RAFPOST India 143 or 147?

[Jim Mackay]

A couple of enigmatic RAFPOST Airletters. At first glance they appear to be postmarked RAFPOST 143 but closer examination suggests a possible 147.

However the  situation is further complicated by the sender's address of RAF Jharsuguda which is in India. E B Proud in his Postal History of Naval & RAF Postal Services lists RAF Indainggyi in Burma as being RAF PO 143 and 147 as not known.

Does anyone have other items from this correspondence with a clear date and number?

(Second pic to follow)

Jim

[Jim Mackay]

Second pic.

[Michael Dobbs]

Jim

Your second cover (dated 17 OCT. 45) is definately 143.

I see in Proud's book there are asterisk's (*) after various dates, but I haven't been able to find a note or reference as to what this represents!

Unfortunately earlier editions of books on RAF postal services overseas (by John A. Smith in 1957 and W (Bill) Garrard in c.1991) do not show a location for 143 or indeed anything for 147.

Sorry I cannot help further.

Mike

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hello Jim

I'm going to disagree with Mike here,  Taking the second cover up to 300 % I'm happy its 147.

First glance on the first cover I'd say 143 but taking up to 345 % happy last digest is a 7

Chris

[Nick Colley]

Well, for what it's worth (maybe not a lot), I'd say there's sufficient ambiguity about what is (under-)inking of the numbers, and what are small-scale variations in the printing of the air letters to render both numbers no more than a definite 140-something - even at 345%.

Sorry :-(

N

[Jim Mackay]

Thanks all for your input. I've used a pocket microscope on these to no avail. The rest of the correspondence is (presumably) also in the philatelic arena which is why I was (am) hoping that someone somewhere might have a clearer strike.
Jim