Registered cover Censored by the Serbs 1916

[Chris Grimshaw]

Afternoon Team

This item was previously posted by myself probably last April as Part of 'Cover of the Day'  At the time i had unanswered questions which brought no response.

Scans show a cover originating from within the Serbian military system, possibly a liaison officer.  Registered at Base APO X, 23 December 1916, Received in London 4 Jan 1917

No signature of the sender unless under the Registration label which was applied at Base APO X .  Originally I knew nothing about the three cachets on the face of the cover.  There is No indication of Censorship by the British Military Authorities or any signs handled by the French Armie de Orient.

Cachet No 1 - RECOMMANDEE Dual language I believe is Serbian and signifies Registration.

Cachet No 2 - OUVERT PAR L'AUTORITE  MILITAIRE SERBE is a Serbian Censor Mark  (Figure 4) Used at the Chief Censor Office of the PT Dept. Serbian GHQ located at Salonika. Known used early May 1916 to April 1917

Cachet No 3 - Dual Language CORRESPONDANCES MILITAIRES  (Figure 4a)  Applied by the Censor in the Censors office, but Not a Censor mark.  It served to indicate that the item was sent by an active soldier, therefore free of postage and was applied only on mail to foreign countries.  This item has paid 2d Registration Fee and Free Postage for the letter, which is correct.

Items with both Cachet No 2 & 3 are described as Rare to Very Rare.

Ref

The London Philatelist Volume 86 September - October 1977 Number 1017 - 18  Pages 130 to 142.  "Serbian Military Censor Marks and Labels during the Salonica Campaign by Miodray R. Vukovic."

Chris

 

[Peter Gassmann]

Hi Chris

A very nice item!

Vukovic published his updated findings as a book: Vuković Miodrag R., 2016. Serbian Military Postal System in Exile 1916 – 1918, Beograd

It seems the usage period for the censor mark (Cachet 2) was even longer (May 1916 to July 1917).

Is the function of the blue crayon lines clear?

best regards, Peter

[Peter Harvey]

Nice Cover Chris.....Don't think I have seen this one before.

Interesting point about the blue crayon. Clearly used to 'cross' the cover as registered, but also the same crayon to initial the censor cachet - so both the registered as censored cachets applied at the same location ?

Peter

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi All

Interesting point about the Blue lines which signify Registration. The line also extends over the 2 d stamp implying that it was applied prior to the Lines and indeed censorship.  Cannot tell if its above or below where it crosses the cachets.

Its puzzling that it shows no sign of British Military censorship, having go to Base APO X one would have expected it to be passed onto the censorship prior to onward dispatch.


Chris

[Graham Mark]

The addressee might be interesting.
Arthur Frederick Reginald Wiggins, born 1891, 2Lt Gren Gds 2/9/13 and reached Maj 24/1/25, had been Adj 2nd Bn 1919-22, served F&F 3/1/15-19/12/16 and 8/3/18-4/8/18, Despatches LG 15/6/16 and 27/12/18, pip, squeek and wilfred only.
Looks like this letter followed evacuation from France as injured - fairly serious as he was 15 months in UK.  He was still in the Army in 1933 and may have had some service a the beginning of "the second round".
Graham

[Chris Grimshaw]

Thanks Graham

Very useful information, I'd looked but couldn't find him.

Chris