POSTAGE PAID cachet on Naval Air Mail in 1943

[Philip Kaye]

I sent this scan to Nick asking if he might have any information about what Ship this might be from or its possible location. His answer was no but he most helpfully told me that the cachet was listed in an article by the late Alan Brown in FPHS Newsletter 164 in November/ December 1980 which he catalogued as PP33 but Alan had no idea of the Ship or its location.
The machine postmark where it was redirected is of Hastings/Sussex on 16 AUG 1943.
In the hope that someone, somewhere, in the last 42 years has come across another example which does provide any clues, I thought it might be worthwhile to post this, my first New Topic.
Phil

[Michael Dobbs]

Phil

Thanks for your posting - I do hope someone will be able to come up with the answer.
Just one minor correction - it is FPHS Newsletter 165 not 164!
For information I have attached the relevant pages

[Philip Kaye]

Thanks, Mike.
Phil

[Peter Harvey]

Phil,

When I originally looked at this, my first impression was that the cachet was similar to, or possibly Canadian. However, having made some further enquiries with Canadian collectors today, they tell me it is not known to them and is likely to be a UK cachet, similar to other boxed British markings.

I still don't think this would be the case, there is no reason the British would apply this cachet, unless others disagree.

Where else might have applied the cachet to a RN cover, assuming this indicates the additional air mail rate was paid.... Australia, Malaya, Med!

Anyone else have thoughts on this?

Peter

[Philip Kaye]

Thanks, Peter, but I do not think the cachet could possibly have been applied in the UK. It would not make sense for it to have received Airmail treatment only after it had arrived in the UK.
I had some vague recollection of seeing this cachet or something similar on Mail from Kenya many years ago but I am not sure of that.
Phil

[Neil Williams]

Folks, I'd be alert to the fact that whilst this is an airmail envelope, it may have only been in the normal (surface) mails. A not uncommon occurrence.

Neil W