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Ragama. 1901-02 Picture postcards from Paul Rubens, a German P.O.W in Ragama, all to Wriezen in Germany, franked 6c tied by datestamps of Ragama Camp (19), Diyatalawa Camp (2, also with Diyatalawa censors, but both written at Ragama) or "THE CAMP" (3), all with oval censor cachets. The cards include a cyclostyled card "A Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to You, 1901, Boer Prisoner Camp, Diyatalawa (Ceylon)" (with Diyatalawa crossed out), a 6c stationery card sending 1902 New Year greetings with a painting of a pith helmet signed "Th. Lauber", and ten cards depicting Ragama Camp, one card with a two line cachet of the camp. A fine and interesting correspondence. (24). Photo on Page 62. £800-1,000
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Ragama/Diyatalawa. 1901-02 Picture postcards franked 6c or 7c to Germany (5) or Switzerland (9), from Ragama (12) or Diyatalawa (2) all censored, three with "THE CAMP" datestamps, one much redirected within Germany. Two are printed cards depicting Ragama Camp, most apparently sent by German prisoners. A fine lot. (14). £350-400
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Ragama. 1902 (Sep 20) Registered cover to Holland franked 2c and 5c on the front and 6c strip of three on the reverse, all tied Ragama Camp c.d.s with the scarce boxed "R" registration handstamp used at the camp post office, not censored, probably because of the very late date four months after the war had ended. Also a censored postcard to Holland only franked 3c with boxed "T" handstamp. (2). Photo on Page 62. £150-180
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Ragama. 1901-02 Covers from (3) or to (7) the camp including covers from Austria and Holland, a 2c stationery card from Diyatalawa Camp to Ragama, also a censored 2c stationery card with a coloured picture of a Boer firing a mauser rifle, signed "D.D. Boer P.O.W". (10). £180-220
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Mount Lavinia. 1901-02 Cards and covers comprising a 2c card to the Sisters of Ward No. 3 at Diyatalawa cancelled by the oval E.J.B censor cachet of Diyatalawa; a 6c postcard and two covers franked 6c all to South Africa, cancelled at Galkissa with Diyatalawa censor cachets of O.H or F.R.N.F (2), one cover containing a cut-out photo of the writer, sent to a lady at the Howick Boer Camp. Also four later postcards of Mount Lavinia. (8). £300-350
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Hambantota. 1901 Cover with Ceylon 5c on the reverse, to "Field Cornet J.H.A Loats, P.O.W, Officers Quarters, Hambantota" with scarce violet oval "P.O.W / PASSED / CENSOR / HAMBANTOTA", pink E.R Opened Under Martial Law seal partly removed; and 1902 2c on 5c stationery envelope from Hambantota to another P.O.W at Ragama, with oval Ragama censor cachet. (2). £160-180
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Hambantota. 1902 Cover from Holland to Ragama Camp redirected to Hambantota with "P.O.W / PASSED / CENSOR / HAMBANTOTA" and Diyatalawa E.J.B censor, again redirected back to Ragama with an orange E.R Opened Under Martial Law seal. Also a 1901 cover from Paarl to General Roux at Diyatalawa, redirected to Nuwera Eliya with Hambantota arrival c.d.s, vertical fold. (2). Photo on Page 62. £180-200
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Hambantota. 1902 (June 27) 2c Postal stationery envelope posted within Hambantota, to a P.O.W Jacob Honer, with superb oval "P.O.W / PASSED / CENSOR / HAMBANTOTA" in violet. Photo on Page 62. £180-240
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Hambantota. 1902 Cover from Cape Town to Hubert Potzieter at Hambantota with E.R censor seal of Ceylon and violet oval "P.O.W /PASSED / CENSOR / HAMBANTOTA"; and 1902 5c envelope uprated 10c to Berlin, cancelled at Diyatalawa with a Diyatalawa E.J.B censor but with a return address of a P.O.W at Hambantota. (2). £180-240
