1937-39 Covers and cards, first despatches at the new Empire Air Mail rates, comprising 1937 (June 25 - July 4) covers from G.B franked 1½d to Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika, Zanzibar (2), Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Mauritius, Bechuanaland, Swaziland, Basutoland, South West Africa (2) or South Africa (4); franked 2d from Southern Rhodesia to Kenya (2) or G.B (2); franked 1½d from South Africa to Southern Rhodesia, Kenya or G.B (9, one signed by "H.W.C Alger, Commander R.M.A Corsair") or from South West Africa franked 1½d to Mauritius or G.B; franked 20c from Zanzibar to Tanganyika, Kenya or G.B (3) with boxed first flight cancels; franked 15m from Sudan to G.B; or franked 20c from Kenya to South Africa (2) or G.B (4), or Tanganyika to Sudan (2). Also 1938-39 covers sent by first despatches at new rates under the extended scheme, from Tanganyika to Canada franked 20c, South Africa to Iraq or Burma franked 1½d, Kenya to Hong Kong franked 20c, Egypt to G.B franked 15m (2), covers to or from South Africa paid at the pre-scheme rates of 3d then posted back at the 1½d rate (2), Post Office leaflets (3) and news cuttings. A good lot. (61+). £350-400
B.O.A.C
(Also See Lots 34, 36/9, 44/5, 64/6, 69, 70) |
1946-62 Covers (30) and related ephemera including 1946 (Aug 22) first flight from London to Hong Kong, also first flights to or from New York, 1947 first reduced rate from South Africa, 1948 first flight to Japan and various later first flights, commercial covers, 1954 Singapore Comet crash, BOAC letters concerning first flight covers, etc. (c.45). £80-100
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1952-53 B.O.A.C Comet Jetliner Service first flight covers including 1952 (Aug 11) Bahrain to Colombo and October 14th Bahrain to Singapore, etc. (10). £80-100
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Picture Postcards. c.1948-66 Postcards of aircraft, many written during flights with some airport cancels, also three Tourist Class Menu postcards. (66). £80-100
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Time Tables. 1946-1954 Timetables giving full flight schedules, fares and regulations for the "Speedbird" service, some for all air routes with a map of routes included, others for specific routes, also the 1956 brochure "B.O.A.C Speedbird fleet" and a 1957 timetable, a few duplicates though most have differing dates and information, a few with file holes, otherwise fine. (69). £200-250
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Brochures. c.1948-71 Advertising brochures (mainly pre 1962), most for specific routes or services including Stratocruiser, Argonaut, Hermes and Constellation Speedbird services, Comet Jetliner, Monarch service to USA, BOAC tours, airfreight, economy services, European and world air cruise adventures, India, East Africa, South Africa, USA and Canada, Japan, etc. (91). £200-250
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Route Maps. 1947-62 Route Maps (34), some worldwide, most produced for specific routes including USA, South America, Africa and Asia, also B.O.A.C booklets (7) including "Flying Boats at Southampton, B.O.A.C's New Marine Airport", "Operation Pakistan", "B.O.A.C Plus DC-7C Across the Atlantic Every Night....Non Stop", "This is B.O.A.C - Cunard" and "B.O.A.C Speedbird fleet". (41) £180-220
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Ephemera. c.1942-73 Ephemera, the extensive lot in three folders including menus, photographs, leaflets given to passengers, flight tickets, paperwork including letters and certificates concerning special inaugural or pre-inaugural flights, luggage labels, identification tags, flight logs, official letters, press notices, etc. An interesting lot with some unusual and scarce ephemera, mainly pre 1960. (c.240). £600-800
WRECK MAIL |
S.S "Ava". 1858 (Feb 6) Entire letter from Madras to London handstamped "INDIA UNPAID", a little edge staining with piece torn from centre of upper edge, explained by the cachet "Saved from the wreck / of the Ava" on the reverse. London (May 11) arrival c.d.s, charged 6d (with 1d shown as due to India), the charge paid in London and the letter redirected on the same day to Geneva franked 1856 1/- pale green cancelled by numeral "12", also tied by red oval "PD" and a Calais transit c.d.s, with blue Liverpool St. undated circle and datestamps of Madras, London, Paris to Lyon and Geneva. The P&O "Ava" was en route from Madras to Trincomalee when it hit rocks on Pigeon's Island, 80 miles from its destination, on February 11th. The ship slowly sank, the cargo and mails subsequently being recovered by divers, this letter from the second batch of recovered mail conveyed to London on the P&O "Colombo" (herself wrecked in 1862). The only "Ava" wreck cover redirected abroad we have seen, an exceptional Swiss destination and use of a 1/- stamp on a wreck cover. Photo on Page 62. £500-600
