1946 FPO with Mauritius GeoSix stamp

[Michael Dobbs]

Dear all

I have received an enquiry from an individual in France, via the BFPO, regarding the use of FPO 642 in Mauritius in 1946.  It is a cut-out and so is not very helpful in terms of any other markings, senders details, addressee, etc.  It appears to be FIELD POST OFFICE 642 dated 24 FE 46 on a Mauritius GeoSix stamp.

According to Proud Volume III FPO 642 is recorded as Rome (16.6.44) - (13.9.47).  Can anyone offer an explanation for the apparant Mauritius link ?

In addition this person also asks:

"May I catch this opportunity to ask whether you can indicate to me whom I could approach in the UK to see whether, between 1939 and 1945, any mail was carried out of Mauritius by the military seaplanes that were based on the island (in Tombeau Bay, on the West coast) and carried out reconnaissance flights, apparently to Madagascar, the Seychelles, Diego Garcia and even possibly to Mombasa."

Again, can anyone offer any help with this please ?

Many thanks, Mike  :)

[akennedy]

FPO 642 was in Italy - but unfortunately there was a naughty stamp collector getting the postmark on totally irrelevant stamps!
Such as your Mauritius example.
Alistair

[akennedy]

The 5 rupee value is a give away that it is not correct postal use.
Alistair

[Frank Schofield]

A slight point, the Mauritius Pioneers served in Italy, one is buried in Rome
might be a tie in there
Frank Schofield

[Michael Dobbs]

Just to keep you informed of similar matters: back in May I received an equiry from a member of the West Africa SC who enquired:

[color=maroon]My colleagues have found a couple of strikes of FPO 17 (with thick arcs) on Sierra Leone stamps / pieces dated 10 and 11 Jan 1946.  Do you have any information concerning the whereabouts of this device at the time - Collect British Postmarks mentions Egypt?  To my knowledge, the only documented FPOs used in Sierra Leone during WW2 are 41 and 537.[/color]

I recently responded to the effect that Proud gives FPO 17 as Italy and stated that the Sierra Leone pieces are from around the same time period and so I think we can say that they are further examples of this "naughty stamp collector" at work who was obviously in Italy at the time !

Mike  :)