All Posts

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.

I have received the following enquiry - I have responded with the information I have (my comments are in red) which is not very helpful but can anyone provide any additional specific information please:

I have a series of covers from the same RAF leading aircraftman all noted RAF SEAAF.

One of them is from Hong Kong and I was wondering if you could tell me where the others were posted?

They are:

FPO 174 8 Oct 45  Egypt – APO S.210 by 16 Dec 45

Can some help explain the purpose of this document?

It records payments (?) to a member of the Kings African Rifles (KAR) in post-WWI German East Africa (soon to be Tanganyika). Of major interest to me is the GEA and Tanganyika stamps used to pay some fee. Perhaps an income tax? Was this is record of payments to the soldier?

Would like the FPHS to know that the Military Postal History Society will be at booth 712. Boston 2026 is from May 23 to May 30.

It will also have a one frame exhibit in the America's Pavillion.

If you are attending please stop by the MPHS table.           

I have received the following enquiry from Germany:

Dear Sirs, I am a philatelic historian from Germany and am researching a mysterious British prisoner-of-war air letter that was included in Michael Dixon´s exhibit and called there "a German propaganda production". It is illustrated in the catalog "British PoW Air Mail Stationery, The Exhibit, by Michael D Dixon, on page 54. Do you have any data or information about this item? I am thankful for any kind of help! Thank you for your consideration!  

Details of the publication can be found here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-WWII-Prisoner-War-Stationery/dp/B0BN9FNDBZ

I believe that the author died in 2024 - open the following link and scroll down to Michael D. Dixon:

https://militaryphs.org/blog/home/in-memoriam/

I have received the following enquiry:

I am in possession of a cover front with this 1946 postmark that Webb knew of only 7 in existence. There was some doubt about where RAFPOST130 was based in Hong Kong when Col. Webb wrote his book in 1961. Is any more known now? Please put me in touch with anyone who may have information. Thanks  

As I have both John Smith's and Bill Garrard's booklets on RAF Postal Service Overseas I have responded as per the attached document. However, if any member has additional information please do respond here.

Thanks, Michael

Can anyone tell me what is going on here?

The attached February 1941 cover to UK has a 4d Swaziland definitive affixed and is cancelled at SA APO 1, the South Africa Forces base APO in Durban.

Why the Swazi stamp? Why the 4d rate? I cannot find any evidence that this is a true rate.

The cover came on an album page which suggested it originated from Natal Force, East Africa. I can find no evidence to support this.

Any thoughts?

Michael

I am a new member, and this is my first post. I have reached a dead end in my research on the wartime experience of Barbara Pym, the novelist. She was based on the south coast pre- Normandy landings as a 3/O WRNS censor officer. She lived at HMS Mastadon, Exbury House in normal times. However, I found the address she used confusing. The envelope with her address is in the Bodleian library, copyright holder Tom Holt. She gives her address as Box 500, Southampton. That does not look like a normal naval postal address. Box 500 was the designation for the Security Service, MI5. Can anyone help, please?