salvaged mail from shipwreck WWI

[Tony Walker]

Attached is a scan of a cover salvaged from the wreck of the SS Kenilworth Castle on 4 June 1918 when she was in collision with a destroyer in the English Channel. Torpedoes in the destroyer exploded under the Kenilworth Castle which was badly damaged and beached in Plymouth Sound. The hold containing the mail was flooded, but covers from this incident are not rare.

The ship had departed Cape Town, South Africa on 2 May 1918, this cover bears a cancellation from Dundee, South Africa of 27 April 1918.  My query relates to the censor mark on the cover, and I would be grateful for any information concerning it.  I have two other covers from this wreck, neither of which have been censored.

Tony 

[Peter Harvey]

Tony,

South African civilian censor, two other copies of 10/99 attached. Not sure of the location.

Peter

[Tony Walker]

Hi Peter

Is it surprising the 10 / 99 censor mark appears used from three different originating post offices, so presumably used at a central office with only one censor, or just one censor censor mark?

Cheers
Tony

[Michael Dobbs]

Tony & Peter

All three covers illustrated are addressed to the USA and the censor mark appearance suggests to me a mark of USA origin.  I can't really explain it but the way in which it was produced, the lettering, etc, suggests American origin.

Mike

[Howard Weinert]

I looked through "The Postal History of the A.E.F." (Theo Van Dam) and did not see that mark. In fact, there are no recorded censor marks showing "Passed Censor" without the word "by" in the middle.

[Nick Colley]

I'm pretty sure I've seen that style of mark before on South African civilian mail. However, that combination of period, use and country are largely outside my interests, so I paid no attention to destination(s), or from where the items were posted.

chrs
N

[Alan Baker]

All three places of origin of these covers are in the South African province of Kwa-Zulu previously Natal. This suggests a location of the censor stamp in that area, especially if other covers from the ship do not bear the stamp. It would be interesting to see these to see where they originated

I have not found anything to suggest that the voyage of the ship started in Durban before calling at Cape Town but Durban seems to have been a frequent port of call in other voyages

[Michael Dobbs]

Another item from South Africa to USA with same censor mark on the Stephen Holder / barndance100 website
https://barndance100.co.uk/product/south-africa-natal-to-usa-1919-censored/

S. Africa 2d & ½d cancelled d/r cds PORT SHEPSTONE, NATAL 20 February 1919; s/r censor cachet "Passed Censor 10/99" (by the British War Office?); to USA; no b/s, clear strikes

[Michael Dobbs]

I've come across another cover on the STEVE DREWETT incorporating EMPIRE STAMP AUCTIONS website:
https://www.stevedrewett.com/index.php?s=95&st=100&qry=&sqry=&sort=adddate%20DESC&

1918 (MY.4.) cover addressed to USA (central bend) bearing 2 1/2d adhesive tied by MOUNT SELINDA/RHODESIA cds and struck by blue circular PASSED CENSOR/ 10/99 handstamp. Sent from the 'American Board Mission' at Mount Selinda and with black on white OPENED BY/ CENSOR/1915 on arrival.

As this has come from Rhodesia to USA, does this suggest the PASSED CENSOR 10/99 is a USA marking?

[Michael Dobbs]

I've now heard from Peter Burrows as follows (relating to the two covers I found on the internet):

[color=maroon]The Censor handstamp was used in Cape Town

The second cover appears to have a British label applied in transit via Liverpool[/color] (i.e. the cover from Southern Rhodesia).

Mike

[Tony Walker]

To all
Very grateful for the threads in response to my query from everyone - once again the Forum shows its worth

Cheers
Tony