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Welikada. 1901 Cover from Netherlands Indies franked 10c and 15c, sent to Ragama and redirected to "Convict Establishment, Welikada", Diyatalawa "E.J.B" censor and a pink E.R Opened Under Martial Law seal, various D.E.I and Ceylon backstamps. Light vertical fold, an unusual origin and address. £120-150
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Welikada. 1901 5c Lettercard bearing two 3c and two 2c stamps, to Holland, all cancelled at Diyatalawa with a Diyatalawa E.J.B censor, the message written from Welikada Jail, very fine and attractive. Also a 2c postcard and 5c lettercard to Paris, both written from Welikada by Louis Bergasse, who was sent to the jail for trying to escape from Diyatalawa, both unfortunately with other stamps removed. (3). £140-180
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Welikada/Urugasmanhandiya/Kandy. 1901-02 Covers comprising cover from New South Wales to Welikada Jail redirected to Ragama and Jaffna, oval Ragama censor and a pink censor seal, the stamp removed by the censor; cover from Holland to Welikada with Diyatalawa E.J.B censor and a pink seal; 5c lettercard from Louis Bergasse in Welikada Jail to France, Diyatalawa E.J.B censor, other stamps removed; wrapper from Germany to Diyatalawa redirected to Kandy; and a cover from O.R.C to Urugasmanhandiya. A scarce group. (5). £160-200
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Kandy/Nuwara Eliya. 1901 6c Postcard from a P.O.W on parole at Kandy, to a French P.O.W at Ragama with arrival c.d.s and censor cachet, and a 1902 wrapper with "DE STREVER, DIYATALAWA, CEYLON" printed upon it, posted from the camp to General Roux on parole at St. Andrews Hotel, Nuwara Eliya, with Diyatalawa Camp c.d.s and censor cachet. "De Strever" published by the Christian Youth Organisation in Diyatalawa. (2). £120-150
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Hospital Ship "Atlantian". 1901 (Mar 31) Censored cover franked 5c from Diyatalawa Camp to "B. Van Coller, S.S Atlantian, Colombo, Ceylon" with an arrival backstamp. Opening tear at upper left corner, otherwise fine and very scarce. The Hospital Ship "Atlantian" was in Colombo harbour in February-April 1901; very few covers have been recorded to the ship. Photo on Page 62. £160-200
| Other 19th Century Wars | |
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Franco-Prussian War. 1870-71 Covers from Reims to London both sent through the German Feldpost, the 1870 cover stampless, handstamped "REIMS", red "P.D" and boxed "K.PR. FELD-POST / RELAIS No. 25 / 12/9"; the 1871 cover bearing Alsace Lorraine 10c and 20c cancelled by the same No. 25 Feldpost datestamp (dated 18/1) with a further strike alongside, red "P.D" and a London Paid c.d.s. The stamped cover with a couple of small edge tears, otherwise fine, an unusual pair. (2). Photo on Page 62. £160-220
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Officers Letters. 1878 Cover with H.M.S "Shannon" crest bearing 1d red strip of three, and a c.1882 cover "via Brindisi" with 2½d blue, both cancelled by London numerals, both covers from Lt. H. Hay; a similar 1882 cover sent by Hay from Egypt illustrated in "Naval Officers Letters" by G. Osborn (page 55). (2). £90-120
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Egypt. 1882 (Sep 21) Stampless cover to England endorsed "Lt Brett, 2 Scots Guards, Egyptian Force, Egypt" handstamped "T" and charged 2½d, unusually posted into the Indian Army P.O and transferred to the British Army P.O. Backstamped with the very scarce "FIELD FORCE P.O EGYPT / No. 2" c.d.s with "BRITISH ARMY POST OFFICE / EGYPT" c.d.s on the front, Deal c.d.s and squared circle arrival datestamps, redirected to Luton. Minor edge faults and part of back missing, not affecting the Indian F.P.O. Photo on Page 62. £400-450
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Sudan. 1885 (Mar 19) Stampless cover to England endorsed "Nile Expedition, No Stamps" with a "DONGOLA" star and crescent c.d.s and "2½" charge mark, backstamped at Alexandria and in England, some edge faults and light overall staining. £80-100
| First World War, 1914-19 | |