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"Royal Charter". The fine display collection telling the story of the steam clipper "Royal Charter", which made five return voyages to Australia in 1856-59 before being wrecked off Anglesey with the loss of 451 lives on her sixth return voyage in 1859. The collection includes an 1856 (May 3) cover from Melbourne to London franked Victoria 6d carried on the first return voyage; 1856 (Jan 5) "Times" newspaper reporting the inaugural voyage from England; 1859 (Oct 28) "Standard" reporting the wreck and a further edition of the "Standard" (Nov 8) listing all the ships passengers; 1859 "Illustrated London News" articles depicting the wreck, or showing seaman Rodgers who managed to carry a line from the doomed steamer to the shore enabling 41 people to be rescued; wooden fork handle embossed "L&A NAVIGATION Co" recovered from the wreck; 1859 (Nov 28) stampless cover from Cottenham to the USA with enclosed letter reporting the death of Ann Norman (of the "Red Lion") and her two children, who were returning to Cottenham from Australia when they were drowned in the wreck; 1871 N.S.W cover to Mrs William Foster, wife of one of the few survivors from the wreck. Also many photocopies of articles and documents, photos, etc., telling the story of individual casualties (including Ann Norman), monuments, salvage of gold and cargo from the wreck, recovery and burial of the victims, etc., well written up on 70 pages. £500-600
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S.S "Oregon". 1885 Cover from Liege, Belgium, to New York sent via England, carried on the Cunard steamer "Oregon" which sailed from Liverpool to Queenstown and on to New York, but rammed the schooner "Charles H. Morse" off Sandy Hook, New York Bay, early on March 14th. The "Charles H. Morse" sank with the loss of all hands whilst the "Oregon" flooded and slowly sank, all passengers and some mail being transferred to the Liner "Fulda". Further mailbags were recovered from the sea or washed ashore, or later recovered from the wreck by divers. The cover with the stamps washed off, reverse with New York explanatory label (Hoggarth/Gwynn type 4b) dated July 6th, from the mail recovered by divers in July, an unusual origin. £180-220
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S.S "Wairarapa". 1894 (Sep 12) Cover from Kidderminster to New Zealand, the stamps washed off and piece torn from upper edge, handstamped violet "Saved from wreck of the / "WAIRARAPA"", backstamped at Auckland (Nov 3) and Maungaturoto. The "Wairarapa", en route from Sydney to Auckland, sailed into a cliff on Great Barrier Island in fog, on the night of October 29th, over 120 people drowning. £120-150
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S.S "Elbe". 1895 Stampless registered cover (probably a Post Office ambulance envelope) to New York handstamped "Geborgen aus der / Postladung des untergegangenen / Dampfers "Elbe" / Postamt 1 Bremen", reverse with two Bremen Post Office seals and New York arrival datestamps (Feb 4). The S.S "Elbe", bound from Bremen to Southampton and New York, was rammed by the Cunard Liner "Crathie" in the North Sea and sank with the loss of 334 lives; several mailbags were subsequently washed ashore, or recovered from the sea. Roughly torn open at upper right and vertical fold, otherwise largely fine. £120-140
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R.M.S "Labrador". 1899 (Feb 13) Cover from Vancouver to Scotland, the stamp washed off, handstamped violet boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER", reverse with two differing Glasgow Post Office Officially Sealed labels tied by datestamps of Glasgow (Mar 18) and Edinburgh, vertical fold, otherwise fine. From the R.M.S "Labrador", which was wrecked on the Mackenzie Rock in the Hebrides on March 1st whilst en route from St. John (New Brunswick) to Liverpool. Seven bags of mail were washed ashore on Mull, Coll or Tiree and taken to Glasgow. £100-120
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"Mexican" / "Birkenhead". 1900 (Aug 2) Cover franked Cape 1d, from Alfred Docks to England with fine red "RECOVERED FROM / WRECK OF MEXICAN". Also photographs of an artists depiction of the wreck of the "Birkenhead" in 1852, or of John Smith, one of the 184 survivors, taken in 1902, and an extract reprinted from the "Surrey Times" in 1902 about the award of a special pension of 9d a day to Smith. (4). £100-120
