WW2 - Cost of Cigarettes sent to Troops in Europe

[John Cranmer]

First I wish you all a happy Christmas and New Year

I have just come across this postage label from a package of cigarettes seent to Private F. S. Smith a soldier with the 36th First Canadian Army Troops Composite Company R.C.A.S.C.

The meter 24 cents impression is dated the 2nd of May 1945.  The weight of the parcel is given as 12 ounces and the value as $1.00  The 24 cents makes sence if the package was just under 12 ounces and sent at the letter rate of 4 cents + 10 x 2 cents for each extra ounce.

[b]So a question[/b]. How much would the sender have paid for the cigarettes when they were bought in Canada? Was it the $1.00 declared or was that just a nominal value for customs purposes?

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[Alan Baker]

Have you tried Mike Street or Wayne Schnarr? Alternatively, put a query to the Canadian Military Mail Study Group, via Dean Mario

They are all FPHS members

[Alan Baker]

John Are you a member of CMMSG? There is an article in the latest newsletter about the Ciggies for Canadian Forces in both World Wars. It also gives details of a book on the subject

[Michael Dobbs]

John

The following are details of the "book" Alan mentions - actually it is a website:

British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS)
From the On Line Resources and Exhibits (ORE) section
https://bnaps.org/ore/ore-index.php#top

"Thanks for the Smokes" – Charles Livermore
Canada - World War II overseas tobacco distribution scheme.
https://charleslivermore.com/tobacco/aaindex.html

Hopefully I can also attach the article he refers to (and which refers to the online resource).

Mike