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1914 (August) Forces mail comprising covers and cards charged 1d upon arrival in G.B (4, one with straight line "PASSED BY CENSOR", three with Advance or Army Base P.O c.d.s); postcard from Edinburgh to a soldier in the A. & S. Highlanders endorsed "Prisoner in Germany" with "P.C" and Darmstadt P.O.W Camp censor; and 1d Field Service postcard from a British P.O.W in Germany. (6). £100-120
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1914-18 Covers and cards with 1914 (Aug 31) Officially Sealed label used as a provisional censor seal, covers to Holland with enclosed postal censorship slips "enclosure missing" or "letters to be in English or French to minimise delay", mail from Holland captured by the Germans with violet "PART OF A MAIL CAPTURED / BY GERMANS AND DELAYED" or "AANGEHOUDEN / DOOR DUITSCHLAND / 1916-17" (2, one delivered Jan. 1919), card to Holland with "Picture Post-cards / are returned / by the Censor", etc. (9). £180-220
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Antwerp Operations. 1914 (Oct) Covers and cards with "ARMY POST OFFICE / D" skeleton on cards from the Base Office at Dunkirk (2); stampless covers and cards with various Belgian datestamps (15, nine with the unusual "P.C" censor cachet); a similar stampless card with "P.C" and a Dutch datestamp of Etten; covers or cards from (4, one registered) or to members of the R.N.D interned in Holland and a 1915 Christmas card of the R.N.B, H.M.S "Timbertown", Groningen. British forces landed at Antwerp on October 3rd; the city surrendered on the 10th and all forces escaped or were evacuated by the 13th, many becoming internees in Holland. An interesting lot. (24). £200-240
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1914-17 British Forces mail, covers and cards including 1d Field Service postcards (6), registered Expeditionary Force Message Week End Telegram franked 3d, 1915 red Honour Envelope for urgent personal matters with F.P.O T.15 datestamps, postcard to a soldier in Aden with Indian F.P.O 324 arrival datestamp, 1917 O.A.S cover from the Jubaland Campaign with Kismayu c.d.s and censor, etc. (11). £120-150
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1916 Cover from Vice Admiral Lord Charles Dundas carried to England by Kings Messenger with a 1d stamp cancelled red boxed "K (crown) M / PRIVILEGED" and a London S.W machine. Also 1914 Field Service postcard to Cox & Co., forwarded to the Hampshire Regt. Depot endorsed "accelerated postcard" with A.P.O 43 c.d.s and a War Office cachet, the reverse listing Officers of the 1st Hants Regt. (2). £100-120
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1914 (Oct 15) Stampless picture postcard of R.M.S "Franconia" with red crowned "CANADIAN OVERSEAS / EXPEDITIONARY FORCE / FIELD / POST OFFICE" datestamp; and two 1915 O.A.S postcards from "No. 1 Ambulance Flotilla". (3). £80-100
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1914 (Sep 17) Parcel address label from Bristol franked 7d, to H.M.S "Hogue", returned with two strikes of violet boxed "Vaisseau Perdu. / Ship lost". H.M.S "Hogue" was torpedoed off Ijmuiden by the U9 on September 22nd. £100-120
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Battle of the Falklands. Stampless cover to London endorsed "From H.M.S Macedonia, stamps not available" with a London machine (Jan 16 1915) and "RECEIVED FROM H.M SHIP / NO CHARGE TO BE RAISED", carried to England on the "Macedonia" which left the Falklands with P.O.Ws on December 15th 1914, arriving at Liverpool on January 13th. Also stampless postcard of Lima dated "3/4/15" with violet "RECEIVED FROM HMS / NO CHARGE TO BE RAISED" and a cover with red London Paid machine (Mar 23 1915) both with small circular "PASSED / H.M.S KENT / CENSOR. (3). Photo on Page 65. £160-200
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R.A.F/R.F.C. 1918 Postcard from Lieut. C.G Gilbert, R.A.F, a P.O.W in Graudenz Officers Camp, to England, variously redirected; and 1917-18 postcards to A/M R.J Binstead, R.F.C, the first to the No. 1 Gunnery School, Lower Aerodrome, Hythe, the other to 57 Balloon Section, Aden Field Force. Lieut. Gilbert was shot down by The Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, over Tilley on 25th March 1917, victim no. 31 of the 80 allied aircraft he destroyed. (3). £100-120
