Mystery French Cover

[Chris Grimshaw]

Team

As the Heading shows,  A mystery certainly to me.

Again ex Crabb, Cover endorsed twice on reverse Routschouk, Bulgaria.

First cancel dated 14 12 19  (face)  on reverse two cancels for 25 12 19 & 26 12 19

Chris

[Neil Williams]

Routschouk is the Turkish name for the Bulgarian town of Ruse (or Rousse), which is on the Danube, and hence on the post-WW1 border with Romania. (why two people who subsequently handled this cover added this Turkish name is 'bizarre', as the French would say!)

Entrepot AAO I would make a guess at Base, Allied Army of Occupation (Armee Alliee d'Occupation).

The Armistice terms with Bulgaria I believe resulted in the stationing of Allied Forces in various parts of (then) Bulgarian territory until such time in late-1919 that a final treaty was signed, with Greece, Romania and then-Serbia being the territorial beneficiaries. Presumably these troops were withdrawn shortly after.

PERHAPS this is related to this cover!

[Chris Grimshaw]

Thanks Neil

Yes you are correct, The British 26th Div occupied this area until early May 1919, withdrawn by early May 1919.  The French were also part of this Force as were the Italians who replaced the British.

British APO SX 21 remained in Sofia until November 1919.  Unfortunately I have no information on when the French and Italians left.

Chris

[Chris Grimshaw]

A little more on this one, 

The cancel on the cover Front ENTREPOTS  6 or railway junction transfer points is mentioned in the following publication

'A Chronology of French Military Campaigns and Expeditions With their Postal Markings ' by Willianm M Waugh & Stanley J Luft . Published by The France and Colonies Philatelic Society & The War Cover Club.  New York 1984.  On page 97 and illustrated as Type AZ on page 100, illustration shows No 6 same as this example.

Described as scare to rare.  No location given though.

The cachet on the reverse dated 26 12 19 looks to be a dual language one,  I an make out DISTRIBUTION at the bottom in (English)  Upper section shows P - - - B X V


Chris

[Neil Williams]

Chris

that's the French 'distribution', and in the postal sense is a 'delivery/arrival' mark. The top part of the cds is PARIS XV - the address is 23 Quai de Grenelle, which is in the 15th Arrondissement. Left bank, just down from the Eiffel Tower - nice!

regards
Neil