British Military Hospital Nairobi
Here's a 1954 cover from the hospital. The sender, B Robertson, puts his rank as BACS on the return address on the reverse. What is this acronym?
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Postal deliveries to France 1944 - 45
I have received the following enquiry from a non-member:
In a family history context I would like to know how a letter written by a soldier in May 1944, addressed to a family in Paris, might have been delivered and how long it would take. Would the Red Cross have been involved? When did normal postage services from UK to France resume? I would appreciate any information relating to this subject. Many thanks.
Any help gratefully received, thanks, Mike
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BMEF WW1 Item "Present Location Unsertain"
Hello
Can anyone help with the marking on the reverse "Present Location Unsertain" (spelling error!)? What is the meaning of the "A.L.8 ..." information?
Manuscript marking "Transferred sick" on the front suggests the officer was moved somewhere. How did the postal service work in case someone was moved, how can the various army post office marks be explained?
best regards, Peter
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Michael Dobbs
May 31
Chris - I think you are mixing up the two cachets. Yes the UNABLE TO TRACE cachet on the front of the envelope is B.M.E.F. and I don't disagree that it is from Egypt. The cachet on the reverse of the envelope PRESENT LOCATION UNSERTAIN is the one with the initials R.L.B. L.F.S. G.P.O. These stand for Returned Letter Branch, London Foreign Section, General Post Office. This would relate to the GPO in London based at the King Edward Building, London EC1. I admit the 'B' in R.L.B looks like an '8' and its difficult to make out the 'S' in L.F.S.!! And yes, there is also a spelling error in UNSERTAIN which should read UNCERTAIN. This is a poorly made cachet but I believe genuine.
BRITISH ENGINEER SECONDED TO 22 (EA) BRIGADE. (PERHAPS)
I attach a scan of a cover from 18657 C/En Hardie, posted at Advance Base Post Office Arakan. I believe this because the unit censor number is smack in the middle of a series issued to above mentioned brigade I contend that the advanced post office was used because EA APO 78 which had come from Ceylon With the brigade had not yet been opened. Can any member advise me if the engineer was attached to the brigade.
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Chaps, since the sender, B. Robertson, is the same name as one of our members (who happens to be a medical doctor), I sent him the pdf. He says it's definitely NOT him, or any relative that he knows of, BUT: he suggests this (and I quote):
The "BACS" could actually be "BRCS" - British Red Cross Society.
All Military Hospitals around the world would have had a Joint Red Cross and St John Welfare Department with the staff being members of one or other Organisation.
This Joint Service Hospital Welfare Department became the independent Defence Medical Welfare Service in 2001 and still exists working around the world with British Forces today.
So, an alternative possibility? 🙂
Nick.