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Belgian Refugees. 1916-17 Cards comprising postcard from the Belgian Consulate in Sunderland to the Earls Court Refugee Camp with "WAR REFUGEES CAMP / EARLS COURT, S.W / GONE AWAY - LEAVING NO ADDRESS" charged ½d due upon return; stampless cover with Elisabethville single ring c.d.s; and printed "BIRTLEY ELISABETHVILLE / Administration du Village" envelope with 2d tied by double ring Elisabethville c.d.s. (3). £80-100
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Express Censorship. 1916 3d Registration envelope franked 2/6 seahorse, sent from Newcastle on Tyne to a Belgian General interned in Holland, the stamps partly covered by a P.W.5 censor seal, light horizontal crease, otherwise fine. A good example of the scarce 2/6 fee for express censorship. Photo on Page 65. £250-300
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Express Censorship. 1917 3d Registration envelope franked 6d and 1/- (2), sent from Stornoway to a Belgian General interned in Holland, the stamps partly or wholly covered by a P.W.5 censor seal, light horizontal crease, otherwise fine. A good example of the scarce 2/6 fee for express censorship, unusual from the Hebrides. Photo on Page 65. £250-300
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Nyasaland Field Force. 1917 (July 3) Stampless O.A.S cover to South Africa signed by G.A. MacDowall, with "F.P.O / 4" c.d.s used at Wiedhafen, and violet boxed "PASSED BY / (crown) / No 3317 / CENSOR". Also a 1916 (Jan. 4) stampless O.A.S postcard (stained) sent by MacDowall from Potchefstroom, in which he tells of his imminent departure for East Africa, and gives his address as "3250 C.S.M G.A MacDowall, C Coy, 5th S.A Infantry, 2nd S.A Brigade, Kilindini, B.E.A c/o Field Post Office". This square type army censor is very scarce on mail from the Nyasaland F.F; Drysdall & Pennycuick recorded one other example, also No. 3317, on a March 1917 cover posted at F.P.O 4. (2). Photo on Page 65. £150-180
| Prisoner of War Mail | |
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1914-19 Covers and cards including items from or to German P.O.Ws in Japan (3), 1919 P.O.W lettersheet from Italy with A.P.O L1 c.d.s, P.O.W envelopes from France (one from the P.O.W ship "Bryne" at Le Havre), 1916 South Africa newspaper wrapper to Pietermaritzburg Camp with "NOT CAMP II" and "NOT CAMP 4." cachets, mail from or to internees in Holland, 1918 lettercard of the S.S "Sindoro" written on board by a returning German prisoner and posted at Rotterdam, 1914 (Oct.) printed instructions for sending mail to British P.O.Ws, Rubleben Camp, 1918 Official postcard from a returned P.O.W just landed at Leith en-route to the P.O.W Reception Camp at Ripon, etc. (70). £200-300
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G.B - P.O.W Ships. c.1915 Stampless P.O.W covers to Germany (3) or Holland all with circular "POST FREE / P.C. / PRISONERS OF WAR", with return addresses of H.M.T "Manitoba" or "Ascania" both at Ryde, H.M.T "Ivernia" at Southend on Sea or S.S "Scotian" at Portsmouth, all fine. (4). £200-240
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G.B - P.O.W Ships. 1914-15 P.O.W envelopes from the prison ships "Lake Manitoba", "Tunisian" or "Uranium" all at Ryde or the "Ivernia" at Southend on Sea all with "POST FREE / P.C. / PRISONERS OF WAR" cachets; and a stampless postcard from Germany to a P.O.W at Newbury, redirected to Portsmouth with violet oval "PRISONERS OF WAR / PORTSMOUTH / HANTS / 29 JAN. 1915 / H.M.T "LAKE MANITOBA"". (5). Photo on Page 65. £250-300
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G.B - P.O.W Ship "Ascania". 1914 Postcards to the "Ascania" at Portsmouth, the first franked ½d from London with manuscript "PC" above "ASCANIA" straight line cachet; the second from Chingford with the stamp removed by the censor and violet oval "COMMANDANT'S OFFICE / PORTSMOUTH / HANTS / 11 DEC 1914 / PRISONERS OF WAR H.M.T "ASCANIA"". A scarce pair, the first censor cachet not recorded by Mark. (2). £180-220
