some years back, I bought 4 British Forces Postal Service First Day covers from Cyprus, dated 15 Feb 1971. These were FPO 113, noted as RAF Troodos, FPO 998, noted as army po Dhekelia, FPO 946, noted as RAF Episkopi. The fourth is the packet FPO 172, noted as 'Hosp'. The late John Daynes started a list of modern FPOs and his entry in 1990 for 172 r (rubber) reads
                              1973                                      fake
            B1 (the type)1983    1984                        Lebanon
      P1  B1              1983    1990                        Egypt  (MFO Sinai)
noting one datestamp at each location.

Has anyone any knowledge of the entry marked 'fake' as I have no reason to doubt that my 1971 mark is genuine?  Michael

[Robin Davis]

Hello Michael,

Castle Cyprus III book agree's with your allocation of 946 - Episkopi and 998 Dhekelia. For 113 yes Troodos but also Akrotiri, Polemedhia & Dhekelia.

It does not record 172 as having been used in Cyprus, so are you sure that it is 172 and not say 192?

I would add that virtually no work has been done for many, many years now on the FPO's used in Cyprus.

Kindest Regards

                        Robin

[Michael Dobbs]

Michael

I will try and provide a more detailed answer in the next few days - just for now, some information on Blackwell rubber packet datestamp FORCES POST OFFICE 172 -

For 22 NOV 73 this is recorded as "fake" or "simulated" - it was manufactured (presumably with the blessing of the British Forces Post Office) for use in Cyprus at RAF Akrotiri with a fixed date (22 NOV 73) for backstamping RAF Museum covers to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the granting of the Royal Charter to the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (PMRAFNS) - the cover itself received the special commemorative datestamp British Forces Postal Service 1405.

There has been no earlier date recorded for FPO 172 and the next usage is from 1983 to February 1984 in BFPO 699 (Lebanon) Operation Hyperion.

15 Feb 1971 is the date of the decimal stamp issue during the Post Office strike.  I assisted in collation of Forces datestamps used on such FDCs for the British Postmark Society and packet datestamp FPO 172 does not appear in that listing.  I would welcome a scan of the cover to confirm the datestamp number and date.

Thanks, Mike
:)

[Michael Gould]

Sorry for delay. Number is definitely 172. All are addressed the same and all have the same type of pencil note as to location in the bottom right corner. As you will know, I am not good with scans but I will do my best to get one onto the site.  Michael

[Michael Gould]

I hope to attach the scan as requested. Michael

[Michael Dobbs]

Michael

Many thanks for the scan - this proves useage at Akrotiri in Cyprus on 15 FEB 71 and adds to our information.  To the right of the cachet in pencil is written "hosp".  This refers to The Princess Mary's Hospital at RAF Akrotiri.

A hospital at Akrotiri opened on the 9 February 1957. It was a temporary hospital made from prefabricated material and tested the resourcefulness of the doctors and nurses. The camp, the airfield and the airport was still under construction and it was not for another six years that a permanent proper hospital would be built. In 1961 it was decided to build a permanent hospital in Cyprus for military personnel and their families. The building work took two years and cost £1,000,000. Cyprus has the occasional earthquake and tremor so the builders used reinforced concrete with built in earthquake protection which explains the high costs. The Princess Mary's Hospital (TPMH) was opened to patients in May 1963. It was officially opened by The Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, Air Chief Commandant of the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (PMRAFNS) on 21 November 1963. TPMH was named in her honour.

The above has been taken from the official MOD RAF website at: http://www.raf.mod.uk/PMRAFNS/history/rafhospitalakrotiri.cfm

Regards - and a good find - Mike  :D

[Michael Gould]

Mike. Thank you for the information. I note the web page you quote appears to deal with recent RAF history. Is there a similar army site which would help to inform me as to what the army was doing in various locations around the world since 1945? Michael

[Michael Dobbs]

Michael

There used to be a very good site: www.britains-smallwars.com, but it no longer exists (do not confuse with http://www.britainssmallwars.co.uk/ which doesn't do much after 1926).  There has been some discussion over the loss of the first mentioned site on the Army Rumours Service (ARRSE) site at: http://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/url-http-www-britains-smallwars-com-url.6737/

The last entry appears to indicate that the site may return.

That is the main problem with internet sources (private or official) they are always changing, some go if their 'owner' is no longer with us or willing to keep it up, others go as a result of restructurings / changes / upgrades, etc.  Nothing is permanent on the internet.

There appears to be no 'one easy site' to go to and you have to put in various search terms and spend hours researching online (like I do !).

Regards, Mike  :D

[Michael Gould]

Mike. Thank you for the information. I will keep an eye out for the site you mentioned. Perhaps you will just hear more from me in the form of forum topics!!! Michael