WW2 RAF Censor Type R14 - 471

[Michael Dobbs]

I received the following enquiry via the website (from the USA):

[color=maroon]Hi, I am trying to determine where an RAF censor stamp number 471 was used in 1944? I believe it was used at one of the RAF training schools located in the US. I can send a scan of the cover. Thank you for any assistance you can provide, or if you can direct me to a resource that might answer this question.[/color]

I responded as follows:

Thank you for your enquiry and the scan of your cover.  The RAF censor 471 marking used on the cover is classified as FPHS Type R14.  According to the publication "World War Two Censor Marks" (2nd Edition, edited by Dr Nick Colley, published by the Forces Postal History Society 2016 notes that this type of censor marking has been recorded used in Algeria, Corsica, Italy, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia.  The numerical range recorded is 1 to 497.  Dates recorded used are February 1943 to November 1944.

An illustration in the above book shows a similar cover to yours with the US POSTAGE 6c printed stamp addressed to Canada.  In this case it has RAF Type R14 censor 360 postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 579 on 28 JU 44; the FPO is thought to have been in Algeria at this time.

Another (electronic) publication "Censorship in the Royal Air Force 1918 to 1956" (by Dr N Colley and W Garrard), 2nd Edition edited by N Colley and I Muchall, 2015 which states that "Type R14 seems to have been the type used by air force units serving with the North African Forces (which later became the Central Mediterranean Forces) for much of 1943 and 1944."  Unfortunately it does not list censor 471 in the list of censor numbers noted.  However it does illustrate another US POSTAGE 6c printed envelope with R14 censor 200 addressed to Canada from an RCAF member and postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 165 on 26 JU 44; the FPO was used in Sardinia.

Your cover is postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 701 on 25 MR 44 and is addressed to the USA.  This FPO number has been recorded used in Algeria 1943-45.

I regret that there is no indication that it was used at one of the RAF schools located in the USA.  I will, however, pass on your query to Dr Nick Colley to see if he has any additional information which may assist.

He then came back with:

[color=maroon]Thank you for your comprehensive reply, much more than I expected, and greatly appreciated by me.
The cover is clearly not what I thought, but leaves open the question why a US stamped envelope (with the domestic postage amount) was used by the RAF from a non-US location for mailing a letter to the US. Another mystery that will require further research by me.
I again thank you very much for taking time from your day to address my question. [/color]

This raises a couple of questions:
- Do any of you have any record of R14 / 471?
- Do any of you have any idea / reason / how / why US POSTAGE 6c envelopes were used (for Canada and USA)?

Thanks, Mike

[Nick Colley]

Folks, Mike e-mailed me last week before he put this on the Forum. FYI, this was my reply (slightly improved compared to my original response):

R14/471 is a new number: it's not in the original listing,and it's not in the New Recordings file.

The usage you report seems normal, so there's no cause for great excitement. I confess that the use of the 6c US airmail stationary by British servicemen to addresses in the US had not seemed worthy of note to me in the past, but I think, going from what I can recall from my own collection, that use may well be a little unusual. What does anyone else think? It was probably cheaper for a British serviceman to spend 6c than 1/3d (or more) using British postage.

rgds
N