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Ireland - Oldcastle. c.1916 Stampless P.O.W covers from Oldcastle, all to Austria, three with circular "POST FREE / P.C. / PRISONERS OF WAR", three with letters enclosed. (5). £180-220
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G.B - 1914 (Sep. - Dec.). Covers and cards from (4) or to (3) P.O.Ws or internees comprising two covers from Dorchester with the scarce red "LONDON E.C / POSTAGE / PAID / POW" c.d.s and violet boxed "P.C. / M.O.5 (H)"; postcard from Frith Hill also with the "P.C / M.O.5 (H)" cachet; postcard from the USA to the Captain of S.S "Gamma" at Concentration Camp, Newcastle, with violet oval "CHIEF CONSTABLE'S OFFICE / 28 NOV 1914 / NEWCASTLE-ON-TYPE"; postcard to a crew member of the "Mainz" at Aldershot; ½d postcard cancelled by red "OFFICIAL PAID / EDINBURGH" c.d.s with violet boxed "COMMANDANT / REDFORD DETENTION CAMP / COLINTON"; and a cover to Colinton redirected to Stobs and the Isle of Man. (7). Photo on Page 65. £250-300
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G.B. 1916-19 Covers and cards from (7) or to (4) P.O.Ws or internees including 1d envelope to Dartford War Hospital with violet boxed "PASSED CENSOR / DARTFORD WAR HOSPITAL / DARTFORD"; 3d registration envelope with violet oval "PASSED FOR POST / PRISONERS OF WAR / 6 JUL. 1917 / CAMP / HACKNEY WICK"; picture postcard of Libury Hall used from the camp to Rev. Hartmann and a cover with violet circular "PRISONERS OF WAR / COMMANDANT / LIBURY HALL"; cover and card to Brocton or Stafford both returned with boxed "P.W.I.B. / Repatrie / RETOUR / Return to Sender"; items from Ripon (2, one with remittance advice enclosed), Dartford War Hospital or Belmont Hospital; a card to Belmont Hospital; and printed instructions for sending letters to Queensferry Camp. (13). Photo on Page 65 £300-350
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G.B. 1915-19 P.O.W Covers or lettersheets from Knockaloe (letter enclosed, boxed "W.M.B" censor), Islington or Catterick with camp cachets, real photo card of internees in Douglas Special Camp, covers from Germany to Knockaloe or West Didsbury Hospital, 1915 cover from G.B to a British P.O.W at Ghent with boxed "PRISONERS OF WAR / INFORMATION BUREAU / BERLIN", also a postcard from an internee in Egypt to Austria with B.A.P.O Z c.d.s and boxed "ALIENS / INTERNMENT CAMP / SIDI BISHR / ALEXANDRIA". (8). £120-150
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Jersey. 1915 and 1916 Christmas greetings postcards published in the camp, addressed to Germany, the first with violet double ring "JERSEY / P.C. / CHANNEL ISLANDS"; an unused postcard of the camp drawn by Hans Muller; a photographic postcard of three P.O.Ws posted from the camp with violet "POST FREE / P.C. / PRISONER OF WAR"; and an unused bundle label "Paid letters for Prisoner of War Camp Jersey". A scarce group. (5). Photo on Page 65. £300-350
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Isle of Man. 1915-16 Stampless P.O.W envelopes from Knockaloe handstamped "POST FREE / P.C. / PRISONERS OF WAR" with individual censors initials handstamped in the lower left corner including boxed "H.B.S" or "T.V.O / 476" and ten differing unboxed handstamped initials, nine covers with enclosed letters, one cover with faults, otherwise fine and scarce. Most P.O.W mail did not receive these individual censor handstamps, which are therefore uncommon. (12). £600-700
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Malta. WW1 Stampless P.O.W cover to "The Commanding Officer, War Prisoners Camp, Malta" with scarce circular "FROM PRISONER OF WAR / PC / (A) / MALTA / FREE". Malta Handbook type POW-3, a very few examples recorded between September 1919 and May 1920, apparently used to provide a free postal concession on official mail from the POW camps. . £100-150
