Egypt APO SZII WWI

[Tony Walker]

I have a wreck cover from HMT Kingstonian, torpedoed on 11 April 1918.  She was sailing from Alexandria to Marseilles with a substantial amount of mail from Egypt and Palestine.  Much was salvaged in various degrees of damage

I have been trying to pin down the APO single ring cancel (see attachment) via Kennedy and Crabb - not my usual reference source.  The cancel is ARMY POST OFFICE / C / 23 MR / 18 / SZ11.

The nearest I can get is type SB on p48.  In the detailed list on p151 which gives an EKD of JY 19 from Mustapha (Alexandria) which ties in to this mail.  However the date on my cover is 23 MR 18 some 16 months earlier. 

I rather think it's me that has it wrong somewhere along the way - happy to be enlightened

Cheers
Tony

[Alan Baker]

Proud lists APO SZ11 as located in Egypt - Alexandria, Mustapha Pasha Camp- from September 1916 - January 1920.

The signature of the censoring officer is AW Bannerman, who according to FWR was a 2nd Lt with the 4th Battalion, Royal Scots (Queen's Edinburgh Rifles). The Battalion was in Egypt following withdrawal from Gallipoli in January 1916 until its transfer to France in April 1918.

Hope this helps

[Tony Walker]

Thanks Alan, that's clarified it no end

Tony