Zone Postal Depot N 21 Sep 1950

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Dear Members,
from my father, I became a envelope with 3d King George VI stamp, with machinecancel Paddington W.2. A, from the High Commissioner for India to the Indian Miltitary Mission in Hamburg BAOR 3. On the reverse are a handstamp "Zone Postal Depot N" from noted date.

In my book is not a note about the letter "N".

Where hat got an idea about the town or institution?

many thanks before
Ingo

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Ingo

Only thing I can suggest is Zone Postal Depot 'North'

Chris

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Hi Chris,
it was in Hamburg these Home Depot?

Ingo

[Michael Dobbs]

Ingo

The Zone Postal Depot (later 101 Zone Postal Depot) was located in Herford and was the main routing / sorting depot for mails to BAOR.
Your datestamp is ZONE POSTAL DEPOT / 11 (not N) - the Depot had a Krag machine and had datestamps numbered 1 to 11.  I have recorded numbers 2,6,7,8,10 and 11.

This is my text on the Depot:

This Depot was established in the former Poggenphol Factory at Herford, Germany on 27 June 1945 as an Advance Base Post Office to serve 21 Army Group / British Army of the Rhine and was initially known as the Zone Postal Depot.  It was a sub-unit of 8 Base Army Post Office (8 BAPO) and was re-named as 101 Zone Postal Depot when a revised War Establishment became effective on 8 December 1945.  A month later, on 8 January 1946, the HQ unit of 8 BAPO transferred to the Depot.  In 1951 the Depot and HQ unit combined to form 8 Command Postal Depot, by which time datestamps inscribed 'Zone Postal Depot' ceased to be used; the Krag machine was last reported used in December 1948.

Regards, Mike  :)

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Mike,

11 as N? I need new glasses! It is ink between the 1.

Ok. Poggenpol was a large kittchenfactory for luxery kittchen and bankrupt few years ago.

Transport from London - Herford - Hamburg. I think, it is easier London - Hamburg Fulsbüttel direct.

Ingo

[Michael Dobbs]

Ingo

Re: mistaking 11 for N - in the UK we would say "you should have gone to Specsavers"!

The following text explains how and why Herford was chosen:

Orders were received from HQ 21 Army Group on 1 May 1945 to prepare for the establishment of an advanced section of the BAPO in Germany.  The postal authorities had evidently decided that the occupation troops would best be served by setting up a base post office in Germany to eventually replace the one in Belgium.  After viewing several locations, agreement was finally reached by 2 June 1945 with Postal and 'Q' Branches of HQ 21 Army Group on the siting.  This was to be in accordance with Army Group policy that the BAPO was to be established within a 25 mile radius of HQ 21 Army Group and the only suitable location found was the Poggenpohl Factory in Herford.

The premises were inspected on 18 June 1945 and it was decided to take over the whole of the factory first floor including staff welfare accommodation at the end, part of the ground floor extending from the left hand side going into the factory nearly as far as the railway line.  The APO had the exclusive use of the main lift and main staircase and also a suite of toilet accommodation across the yard.  However, this site was in need of a considerable amount of clearance work and RE works services to render it usable.

Mike  :)

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Mike, thanks