Maltaise Army in Salonica postcard.

[Chris Weddell]

Hi All,

        I just picked up this postcard which is not my usual thing. It is a card posted from Malta to a camp in Salonica. Can any one give me any help with the censor mark which i think is No 1178? and any think about the camp it was sent to and the Maltese Battery based there. I cannot found out anything so far about this. Any
help would be great thanks in advance.

                                Chris
                                                       

                                             

[Robin Davis]

Hello Chris,

I have just had a quick look at my copy of "Malta in World War 1 Postal History" and the censor number is almost certainly 4178.

On page 209, the Rev. G. Cauchi is mentioned in respect of being with the Maltese Labour Battalion, Maltese Camp, Salonika and illustrates a postcard to him from Malta dated NO.22.16. It also says that he volunteered as a civilian to serve with the Labour Battalion.

There may well be more in the book but it's now almost 0100hrs and I'm off to bed.

Hope the above is of help.

Kindest Regards

                    Robin

[Michael Dobbs]

Chris

I agree with Robin - it does look like a 4 - by enlarging it you can see the slant of the 4 and also the horizontal top of the 4.

Just one query - not my area but I'm curious: from a civilian in Malta addressed to a military camp - was this censored by the military in Malta (hence a reference to it in the Malta book) prior to despatch to Salonika ?

Mike  ;)

[Chris Weddell]

Robin and Mike

                    I can add a bit more to the card. The card is addressed to very Rev. Can J Cauchi. This is the Cannon J Cauchi and not Rev G Cauchi. I now know this as i have just pulled up his medal index card. His rank is Cannon 1st Maltese Labour Corps Cannon he was entitled to a War and Victory medal. The Cannon was not the only Maltese Priest at the time serving the medal roll shows 7 other Revs at lest all serving in the 1st Maltese Labour Corps and all at the same time i should think.

                                                     Chris ::)

[Chris Weddell]

Mike

      I do also think the card was censored in Malta before it left to go to the camp in Salonika. Just looking at Kennendy and Crabb it lists Type CM3 4160-4182 used from June 1916 until July 1919 as being used in Malta. I wonder if this was censored in Valletia as the small handstamp which is known to be a late use was used in Valletia.

                                                          Chris.

                                                       

[Alan Green]

All,

No doubt to my mind that this is No.4178, which was used by the postal censors in Valletta between June 1916 and March 1919 (at least). These dates for 4178 are based on the extensive research of individual covers for the "Malta in WW1 Postal History" book mentioned by Robin.

The censors in Malta were somewhat unusual as they were civilians employed by the local government, yet were issued with censor handstamp types normally reserved for military units. As such, most of the mail bearing these marks is of civilian origin. The censors were located in offices adjacent to the GPO postal clerks. From October 1915 there was also an Army Post Office on Malta, yet very little of the mail through the Army PO shows any signs of censorship markings, apart from OAS-Medtn handstamps. Almost the reverse of what one might expect!

I hope this helps,
Alan

[Chris Weddell]

Alan

      Thanks. This helps my understanding of Censors in Malta a lot.

                                          Chris :D

[Michael Dobbs]

Alan - Its a thank you also from me for the very useful explanation of censorship in Malta at that time.

Regards, Mike  :D