Army of the Black Sea

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi All

A recent purchase at Banstead last weekend has me puzzled,

Viewcard of Constantinople cancelled FPO H12 2nd December 1918, this FPO served as Base Office at Gatata Quay in Constantinople.

Censored 7/465, card is undated and message very difficult to read, Censor unreadable, addressed to London and redirected to Isle of Wight.

FD records 7/465 with FPO 80, late December 18 & FPO 80 & SX22 in 1919.  J.S. records 7/465 as Base Commandant Batoum. (1919)

27th Division which comprised the occupation force for Batoum & Tiffilis left Salonika in late December and sailed for Batoum, 80th Brigade left 16 th Dec arrived Batoum 23rd Dec 1918 & 27th Division arrived 22nd Dec 1918.

The question is who was using 7/465 in Constantinople in early December 18 . Possibly a small unit from GHQ who later transferred to the occupation force? Or was the censor handstamp reallocated.

Friends comments welcomed.

Chris

[Chris Grimshaw]

For the record

Scan attached.

Chris

[akennedy]

Perhaps the officer designated as Base Commandant for Batoum, with censor stamp 7/465, was travelling separately from 27th Division units.

Several recordings - from FPO H12 18 Dec 18 (as well as now 2Dec), FPO 80 Dec18 - Mar 19, APO SX22 May19 - July 19.

Alistair