Operation Grapple - Christmas Island

[ChristchurchPS]

Please can anyone advise me of some details of two covers, both presumably from crewmembers on HMNZS Pukaki or HMNZS Rotoiti.:

1  A cover  from BFPO Christmas Island 24 AP 57:
      a    -   the location of FPO 701 - cancel 29 AP 57.  [has off centre "A" above date.] backstamp.
   
      b    -   is 9d on an airmail cover to New Zealand the correct rate ?


2  A cover  BFPO Christmas Island  17 JU 57.
      a     -  is 6d the correct surface rate to Fiji.

Thanks

Robert Duns
Christchurch Philatelic Society.

[Michael Dobbs]

Robert

A partial answer - FPO 701 was located in Hong Kong (BFPO 1) - recorded during the period 11 May 55 – 5 Feb 59 and stated to at APO S.900  Whitfield Barracks for all or most of this period.

As regards postal rates I will need to make further enquiries to see if I can provide an answer.

Mike

[ChristchurchPS]

Thankyou Mike

regards
Robert

[Tony Warren]

Robert,
Just seen your post.
I am a bit busy at the moment but I have recently put into auction an original newsletter for Operation Grapple on Christmas Island 1959 [with Channel Islands Postal Bid Sales], this was a Royal Engineers job.
I will try in a day or two to give you bit more info.

Regards
Tony Warren

[Tony Warren]

Apologies Robert, got interrupted the other day, to continue:-
I have also put into the FPHS July auction [b]photocopies[/b] of the same welcoming newsletter - October 59 - for the incoming Royal Engineers 17 INDEPENDENT FIELD SQUADRON and the Mid Pacific News for this period.
If you check the R.E.'s web site you will find more information.
Best of luck

[ChristchurchPS]

Thanks Tony for your assistance will follow it up.

Regards

Robert Duns
ChCh PS Librarian

[Michael Dobbs]

Robert

There is an item within The Postal Museum archives which may assist:

British Forces Postal Service Counter Compendium: Christmas Island/Honolulu Edition (Ref: POST 47/732) (circa 1960s but that needs to be verified).  Unfortunately The Postal Museum is currently closed whilst it relocates from its existing research facility premises in the Royal Mail Mount Pleasant complex across the road to a former Royal Mail building being converted into a proper museum and archive centre.  We have been told that the new museum should open "spring 2017" whenever that may be !

However, rest assured that as soon as it does re-open (the previous archive research centre was nearly a second home for me) I will be there to take a look at the Compendium.  If it is like other BFPO compendiums I have seen it should provide a detailed listing of rates from Christmas Island to all places in the world.

So hopefully you can wait until I am able to return to the archives at the new Postal Museum !

Regards, Mike  ;D

[ChristchurchPS]

Thanks Mike - that will be great - whenever 'Spring' is- if it's anything like our summer it could be a bit out of sequence to what we normally expect.
Robert

[Michael Dobbs]

Robert

I owe you an apology - today whilst searching through a large pile of folders I cam across one which contained copies notes and exchanges of correspondence relating to my Operation Grapple book - and amongst them was a photocopy of a document "British Forces Postal Service Counter Compendium Christmas Island / Honolulu Edition".  There is no date on the cover of the Compendium and there does not appear to be a date mentioned in any of the 37 pages of text and tables.

However, starting at page 24 under the heading "Postage Rates - Letters - continued / TABLE 6 / Destination: All countries other than the United Kingdom / Class: [u]Air[/u]" at Page 25 under Fiji Islands Letters per  ½ oz the rate was 6d; at Page 26 under New Zealand Letters per ½ oz the rate was 9d.  So the rates you originally enquired about are correct rates from Christmas Island to the two destinations concerned.

Sorry it has taken so long to answer !

Regards, Mike  ;D

[ChristchurchPS]

Thanks Mike - that will enable me to confirm my writeup on the pages.

Regards

Robert