HMS E 2 ?

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi All

One for our Naval team here I think,

Cover cancelled ??? 19th December 1915, addressed to someone on HMS 2 E (HMS E 2?) various endorsements including HMS Adamant crossed through. HMS Adamant was a depot ship based at Mudros serving the submarines engaged there.

Returned to London 21st Jan 1916, Edinburgh and back to London. Back-stamped London Paid and CANNOT BE TRACED Hand-stamp.

I suspect the writer didn't really know the correct address.

Cheers

Chris

[Frank Schofield]

Chris

This is most probably H.M/Sub E2
The ship named at the top is HMS Zedwhale (Z.1.) an Admiralty Whaler
Just after the date of posting 13? Dec 1915, on Jan 2nd 1916 E.2. was the last British Submarine in the Dardanelles area and was recalled to Malta, cannot see any mention of Malta on the cover, may be the reason it was undelivered. During her time in the Dardanelles area, in June 1915, she has major problems with her engines and was sent back to Malta for repairs
Hope of some use

Frank Schofield

[Alan Green]

Chris & Frank,

As there have been no further comments, maybe I could add some of my thoughts?

I agree that there are no recognisable Malta marks, but I wonder about the address?

Would a submarine have a Lower Ranks Mess? (assuming that's what L.R.Mess stands for?)

I wonder if the next line is H.M.S. Q.E. (i.e. HMS Queen Elizabeth). If so, does this change the likely location as HMS QE was, according to the RN Pink List of 1.1.16, with the 5th Battle Squadron, Grand Fleet.

Hope my comments are helpful (even if they're wrong!)
Alan Green

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

Just noticed the small circular 5 on the RTS cachet, is this a Malta Postmans mark?

Frank Schofield

[Alan Green]

Frank,

The Malta Postmen's handstamps were oval with seriffed numbers and had a gap at the top centre in the frame (in the types used prior to 1926).

I have attached a scan of Malta No.5, which was used in Sliema. No evidence that the 5 on this cover was Maltese.

Regards,
Alan

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

I wonder where this was applied, probably an Inspectors Number, with 270 odd members of the FPHS, the answer must be out there somewhere

Frank

[katkin]

W R Mess=
Ward Room Mess

Kath.

[Colin Tabeart]

Agree it was addressed c/o Wardroom Mess. Also agree probably QE - the "Q" was often written as a curly "2" at this time. No-one who knew anything about submarines would have put a Mess as part of the address - everyone knows everyone in a boat. The "Mr" suggests that E Newberry(?) was either a civilian (canteen manager? laundryman?) or a very junior officer - anyway no sign of him in the 1916 Navy list. There are some interesting points about Zedwhale at http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/PP_I/pp_morrison_george_sailor_zedwhale.htm - amongst other things suggesting that she was a tender at Rosyth at the time of this letter, which could account for the Edinburgh date stamp. Best wishes, Colin

[Michael Gould]

I remember discussing such small number cachets on redirected naval mails some time back. It is my strong suspicion that they ref to redirection locations in Inverness naval post office, I think I suggested that they might refer to specific sorting tables, one for each location. I would have to dig back a bit to see if I suggested where 5 referred to. Michael Gould