Naval postmark and censor ??

[Michael Dobbs]

This is one for our naval experts - I have been sent details of a postcard showing a view of Whitepoint and Terrace, Queenstown (Cobh, Co Cork) which has a dumb octagonal postmarks and a crude PASSED BY CENSOR cachet with the date of OCT 16 1917.

The question is - is this a Naval censor ?

The postcard is written by a lady (Elizabeth ) dated Oct 16th and sent to the USA.

I initially thought it was a naval censor but could not find any reference to the mark in Gould's book (but I'm not an expert on this).  The dumb cancel appears to be similar to Gould DE1 except it does not have the centre bit.

I have since been advised that the Editor of Irish Philately thinks it may be a US (my ??) dumb cancel applied at Queenstown (Cobh) as date and censor date are the same and that it may be written up as this for the magazine.

What are your thoughts please ?

Thanks, Mike  ???

[Alan Baker]

I think the card is from Ellsworth Cheseboro, of Schenectady, part of Albany, NY. In January 1917 he enlisted in the US Navy, eventually sailing aboard the USS Tucker, a four-funnel destroyer, bound for Queenstown. This would fit with the information you have been given.

He was discharged from the Navy in 1920 and died in 1973.

His family came from Oneonta, NY, which is where the addressee lived.

[Frank Schofield]

Mike

This is Gould's DE1 without the centre triangle I have a pencil note "Seen used on US Naval Mail" this seems to confirm this.
The censor mark is not listed in Kimes book, I have photocopied the mark for my own reference

Frank Schofield

[Michael Dobbs]

Frank and Alan - many thanks indeed for your responses: I have passed these on to the Secretary BPS to pass on to the Editor of Irish Philately.

Frank: glad to see that you have at last been allowed back upstairs into your 'office' !!  (This must mean you are on the mend and a lot fitter than when I saw you).

Mike  ::)