Lt Col FD Watney, 2/4 Queens (Royal West Surrey)

[Alan Baker]

Attached is a cover from Lt Col Watney addressed to his wife in Reigate, Surrey. It has a hand written date on the reverse of 4th August 1915, which matches the date on the franking on the front.
I take this to be a mark applied at Port Said.

According to the regimental diary of the 2/4 Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) regiment, they arrived in Egypt on board HMT Ulysses at the end of July 1915. They sailed from Port Said on 4th August, bound for Mudros and landed at Suvla Bay 0n the 9th August.

The cover, which Watney signed himself as censoring officer, bears CM2/2813. Both Daniel and AK from his ledger confirm its usage by 2/4 Queens.

I am not familiar with franking marks from Egypt at this period. Is it a civilian postal service mark? 

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hello Alan

Yes,  It is a civilian mark applied at PORT SAID.

Interesting chap 'our Colonel Watney.  He spent time in Salonika and then Egypt / Palestine with the 60th London Division.  I have  a number of items from him.

Chris

[Alan Baker]

Thought it must be. It was the day they embarked for Mudros, so he probably consigned it to the civilian mail.

As you say, he is an interesting chap. I also have several items from him. Apparently, he got married for the second time at the age of 85.