BEF Dunkirk return to sender

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Hello members,

you see a envelope with an adress to the soldier who was in the BEF. The envelope goes back to England, because he was missing.

What is the small red "R" on the envelope? It is the sign for returned?

Have got anywhere a list of the different rubber handstamps?

Thank you for answer!

Ingo

[Frank Schofield]

The 'R' is a Transorma machine mark used in Brighton

Frank Schofield

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Hello Frank,

many thanks for the information for the "R" on envelope.

Have you got any information about the Return to sender rubberhandstamps?

Ingo

[Frank Schofield]

Ingo

Sorry I do so little GB postal history these days, but the boxed R.T.S  are quite common, and probably were held at every sorting office in the UK

Frank Schofield

[Michael Dobbs]

Ingo

I think the boxed cachet reads UNDELIVERED FOR REASON STATED / RETURN TO SENDER.  This was a standard Post Office (and also Army Post Office) cachet.  It is likely to have been applied by the Army Post Office - possibly at the Home Depot (as it was then known).  I believe that this would only have been applied and the letter returned once confirmation had been received that an official notification had been sent to the family of the person concerned.  However, as always, I am open to correction if I have it wrong as it is really outside my collecting area !

Regards, Mike   :)

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Mike,

::) I couldn´t read the box handstamp... You know the handstamp better.

Thank you Mike, and I am looking forward.

Ingo

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Ingo,

I did a quick internet search for the Reverend N M Dunlop as your cover is addressed. The Wartime Sussex project comments on reports from the Reverend Dunlop on conditions at Saltzburg POW Camp where he was held prisoner of war.

Regards

Peter

[Ingo Egerlandt]

Hi Peter,

oh my dear. Salzburg POW Camp in Austria today. It was STALAG XVIII C. This prison was official opened in 1941 but the forerunnercamp started in August 1940.

Ingo