K & C Egypt Section

[Chris Grimshaw]

Good Morning All

K & C Page 148/ 149 on censorship has the following statement,

"The types of censor mark used by the EEF were,

CM 2, various numbers noted between 2280 and 3257, in use between April 1915 and May 1916.  CM 3, various numbers noted between 393 and 4501, between November 1915 to January 1919, CM 7, various numbers between 701 and 1419, between October 1917 and January 1919.  Type CM 14 was used by the Western Frontier Force, numbers between 2 and 15, in use December 1915 to February 1916."

Written back in 1977 is possible that examples have been recorded outside these numerical and date ranges .  Any information or details of amendments appreciated. 

Chris

[Alan Baker]

I have recorded a few from Alistair's index cards which Chris St-Weddell now has. Also, a couple from items on various auction lists.

From index cards
2/1670 31/03/1915 FPO86 - 86 Brigade apparently were at Alexandria prior to going to Gallipoli - Daniel attributes this to 1 Hon Artillery Coy, 7 Bde, which does not agree
2/2258 10/05/1915 BAPOZ - Daniel attributes this censor to 86 Brigade HQ
2/3302 19/04/1916 FPOMH3 = FPOH9, Proud records this at Suez Canal
2/3303 01/03/1916 FPOMH3 - as above

3/379 8/11/1915 FPO84 - 84 Bde - Noted from Charles Entwistle's listing - some question as to whether they had arrived in Egypt by then. Proud is slightly ambiguous - might be worth asking Charles
3/389 27/03/1918 BAPOZ item seen in Alistair's material

[Chris Weddell]

Chris and Alan,

                    Sorry I am late in on this.I am going though my WWI Egypt and Palestine items now. I do have quiet a lot, which censor numbers are you looking for or are you looking for any. I have a number linked to the Royal Malta Artillery among others. I can start to have a look slowly now but it will be a week before I can spend some time on them.

I am also going though AK's cards as well for the FPO info so I can link the censors to units where the sender has been kind enough to give his unit.

                                                    Cheers

                                                      Chris 

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

Re FPO 86 and 1 Honourable Artillery Co, the 1st HAC (Infantry) according to Gould (R.W) and James did not leave the Western Front during the war.
But their Artillery, A & B Batteries arrived in Egypt in Apr 1915, could this be what Frank Daniel was referring too??

Frank Schofield

[Chris Weddell]

Chris,

        I have started to go though my Egypt covers and cards and I have just found this chief field censor mark which seems to be unlisted. I have not checked it out yet but it does not seem to be in K&C. The FPO is GM which was at Ismailia.

                                                              Chris

[Chris Weddell]

A scan of the front of the postcard showing other cancels.

                            Chris

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Chris

A very nice item,  you're correct not listed in K & C who did not list these type of cachets,  Probably listed in Firebrace but not had chance to check yet.

My original post was to try and ascertain if censor numbers outside the range quoted in K & C could be extended,  post prove they can certainty for CM 2 & 3.

It would probably be a major project to undertake but does anyone have the appetite and time to try and create a full visual record of all the censors used.  Two illustrations of complete covers or cards would soon add up to a big data base.  Not something one could do on their own but with a leader coordinating  could be do able..  20 years time probably impossible as material will be too dispersed.  Comments anyone. 

I'm looking for illustrations of any material from Egypt, scans welcome.  Am part way through transcribing all the tables in the Egypt section. 

Chris

[Alan Baker]

As you may know, I am endeavouring to compile spreadsheets of CM numbers, with a view to updating Daniel's records and issue the sections he had not covered. So far, I have been through two boxes of Alistair's index cards and about 2000 covers and cards which he had accumulated, with maybe 400 to go. This has so far taken almost a year!

I think the hope of compiling a full visual record of censors would be a task too far and I do wonder what we would gain from it. One CM1 for example is very much like another.

I will continue with my project and will in time ask members to let me have any details they have put together, e.g Frank and his database of Italy. The challenge will be to know when to stop and issue what we have.