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S.S "Ville d'Alger". 1909 (Feb 25) Cover from Mustapha, Algeria, to Bordeaux, the stamp washed off, handstamped "NAUFRAGE DE LA / VILLED' ALGER" (Hoggarth/Gwynn type 1a). The "Ville d'Alger" collided with S.S "Orleanais" near Marseille and sank, mail being recovered by divers. £80-100
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S.S "Empress of Ireland". 1914 (May 21) Cover from Vancouver to England, the stamp washed off and a little water damage to right edge, handstamped violet "Recovered by divers from wreck of S.S Empress of Ireland" with matching oval "BRANCH DEAD LETTER OFFICE / OTTAWA ONT" datestamp (Oct 7). "The Empress of Ireland", bound from Quebec to Liverpool, was struck by the collier "Storstadt" in the St Lawrence Seaway near Father Point, on the night of May 28th in thick fog. The "Empress of Ireland" sank within 15 minutes with the loss of over 1,000 lives. Some mail was subsequently recovered by divers, this letter backstamped in Ottawa nearly 19 weeks after the sinking. £120-150
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1915-18 World War One covers comprising 1915 (Oct 10) cover from G.B to a soldier in the British Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, fire damaged with partial "DAMAGED BY FIRE & / WATER ON SHIP", probably from S.S "Surada" torpedoed off Port Said; 1917 (Feb 20/26) covers from USA to Holland or Cuba to G.B, the stamps washed off, handstamped "DAMAGED BY SEA WATER", from the S.S "Norwegian", beached off the Irish coast following an explosion; 1918 (Mar 28 / April 3) stampless O.A.S covers from Egypt to G.B or Canada both with violet boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN WATER", the cover to Canada unusually also handstamped boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER", from "S.S "Kingstonian" torpedoed off Sardinia; and c.1918 cover from Butterworth (Malaya) to London, water damaged and the stamp torn away, with boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER". (6). £150-180
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India / Iraq - S.S "Karmala". 1917 (Feb 23) Water damaged cover from Delhi to England, handstamped red boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER - I.S.", from S.S "Karmala" which struck rocks near Vada, south of Leghorn, late in March; and a 1917 (Dec 18) stampless O.A.S cover from Indian F.P.O 76 in Iraq to England, arrival c.d.s (Mar 5) and violet boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER", from an unknown incident. (2). £160-200
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S.S "Mongolia". 1917 Cover from Scotland to India, a little water damage and the stamp washed off, handstamped oval "ACCIDENT AT SEA / MONGOLIA / 23.6.17", backstamped at Bombay (July 1) and Kajuricherra. The P&O steamer "Mongolia" struck a mine sixty miles from Bombay and sank, killing 23 people; a mailbag or two were subsequently recovered from the sea. £120-150
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South Africa - "Kenilworth Castle" / "Mexican". 1918 (Apr 26) Postcard from Kimberley to London franked South Africa ½d pair, redirected to H.M.S "Almanzora", c/o G.P.O London, with a Brixton machine (June 7), water stained, handstamped with an unusual violet "DAMAGED BY SEA WATER", recovered from the "Kenilworth Castle" which collided with an escorting Destroyer in the Channel on June 4th and beached in Plymouth Sound. Also a 1900 (Mar 30) front to England with Cape 1d cancelled at De Aar, soiled, handstamped red "RECOVERED FROM / WRECK OF MEXICAN". (2). £100-120
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S.S "Kalyan" - KUT. 1922 (Mar 8) Registered front from Mombasa to England bearing KUT 10c strip of four and a Mombasa registration label, with three violet "DAMAGED BY SEA / WATER" cachets. Water was found to have entered the cargo hold when the S.S "Kalyan" was unloaded at Marseille. £70-80
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S.S "Angkor". 1923 Front from France to China franked 25c, water damaged, bearing the pink explanatory label "Deteriore par le feu et l'immersion / lors de l'incendie du 15 Oct. 1923 / a bord du paquebot "Angkor" / et reconstitue par le bureau maritime postal / de Marseille a Yokohama", with an ambulance envelope which bears a similar printed explanation, the ambulance envelope with the address rubbed out. (2). £120-150
