Help with a Darwin NT (?) WWII Cover

[Malcolm Price]

I have been asked about the following cover, scan of obverse attached, reverse has no marks at all.  There is a pencil notation of "Cancelled Darwin H/S" presumably added by a dealer/collector.  The postage is correct for a Forces Concession plus internal airmail supplement.

Does anyone have any knowledge of the use of a single line 'CANCEL***' in the Darwin area?  Could it have been an 'emergency' use during the 1942/3 Japanese air raid period?

As to the censor mark I have a further use of 1356, but with a different signature, used in early October '43 on a cover with cancellation of Unit Postal Station S77.  Proud gives no specific location other than 2Bde in Northern Territories during the period 1st December 1942 to 4th October 1943.

Any help, assistance, information, observations, very gratefully received.

[Chris Weddell]

Hi Malcolm,

                I think you 'CANCEL**' handstamp is a 'CANCELLED' handstamp. I have had a number of covers with this type of handstamp on and they were all from Australia but i have never seen it on WW2 forces mail.

                                              Chris

[Malcolm Price]

Hi Chris,

Many thanks for your input -  I was working on the basis that it was a truncated 'CANCELLED' rubber stamp.

As you suggest it still seems to be very "non-forces" for what is apparently forces mail,

Again many thanks,

Malcolm.

[Ross Debenham]

Malcolm
It was most probably and emergency canceller as the Darwin Post Office was completely destroyed in the first air raid by the Japanese, with the loss of all the staff. Following the raids Darwin was in total turmoil and I have no doubt that all the normal cancellers would have been destroyed in the raid along with he Post Office.

[Malcolm Price]

Ross

Thanks for your information.  You have reinforced our thoughts on this item.

Again many thanks,

Malcolm