Cover of the day, 24th March

[Nick Colley]

Sorry, folks, I missed a contribution yesterday.

Attached is a boring looking cover from the Korean conflict (more apologies, will look for something more flamboyant tomorrow). However, inspection of the item reveals it has a certain charm:

1. It's from a Dane
2. Apparently in the Canadian army
3. In hospital (29th BCGH) in Japan (at Kure)
4. postmarked with an Australian FPO (457, 11th October 1953)
5. on British stamps

How many more nations can you cram into (onto?) one envelope?

chrs
N

[Michael Dobbs]

Nick

Many thanks for your cover - a very interesting one indeed.  My first response relates to the CAPO 5003 return address used - noting that the two postmarks (Australian and British) are in October 1953.  However the various references I have seen only record the use of a CAPO 5003 datestamp as from 1 September 1954 (location Kure, Japan).  The references are:

1. The Canadian Military Posts Volume 3 (Operations in NATO, UN and Canada) by W J Bailey and E R Toop; pub Proud 1990
2. The BNAPS Catalogue of Canadian Miliutary Mail Markings, Volume 3 (From Victory in 1945 to Afghanistan); Compiled and edited by C D Sayles; pub BNAPS August 2006

I record the following:

Later that year it was decided to open a new regulating office at Seoul, the Commonwealth forward maintenance area by that time known as British Commonwealth Sub Area North.  CAPO 5000 was selected and on 31 August 1954 it closed at Kure in Japan and re opened on 1 September 1954 at Seoul, Korea.  On the same date a new regulating office opened at Kure, designated as CAPO 5003. 

So we have a query on the use of CAPO 5003 in 1953!

Once the National Archivers re-opens I'm going to have to re-look at the various (British/Commonwealth) Postal Units war diaries to see if I missed any reference to CAPO 5003 prior to 1 September 1954!

Mike

[Peter Harvey]

So here is my [b]cover of the day[/b] I am taking the lead from both Nick and Chris, who both show cover which on the face are not that unusual, but have significant interest (lets call it a hidden history), the back has nothing to add.

So as shown, picture of a rather plain looking and battered cover from WW2 'boxed' Received From H.M. Ships and the censor cachet A500 No 2775, posted to North Wales and countersigned 'Censor C.S.H.

The cover is annotated in pencil 'Posted by a commando en route for the Vaagso raid from Princess Astrid'

If this is the case the censor initials CSH could be Capt C.S. Head Adjutant of No 3 Commando, appointed the signals officer for this operation. The raid on the Norwegian Islands of Vaagso and Maaloy 'Operation Archery' took place in December 1941, so one of the easiest recordings of the censor cachet.

Any thoughts?

[Michael Dobbs]

Peter

From Alistair Kennedy's ledger on WW2 censor marks for 2775:

Airgraph 25/6/43 3 Cdo, 4 Tp, MEF
25/8/43 3 Cdo
Rec HMS noted as Vaagso (3 Cdo)

Mike

[Chris Weddell]

My cover of the day. A censored airmail posted from the US Navy Air Station Pensacola to Dartford, England. When we look at the back of the cover we see it was posted by a member of the RAF stationed at USNAS Pensacola.

[Peter Harvey]

[quote author=Mike Dobbs link=topic=1370.msg6081#msg6081 date=1585072203]
Peter

From Alistair Kennedy's ledger on WW2 censor marks for 2775:

Airgraph 25/6/43 3 Cdo, 4 Tp, MEF
25/8/43 3 Cdo
Rec HMS noted as Vaagso (3 Cdo)

Mike
[/quote]

Mike,

Thank you for this, that is good enough confirmation for me. So a rather normal cover just became so much more interesting

Peter

[Michael Dobbs]

Returning to Nick's cover, my second response relates to the Australian FPO.  I'm sorry to say that it isn't 457 as Nick suggests but [b]453[/b], 11 OC 53.  The references are:

1. United Nations Peace-keeping - An Introduction by John  Daynes; pub Postal History 2000, 1996
2. History of the Australian Military Postal Services (1914-1950) by Edward B Proud; pub Proud-Bailey Co Ltd, 1991

The latter states 457 to 494 not issued.

Daynes states 453 at Eta Jima, Japan 06 05 46 - 06 09 54
                                  Korea                07 05 54 - 27 07 54 130 Aust Gen Hosp

There appears to be an overlap in the 1954 dates showing it to be in both Japan and Korea at the same time!

The sender states he is with 29th BCGH (29th British Commonwealth General Hospital).  In relation to this my notes show:

[b]BCOF General Hospital[/b]  Kure
In October 1950 the Medical Stores Wing of the Hospital was reorganised as a separate unit under the designation British Commonwealth Advanced Depot of Medical Stores.

In December 1951 the above unit, 29 British General Hospital and Canadian Hospital Section were integrated to form a 1000 bed unit designated as [b]British Commonwealth General Hospital[/b].

War Establishments show:
[b]British Commonwealth General Hospital (1,000 Beds)[/b]
  -?-          Establishment approved : BCFK/26/1  (ACI 636/52 dated 8 October 1952)
31 Dec 1956 Establishment cancelled : BCFK/26/2  (ACI 223/57 dated 22 May 1957)

So why is it still referred to as 29th BCGH in 1953?  Did the British and Canadians split at some point?

Mike  ;D

[Michael Dobbs]

Aaah - all things join up in the end, or nearly join up.  I have found the 29 (British) General Hospital Kure Japan Visitors Book online in the Wellcome Library at:
https://wellcomelibrary.org/item/b18554416#?z=-0.6541%2C-0.0828%2C2.3082%2C1.5755&cv=2

A covering letter dated 26 Sep 56 states that as the British Commonwealth General Hospital had closed and the unit, as such, had disbanded the writer had enclosed the Hospital Visitors Book hoping that it may be of interest.

Leafing through it I see that there is a letter from the Minister of National Defence Canada dated 18 January 1952 addressed to the Commanding Officer, British Commonwealth General Hospital, CAPO 5003 c/o Postmaster Vancouver, British Columbia.

This clearly shows that CAPO 5003 was in use as an address even if it did not have a datestamp - I will use my contacts in the Canadian Military Mail Study Group to see if I can find out more!

[Nick Colley]

Ah, sorry, yes, 453. Mea culpa. Sorry !

Thanks, Mike.

chrs
N