Army Post Office handstamp not seen before ?

[Chris Weddell]

Hi All,


        I was going though a box of WW1 cards i just got for one card as the seller would only sell the whole box. When i went though them i find this Field Service Card. I know the A.P.O. is a common one. What interests me is the A.P.O. handstamp, as i have not seen this type of handstamp before,. Any help with this type of handstamp would be good.

                                                            Thanks,

                                                            Chris.  ;D

                                                           

[Frank Schofield]

Chris

This type, known as a "Horseshoe" cancel, is normally found in the 'R' (Railhead) series datestamps this particular one is Proud Type 'C' (T) for which he only records one date, this predates that by about 6 weeks. The 'T' is for temporary, that is moveable type. Nice item.

More interesting is the addressee, Noble Burrows. I have come across him a couple of times, he is known for writing to interned British sailors, sending books etc and asking them to write back to him, I have a nice one from the British Submarine E13 interned in Denmark after she was attacked by German Destroyers in Danish waters.

First I have seen from the Army, is there anything extra written on the normally just crossed out messages on the other side?

Frank Schofield

[Chris Weddell]

Frank,

        Thanks for the help again. I am going to write this one up. It's not my usual sort of thing but it is very interesting item. Does the temporary datestamp mean the other is lost or damaged !!  I do also find the info on Noble Burrows also very interesting.

I have done a scan of the back of the card but it has only the normal crossed out messages.


                                                  Chris.

[Frank Schofield]

Chris

Proud lists another slightly different (T) RHD used during the month of May 1915
A double ring R.  . 51 with a gap after 'R' as though a letter has been removed, was in use from June 1915 until March 1918
A normal double ring R.51 came into use in December 1916 for about a year
These datestamps were issued with moveable type, most railheads were issued with two datestamps
Thanks for the scan of the back of the card

Frank

[Michael Dobbs]

Chris

This is one for Alistair Kennedy - he is currently trying to find the time to update Proud's book !
According to his book:
[color=maroon]The Postal History of the British Army in World War I 1903-1929, by Alistair Kennedy and George Crabb, published FPHS 1977, 300pp, p/b [/color]
he has recorded this type as K&C Type H.1 (double ring horseshoe) and records APO R.51 (Type H.1) as being recorded used NO 15 - FE 18
51st Highland Division.

You also need to see the report in FPHS Newsletter 167 (Mar-Apr 1981) which may or may not be relevant (especially as there is no space after the R in your scan) - see scan attached.

Regards, Mike  ;)

[akennedy]

The Territorial Divisions were named (e.g. "South Midland"),  the FPO datestamps including appropriate letters, e.g. "SM" . By the end of May 1915 these divisions were numbered, to conform with the regular divisions, e.g. 48th Division. The datestamps changed as well.
This entailed the provision of new sets of datestamps.
The Railhead APOs were particularly interesting.
Mike has drawn attention to the article noting some inscribed RD instead of simply R, the D being cut out, these generally being replaced by a new permanent datestamp.
The horseshoe datestamps were, as Frank indicates, made up from loose type - to provide a second datestamp for these offices. These were designed as temporary datestamps (in the same way as skeletons), although many had a long life, lasting into 1919.
The horseshoe type was also used for some of the other railhead offices, generally when needing second datestamp.

Alistair

P.S. Noble Burrows had a lot of philatelic correspondents around the world.

[Chris Weddell]

Alistair and Mike

                        Thanks for both of your help with this. It has given me a lot to think about.

                        I think i need to add the books mentioned to my bookshelf as i seem to be adding a lot of WW1 items A.P.Os, F.P.O.s and Censor marks to my collection. Could any add names of books which would be helpful on these subjects.

                                                            Thanks.

                                                            Chris  ;D