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Norway. 1915 (Nov 2) Picture postcard to England bearing red "PASSERER" label tied by a red London F.S Paid machine with a "HAMAR" c.d.s alongside, part of the address written through, otherwise fine and scarce. Sent by a British internee from H.M.S "India", which was torpedoed off the Norwegian Coast in August 1915. £100-120
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Turkey. 1916-18 Postcards (5, three printed Ottoman Red Cross cards) and a cover from British P.O.Ws at Angora (written en route to Kastamuni), Afion Kara Hissar (2), Kastamuni or Psamatia (2), also a 1918 (Nov 8) stampless postcard with London Received From H.M Ship machine written from Constantinople by "Capt. H.E Stapleton, ex Turkish P of W" with interesting message "just a line to go by the kindness of the Captain of a British Monitor now in harbour, to say that the Kedos crowd reached here at midday from Ushaq having been rushed off unexpectedly yesterday and expected to leave here at the latest by the 16th when the Hospital Ship is said to be arriving. All the invalids have already left by another ship". (7). £260-320
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Turkey. 1918 Stampless covers from J.W Blake, a Royal Flying Corps Officer in the 63 Squadron captured at Kut, sent from the P.O.W camp at Kedos, one with the letter enclosed. Both sent to his brother in the 2/2 Rajputs at Agra and redirected to Malakand with Turkish censor cachets, Agra and Malakand datestamps, one sent via London. One cover with a few edge faults; mail from R.F.C Officers in Turkey very unusual. (2). £150-200
| Inter-War Forces Mail, 1919-40 | |
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1919 Cover from a German delegate at the Versailles Peace Conference with "Deutsche Friedensdelegation. Versailles" cachet and France 10c tied "VERSAILLES / CONGRES DE LA PAIX" c.d.s; and 1938 postcard posted in Bad Godesberg franked 6pf with "Hitler-Chamberlain / 22-23.9.38 / in Bad Godesberg" cachet. Two unusual items, the Bad Godesberg ultimatum was signed at Munich a week later. (2). £60-80
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1920-35 Covers and cards including 1923 covers from Waziristan with Indian F.P.O 144 (2); 1927 (Mar 21) postcard with F.P.O 2 c.d.s used at Hong Kong (rare - shown as "Not Seen" by Proud); 1935 cover with F.P.O 10 c.d.s used at Saar during the plebiscite, and a cover from Liverpool to a soldier with the Saar force; also a Swedish soldiers cover with "SVENSKA BATALION. SAAR" c.d.s, forged Ireland F.P.O T.29 c.d.s of 1921, etc. (8). £120-140
| Spanish Civil War | |
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1937 (May 5) Cover to England from a British volunteer in the International Brigade fighting for the Republican Government, with a Valencia meter mark, boxed "CENSURA / VALENCIA" and violet oval "BRIGADAS INTERNACIONALES / 20 BATALLON". Photo on Page 69. £100-120
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1937 Cover from Talavera to England franked 25c pair, with violet "EL TERCIO / CORREOS" and "CENSURADA / EN / TALAVERA", the reverse with the senders address "P. Kemp, 14a Bandera 1er Tercio de la Legion, 56a Compania, Talavera", vertical fold and opening tears but very rare. Peter Kemp was a British volunteer on the Nationalist side; no more than a dozen British subjects volunteered to fight for the Nationalist, at least half of whom were Irish. Also a cover from an Italian soldier in Spain. (2). Photo on Page 69. £100-120
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1937 Picture postcard from Northampton franked 2d, to "Legionary P.M Lonergan, 13 Coy 15 Bandera, Irish Brigade, c/o Curia Postal 71, G.P.O Lisbon, Portugal", with a Lisbon arrival c.d.s. A force of 600 men raised by General O'Duffy went to Spain to fight for the Nationalists, but only took part in one major action where they fired on their own side; the Irish Brigade then elected to return to Eire after just six months in Spain. A rare card, very little mail recorded to or from the Irish Brigade in Spain. Photo on Page 69. £200-250
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