Mystery Card into Bulgaria

[Chris Grimshaw]

Team

A card I now nothing about, sent from Berlin 24 11 1916 to Bulgaria, someone serving in the 3rd Division,  That's all I can say

Any clues anyone. ?

View card of a romantic nature.

Chris

[Andrew Brooks]

hi Chris,
Not really my field but can add a bit of informartion. Sent from Berlin on 24/11/16. Many different signatures to a soldier in the 11th Bulgarian Inf.Regt., 3rd Division. All that I can add is that the 3rd.Div. was in the Bulgarian 2nd Army (based in S.E.Macedonia). The 3rd Div., known as the Balkan Infantry Divison contained 24,000 men, 2 Brigades, each with 2 Regiments. The 1/3 Brigade contains the 11th Inf.Regt and the 32 Inf.Regt.). The red cachet I think is a Bulgarian censor but that is a guess
Andrew Brooks

[Chris Grimshaw]

Thanks Andrew

I notice the Card is endorsed "Feldpost" not sure if of any relevance.

Chris

[Andrew Brooks]

Hi Chris,
Just means that writing 'Feldpost' on the mail entitled you to free postage if sending to someone in the services
Andrew

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Andrew

'Feldpost' endorsement,

Does this mean that Postage was Free to someone serving overseas if mail was  sent as a civilian (unlike the UK where postage had to be paid on outing going mail to someone serving overseas)  or is the Berlin 66 a Forces Post Office, I was assuming a civilian office. 

Chris

Hopefully some of our 'German Experts' will some in on this one.

Chris

[Andrew Brooks]

Hi Chris,
Postage was free if sent by a civilian to a serviceman if they wrote 'feldpost' on the envelope. I don't think that Berlin 66 was anything to do with the military as I don't remember seeing it on any other mail to soldiers
Andrew

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Chris,

You have confused me with your comment 'unlike the UK where postage had to be paid on outing going mail to someone serving overseas' this was not the case in WW1, where if the cover/card was endorsed ON ACTIVE SERVICE postage was free from late 1914 to all campaign areas other than for registered/parcels etc.

Peter

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Peter

Now confused myself.  My understanding is that if sending mail from UK to a serviceman abroad, I.e. Western Front etc. postage was payable.

If sending from abroad endorsed on Active Service postage was free to UK or between theatres.

This German card suggests that as endorsed "Feldpost" postage was free from Germany to someone serving in Bulgaria.  Andrew suggests that the Berlin 66 cancel is not a Military FPO therefore my contention is that the German Postal authorities accepted this as unpaid as endorsed "Feldpost"  Was this a way for families to write to their men serving at the front. ?

My understanding is that there was no such system in place in the UK, postage was required on mail to servicemen abroad.

Chris