Cover of the Day 14th April

[Chris Grimshaw]

Morning Team

My cover for the day is a PPC addressed to a Master Vincent Harmer.

National War Bonds slogan Dec 26 17 , card is datelined 20 12 17.  PASSED BY CENSOR Double Ring in Blue / Grey.

Pencil note "Type  Unlisted Gould, 29 1/2 x 16 1/2 mm,  Ex Major C Harmer.  HMS Exmouth ?"

Interesting message where he talks about "It had been refused by the Censor"

Chris

[Peter Harvey]

Hey Chris, we posted at exactly the same time, I deleted mine and moved to your listing:

So here is my cover of the day. I had this on my desk for a few months, I was struggling to link Largs and Diego until I read the name correctly and got the G.C. - so this rather tatty cover introduces Lieut Commander Cobham EGM (Empire Gallantry Medal), GC (George Cross) R.N.

So a rather tatty cover addressed to reverse from Strand Green London and cancelled CHISWICK 23 Mar 42 posted to Lieut Commander Cobham GC Royal Navy, HMS Quebec II, Largs, Glasgow and redirected to the top Naval HQ Diego, to the reverse the cachet SQUADRON MAIL ROOM LARGS.

Anthony John (Scoter) Cobham EGM/GC, MBE was born on 10th October 1909 in Penang, Malaysia, the son of Percy and Leila (Treacher) Cobham. His father was a rubber planter in Penang and his father in law was Sir William Hood Treacher, Resident General, Federated Malay States from 1902-04. Anthony returned to England for his schooling and joined the Royal Navy as a cadet at Dartmouth in 1923. 
 
He served on a number of ships including "Winchester", "Vimy", "Electra" and "Eclipse". On 26th July 1929, he was serving aboard HMS Devonshire off the Greek island of Skiathos when the incident occurred that saw him awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal. 
 
HMS Devonshire was carrying out full calibre firing when at the first salvo there was a heavy explosion in X turret, which blew off the turret roof. Marine Albert Streams EGM was the only man in the gun turret who was not killed or fatally wounded. He instinctively climbed to the top of the turret but, on looking down and seeing the conditions, he climbed back into the smoke and flames, notwithstanding the grave risk of further explosions. He then helped evacuate the dead and wounded; when all were removed, he collapsed.  Cobham immediately took stretcher parties, including Able Seaman Niven GC, aft and ordered one crew to follow him and the other to rig hoses. On reaching the turret, they assisted the men who were on fire. Cobham and Niven did what they could for them and then went into the turret, where there was still a lot of cordite burning fiercely. They evacuated the wounded and brought out the dead bodies.
 
Cobham was awarded the EGM alongside Niven and Streams (though Streams died before the exchange for GC). In 1939, Cobham joined the battleship "Barham" and took part in a number of actions in the Mediterranean. He was aboard the Barham when it was torpedoed and sunk off the Libyan coast in 1941, and he was rescued. He returned to the UK and became a Beachmaster at Largs in Scotland. In May 1942, he took part in Operation Ironclad, the invasion of Madagascar. He later repaired the German merchant ship "Wartenfels" and sailed her to Bombay. 
 
He was due to return to the UK but was recruited into the RN Commando in Bombay and took part in missions behind Japanese lines in Malaya, and along the Arakan coast in Burma.

[Michael Dobbs]

Peter

Wow - from one cover a truely fantastic story!  This could easily be placed in our Journal as a single page under the by-line "cover with a story" or "the story behind the cover".  There have been several covers/cards in these past few days that could be placed under such a heading. 

Out of a total membership of 140+ we only have a relatively small number who view the forum - usually between 12 and 18 each day (sparodic counts between 29 March and 12 April) with 18 the highest being recorded on 9 April.  So it would be new to the vast majority of our members.

What do you think Chris - a suitable heading in the Jounral when you have the odd page to fill ?

Mike  :)

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Peter / Mike

Yes,  Well worth a page in a future journal.  At this rate will comfortably fill 60 pages in the Autumn edition.  Ouch I hear our Treasurer cry.

Chris

[Nick Colley]

Chaps, I have another couple of covers addressed to Cobham, and much re-directed. I won't clutter up the Forum with them, but I'll send the scans to you, Pete.

As you say, Mike, quite a story!

chrs
N

[Chris Weddell]

Here is my very tatty cover of the day with a story behind it. I cannot find at the moment anything about the addressee of the letter Captain A Gilson-Horrocks I think. But as to the sender he is Captain Robert Gordon Weir born c.1919 and killed in action in North Africa on the 31st of October 1943 aged 24. He was wounded in 1942 and then captured by the Italian's also in 1942.

In this tatty cover is a letter which tells his story. I have scanned it so you can read the story in his own words. I have only just started to research this and I think there is much more of a story to come.

[Ross Debenham]

Hi Peter, interesting envelope. I suppose the Naval H.Q. Diego refers to Naval HQ Diego Suarez, and the Liaison S.A.F. on the rear refers to Liaison, South African Forces.