Unusual marking on 1945 card to Greece from Egypt

[Ian Muchall]

I have recently obtained the attached postcard which was sent from No 133 Staging Post located just outside Cairo at RAF Almaza. It was written 5 Jun 45 and has a BAPO 4 postmark dated 11 Jun 44.13 mils postage and unclear civil? postmark. Two RAF Censors Type R12 20 and 30. Also RAF Censor R27/10 which is believed to be linked to the Base Censor (R12/20).
There is a circular mark 'M56' which I would like to know if it is transit mark or censor.
Further confusing the issue is the postmark as I have not seen one like it from Egypt, however he has stated he was heading down to Shaibah in Iraq and perhaps it was posted en-route?
Any help or suggestions will be most welcome.

[Ross Debenham]

Ian, the M56 censor marker is a Type 4F civil marker from Egypt, of a typethat was used between June and September, 1945. R12 20 was used in Egypt and was a censor, as it never appears without an accompanying censor marker. Unfortunately I have no idea about the post mark, but wonder if is a EPP stamp.

[Ian Muchall]

Thanks Ross,
It was a censor not seen by me before or in any Reference book but as it was only used for such a short time must quite a scarce mark. Thanks for clarifying that for me.
The R12/20 is I believe a base censor and that ties in with the R27/10 and the civil mark?.
The postmark whilst unclear is not an EPP mark but the size and design is more like an IFPO mark used in Iraq. So annoying that it is so unclear. There are some faint letters at the top of the mark. On closer inspection on the reverse there is a very faint machine cancel EPP dated 10 Jun 45 same date as the BAPO 4. Perhaps arrival marks?
I think it will be another mystery remaining unsolved.

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Ian,

Could the postmark be ADEN?

Peter

[Ian Muchall]

Certainly not ADEN, but does look like an Aden type pmk. There is an A at the beginning of the lettering but after that it looks like an O and B but unclear. There is more unclear lettering further round on the 1mil stamp that could be an M and H. Doesn't help a lot.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Ian

[Alan Baker]

Is part of the message on the reverse? If not, the part on the left makes me wonder if there is another card sent the same day

[Ian Muchall]

Alan,
Yes the main message and BAPO 4 pmk is on the reverse. See attached. There is also a faint EPP machine cancel dated same date as the BAPO 4 11 Jun 45 which is 6 days later than the date it was written. They seem to me most likely to be arrival marks. There are no other recordings of R12/30 known so far which would at least give a location.

[Alan Baker]

133 Staging Post formed at Almaza, Egypt in June 1945 (National Archives online).

[Ian Muchall]

Yes just outside Cairo.

[Peter Harvey]

Ahh you never mentioned datestamps to the reverse.

I would suggest cancelled Base APO the (poorly) EPP datestamp and then AOHNAI (Athens) on arrival in Greece?

Peter

[Ian Muchall]

Thanks Peter,

Initially I was interested in the M56 mark so didn't mention the reverse marks. I suppose with four censors to clear in Egypt it could take 5 days to get into the postal system.
Thanks again.
Ian