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S.S "Comorin". 1930 Covers from Australia to England, from Sydney (Feb 18) or Perth (Mar 3) both with the stamps soaked off, handstamped black boxed "DAMAGED BY FIRE / ON / S.S COMORIN" (on O.H.M.S sealing label) or "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER I.S", or franked 1d from Melbourne (Feb 22) with unusual violet "Damaged by SEA WATER". A fire was discovered on the "Comorin" in No. 3 hold and extinguished by flooding the hold with seawater. Three fine covers, Hoggarth/Gwynn cachet types 7, 9, 12. (3). £200-250
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Jamaica. 1946 (Oct 14) Registered Victory issue First Day Cover from Kingston to England with "POSTMASTER GENERAL" senders cachet and violet boxed "DAMAGED BY SEA-WATER", unusual from Jamaica. £80-100
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M.V "Princess Victoria". 1953 (Jan 30) Cover from Chorley to Belfast, the stamp washed off, handstamped "DAMAGED BY / SEA WATER" and endorsed "Salvaged from M.V Princess Victoria" (probably written by the recipient). The British Railways Stranraer to Larne car ferry "Princess Victoria" sank in the Irish Sea after the car deck flooded in heavy seas, with the loss of 134 lives. Eleven mailbags were recovered from the sea and taken directly to the G.P.O in Belfast, one further mailbag recovered in May by the trawler "Dunnet" was handled by the Manchester Post Office. A fine and scarce cover from this wreck. Photo on Page 62. £250-300
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M.V "Princess Victoria". 1953 (Jan 30) 2½d letter card from Brighton & Hove to Northern Ireland, severely water damaged, the address very faint but just legible, from the last bag to be recovered by the trawler "Dunnet", with Manchester Post Office explanatory slip of 22 May "The enclosed item has been picked up in the Irish Sea by a / Fleetwood trawler and is thought to be part of the mail being / conveyed to Northern Ireland by the "Princess Victoria" which was / sunk on the night of 31st January last". Very scarce. £250-300
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M.V "Princess Victoria". 1953 (Jan 30) Covers from Hindhead or Haywards Heath, water damaged with stamps washed off (one 1½d stamp remaining on the first) and the addresses illegible, accompanied by the Manchester Post Office explanatory slip of 22 May "The enclosed item has been picked up in the Irish Sea by a / Fleetwood trawler and is thought to be part of the mail being / conveyed to Northern Ireland by the "Princess Victoria", which / was sunk on the night of the 31st January last" (the third line of the slip ending with "which", differing from the slip in the previous lot, where the third line ended with "was", both slips with "Northern" correctly spelt, unlike the slip illustrated by Hoggarth & Gwynn). Also a newspaper cutting about the finding of this final mailbag 15 weeks after the sinking, and the treatment of letters at Manchester; and a handwritten letter (May 26, with O.H.M.S envelope) from the Manchester Head Postmaster, sent with these two recovered letters (which could not be delivered) to a collector, "Today I inspected the salvaged remains of the "Princess Victoria" mail and herewith 2 covers, also the official note forwarded with such items as could be sent forward". A rare and interesting group. (2 + letter). Photo on Page 62. £350-450
World War Two |
1941-45 Covers comprising 1941 (Jan 10/13) covers from G.B to Egypt or Iraq with "SALVED FROM THE SEA" or violet boxed "DAMAGED BY SEA-WATER", both from S.S "Alhena" which ran aground at Pladdy Rock, Co. Down, N. Ireland; 1941 (Apr 8) cover franked 10d from F.P.O 201 at Heliopolis, and a cover from India (May 20) both to G.B with differing violet "Damaged by Sea Water" or "Salved From The Sea" cachets; and 1945 (Apr 25 - May 1) covers from Canada to G.B with violet "DAMAGED BY FIRE & WATER" (2) or boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER" all from S.S "Scythia" which caught fire as she entered the River Mersey, five with all or some of the stamps washed off. (7). £150-180
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S.S "Vidar". 1940 (Jan 1) Censored cover (letter enclosed) from Canada to Denmark franked 5c, water damaged, handstamped "Beskadiget af Sovand". The Danish ship "Vidar" was torpedoed in the North Sea on January 31st, en route from Newcastle to Esbjerg; three mailbags were washed ashore in Denmark. Hoggarth & Gwynn do not record covers from Canada from this incident. £100-120
