Cover of the Day Easter Sunday 12th April 2020

[Michael Dobbs]

I might be the first one today - mine is not so much a 'cover' but an item of what is classed as ephemera from my NATO collection.  I know Christmas is a long way off, but it is an HQ Northern Army Group and HQ Second Allied Tactical Air Force official Christmas Card showing the front of the joint headquarters complex at Rheindahlen, near Mönchengladbach (HQ BAOR/HQ NORTHAG and HQ RAF(G)/HQ TWOATAF) (date unknown, but as I sent it to my parents it would have been between 1971 ad 1974 when I served at HQ Northern Army Group).

Sadly the building and indeed Rheindahlen Garrison complex have now closed:

In the summer of 2013 HQ BFG (successor to HQ BAOR) was re-located from Rheindahlen to Catterick Barracks in Bielefeld which placed it at the centre of the remaining military population in Germany and on Thursday 11 July 2013 a closure parade was held on the headquarters forecourt.  This was followed, on Friday, by a Farewell Parade of British troops through the centre of Mönchengladbach.  The move to Bielefeld was phased but HQ BFG formally closed in Rheindahlen on 31 July 2013.

Whilst the JHQ might have closed, Rheindahlen Military Complex (formerly known as Rheindahlen Garrison) continued the drawdown process and the last families and military personnel left in August 2013 with final closure on 12 December 2013 when the Complex was handed back to the German Federal authorities.

HQ NORTHAG and HQ TWOATAF had long since disappeared, as part of a NATO force restructuring plan both HQ NORTHAG and HQ TWOATAF were deactivated on 1 July 1993.

Mike  :)

[Peter Harvey]

So here is my cover of the day, from the Boer war, not an area I have ever researched in any detail and also I do not think I have ever seen a display on the topic.

Headed 'From Pte Hayworth 1st Scots Gds Abroad' and posted home to a Rev Mr England at Westwood Oldham Lancashire. Line through, with full address 'Colonel Adt Ball Scots Guards South African Field Force' - assuming that the Adjutant wrote the letter for the soldier.

Marked to reverse 'No Stamps Avialable On Active Service and cancelled FIELD POST OFFICE BRITISH ARMY S. AFRICA - 16 - DE 8 99. Cachets T 1d suggest postage due, OLDHAM DE 99 and JAN 00 to reverse (with an obliterator).

At this time FPO 16 (1st series) was in use with 9th Brigade S.A.F.F. although I note they are not included in the Brigade's composition in Proud, at the battle at Modder River. This was a significant battle at the fork of two rivers, where the Boers were established and set up strong defensive positions. The Scotts Guards won two of their Regimental Battle Honours for the Battle at Modder River.

Interestingly the despatches from Modder river were one of the first occasions the word 'Commando' was ever used, with the Boer War being the source of this military term that we are now all familiar with.

[b]So a question from me would be is this unusual for the Boer campaign, with what appears to be the adjutant's return address on  a Private soldiers cover?[/b]

Have a lovely Easter Sunday

[Nick Colley]

A few years before NATO, my offering. It's a VERY humdrum naval item - until you read the letter inside, and see the date, and read some of the contents. It's from HMS Keppel dated 23rd June 1940. France signed the surrender document the day before. Keppel was a destroyer based at Gibraltar. I've had this item (and other letters from this correspondance) for some years now. The reference to being in a French port awaiting refugees puzzled me, because I had assumed that meant one of the Atlantic ports of France - a long way from Gib, and surely an inefficient use of a naval vessel to travel so far when home-based vessels were nearer. Thanks to https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-01Shakes-HMS_Keppel.htm I now know which port it was without having to go to the Naval Library or the PRO to read the ship's log. Cut and pasted from that web page:

June                        Nominated for evacuation of British civilian personnel from southern France after French

                                capitulation

                20th        Passage from Gibraltar to Gulf of Lions.

                22nd      Embarked British civilians, Czech and Polish troops at Port Vendres and Seta.

                23rd        Took passage to Gibraltar with embarked personnel

Port Vendres is a small coastal town a few kms south of Perpignan, just north of the Spanish border. Seta is further north round the coast. It hadn't occurred to me that people fleeing from the conflict up north would have travelled so far south. You live and learn  :)

chrs
N

[Michael Dobbs]

Nick

A nice item and some very interesting history attached to it - this would warrant a small piece in our Journal?  I wonder how many others are not aware of the lengths Allied soldiers went to, to escape the Germans.  I wonder where the Czech and Polish troops were based to travel south to escape capture.

Mike  :)

[Chris Grimshaw]

Afternoon Team

My contribution for Easter Sunday

PPC View card of Salonika datelined 8/1/19 cancel on picture side, very unclear RFHM Ships etc, date ??  Double Ring Circular cancel

AMBULANCE TRANSPORT P.C. 20 R.A.M.C.

Father writing to young son.

I have a second example datelined 25/1/19 same correspondence from Salonika, again London Cancel unclear.

Write up which came with cards states"  five examples recorded, 4 Salonika PPC and on from Marseilles, all same correspondence.

Chris