Serbia, Austria, Switzerland and Salonika?

[Andrew Brooks]

Did mail to the Serbian army in Salonika go from occupied Serbia to Vienna and then on to a poste restante in Switzerland before being sent to Salonika? I have covers that would suggest this but would like it confirmed.

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Andrew

Interesting query you raise here.

I've checked my material but haven't got anything that fits your criteria for such mail.

However, your suggested route makes sense, only alternative I can think of would be via 'Old Greece, but prior to November / December 1916 when the allies intervened in Greece itself.

Can you illustrate any examples?

Chris

[Peter Gassmann]

good question! the book "Serbian Military Postal System in Exile 1916 - 1918" by Miodrag R. Vuković does not mentioned the route from homeland to the front, only the other way from the Salonika front to Serbia (mainly through forwarding agents in Switzerland). I also could not find any examples of such mail from Serbia to the front! most of the mail to the front I've seen is from Tunesia, France or Italy.

would be interesting to see examples!

best wishes, Peter

[Andrew Brooks]

Hi,
Thanks for your replies. Will scan some items and get back shortly
Andrew

[Andrew Brooks]

Hi,
I have two attempts to send scans and had to remove both. Will try again
andrew

[Peter Gassmann]

Hi Andrew

interesting and nice items!

the second item shows the censor mark of Feldkirch (Austria), which is at the border from Austria to Switzerland. Since this item was first addressed to Berne (Switzerland), this would clearly make sense. But if the item has passed through Vienna is less clear, there would have been a more direct route from Serbia through Austria towards Switzerland. The Serbian censor mark is known to be used in Salonika, so it would have been applied on arrival in the secteur postal 999 (which is the base army post office in Salonika of the Serbian army).

on the first item I do not see any routing information?

best wishes, Peter