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S.S "Eros". 1940 (May) Covers from Canada (6, two G.B First Day covers sent to Canada and redirected back to G.B) or Japan, to England (4), France (2) or South Africa, all recovered from the S.S "Eros" which was torpedoed on June 7th, and beached on the north-west coast of Ireland, all handstamped "SALVED FROM THE SEA" (6, two types) or boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER", the two covers to France returned handstamped "SERVICE SUSPENDU". (7). £150-180
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S.S "Eros". 1940 (May) Covers from Canada (3) or Japan (3) to England all with some water damage, two covers with the stamps washed off, another Canada 3c stationery envelope with a further stamp washed off, two covers from Yokohama franked 10s pair, handstamped "SALVED FROM THE SEA" in violet or black (3), violet "Recovered from the Sea" or boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER". From S.S "Eros", torpedoed on June 7th and beached on the north-west coast of Ireland. (6). £150-180
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S.S "Andania". 1940 (June 7) Registered cover from Leicester to A.M.C "Andania", backstamped red boxed "UNDELIVERED FOR REASON STATED / RETURN TO SENDER" with manuscript "Ship Lost", Naval Barracks Plymouth c.d.s (June 24). The Cunard White Star Liner "Andania", then on Admiralty service, was torpedoed off Ireland on June 16th. Photo on Page 62. £100-120
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M.V "Wellington Star". 1940 (Aug 21) Stampless O.H.M.S cover from the Sydney G.P.O with "SUPT MAILS / SYDNEY" c.d.s, to Stanmore, N.S.W, with enclosed letter from the Postmaster-General's Dept informing the addressee a registered article posted from Enmore to England on May 9th was lost at sea, the vessel believed to be the M.V "Wellington Star" which was torpedoed off Spain on June 16th. £80-100
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S.S "West Kebar". 1940 (Dec 21) Cover from Monrovia to New York bearing three Liberia stamps, extensively oil stained and water damaged, handstamped "Received in bad condition at ...." alongside a New York Wall St c.d.s (Jan 22) with an accompanying explanatory slip "The accompanying letter is one of a large number received from Monrovia, Liberia, per S.S West Kebar via Boston. The oil soaked condition of the letter was evidently caused by its having come in contact with a damaged parcel or cargo aboard the vessel, Respectfully, Albert Goldman, Postmaster". The "West Kebar" encountered a severe storm 400 miles east of New York on January 13th 1941, causing severe damage and flooding the hold, but was able to reach Boston unaided. The only recorded cover from this incident, ex Gwynn collection. Photo on Page 64. £400-500
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S.S "Alhena". 1941 (Jan 12-17) Covers from England to Turkey, Palestine (2), Aden or forces in the Middle East (3), four with stamps washed off, handstamped "SALVED FROM THE SEA (5, two types) or "DAMAGED BY SEA WATER" (3, all different types, one the former "Comorin" cachet showing part of "S.S"), the cover to Turkey with two differing cachets also handstamped "NO SERVICE / RETURN TO SENDER". The S.S "Alhena" ran aground at Pladdy Rock, Co. Down, on January 28th and became a total loss. (7). £180-220
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P.S "Portsdown". 1941 Cover from Bedale to Ryde, Isle of Wight, the stamp washed off, handstamped violet "DAMAGED AS A RESULT / OF ENEMY ACTION", arrival date of 22/9/41 marked on the reverse by the recipient. The Southern Railway paddle steamer "Portsdown" struck a mine whilst sailing from Portsmouth to Ryde on September 20th killing 22 passengers and crew. The ship was blown into two halves, the mails being recovered by divers from the rear portion of the ship, which came to rest on a sandbank. £140-160
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P.S "Portsdown". 1941 (Sep 19) Cover from Bromley & Beckenham to Shanklin, the stamp washed off, handstamped violet "DAMAGED AS A RESULT / OF ENEMY ACTION". From the Portsmouth to Ryde paddle steamer which struck a mine on September 20th and sank with the loss of 23 people; part of the mail was recovered by divers. Photo on Page 64. £130-150
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P.S "Portsdown". 1941 (Sep 19) Cover, with enclosed letter, franked 2½d from Newcastle on Tyne to a soldier at Sharwell, Isle of Wight, the cover and letter both a little waterstained, handstamped light violet "DAMAGED AS A RESULT / (OF ENEMY ACTION)". From the "Portsdown", which struck a mine on September 20th when sailing from Portsmouth to Ryde. £70-80
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H.M.S "Neptune" & H.M.S "Dunedin". 1941 Covers from Manchester (Oct 17) to H.M.S "Neptune" handstamped "UNDELIVERED FOR REASONS / STATED / ON ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS / RETURN TO SENDER"; and a cover from Edinburgh (Nov 26) to H.M.S "Dunedin" bearing the label "Return to sender on Admiralty Instructions. It is with the deepest regret that you are informed that the addressee is missing on active service". H.M.S "Neptune" struck a mine in the Mediterranean on the night of December 19/20th and sank with just one survivor from the crew of 767. H.M.S "Dunedin" was torpedoed in the South Atlantic on November 24th with just 67 survivors from the crew of 486. (2). £150-180
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S.S "Santa Elisa". 1942 (Jan 15) Stampless cover from Annapolis to "Lt. D.W Todd, U.S.S Warrington, New York City", with violet "RECOVERED FROM / S.S SANTA ELISA". The "Santa Elisa" left New York for the Canal Zone on January 16th but collided with the S.S "San Jose" off the coast of Atlantic City the following day, causing the "San Jose" to sink. The "Santa Elisa" caught fire in No. 1 hold; this was extinguished and she returned to New York in tow, arriving on January 19th. A scarce wreck cover, ex Gwynn collection. Photo on Page 64. £180-200
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M.V "Mosfruit". 1942 Covers from the USA (Jan 9) to London, or from Montreal (Jan 23, Canada 2c postal stationery envelope) to a Canadian soldier in G.B, both with stamps washed off, handstamped violet "SALVAGED FROM SEA" or black "SALVAGED FROM THE SEA". The Norwegian M.V "Mosfruit" left St. John on February 3rd but returned to port the following day with a fire in No. 4 hold, damaged mail being returned to the Army Base Post Office at Ottawa. (2). £150-180
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S.S "Ebro" / Iceland. 1942 (Mar 10) Cover from Reykjavik to USA with 45p meter mark, censored, handstamped "DAMAGED BY / SEA WATER". The Danish S.S "Ebro" sailed from Reykjavik to Hull, but stranded near Strathbeg Bay, Aberdeen, on March 18th, and broke up in a gale the following day. Three mailbags were washed up at St. Combs Beach, Rattray. A fine cover, illustrated in "Maritime Disaster Mails" by Hoggarth & Gwynn. Photo on Page 64. £150-180
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H.M.A.S "Perth". 1942 (Mar.) Cover from Concord West, N.S.W, to "warship "Perth" c/o G.P.O", handstamped violet boxed "Return to Sender on / Naval Board Instructions / G.L MACANDIE / Secretary", backstamped at Dead Letter Office Sydney (Apr 13). H.M.A.S "Perth" was sunk in the Battle of Sunda Straits on March 1st. £80-100
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H.M.S "Hermes". 1942 Covers from G.B to H.M.S "Hermes", all returned, two covers to W/T L.J. Sutch, dated February 11th bearing the label "It is with regret that you are informed / that the addressee is a Prisoner of War", or dated May 3rd addressed "c/o Naval Staff Office, Port Melbourne, Australia" and redirected to The Admiralty in London; the other cover (March 20) to the Rev. A.C.H Leeke bearing the label "RETURN TO SENDER / It is with the deepest / regret you are informed that / the addressee is missing / presumed killed on active / service", handstamped "ADMIRALTY" and "RETURN TO SENDER". The aircraft carrier "Hermes" was sunk by Japanese dive bombers off Trincomalee on April 9th. Leeke died in the sinking, but Sutch was apparently taken prisoner in an earlier incident. (3). £120-150
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S.S "Charlbury". 1942 (May 18) Cover from Durban to England franked 1½d, a little soiled, handstamped black boxed bilingual "CORRESPONDENCE DAMAGED BY SEAWATER" (a cut-down version of the handstamp used in 1939 on mail recovered from the Challenger flying boat). Believed to be from the "Charlbury", sunk by the Italian submarine "Barbarigo" in the South Atlantic on May 29th whilst en route from Durban to the U.K. £120-150
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S.S "Sidi Bel Abbas". 1942 Covers from Casablanca (Nov 2) or Oran (Nov 4, letter enclosed) to France, both damaged by water or singeing, the first handstamped violet "Courrier recupere / dans un navire coule" and "Communications / interrompues / avec la FRANCE", the other with the red cachet "COURRIER RECUPERE / DANS / UN NAVIRE COULE", both from the "Sidi Abbas", scuttled at Oran during the North Africa campaign. Very scarce. (2). £200-240
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S.S "City of Baroda". 1943 (Mar 10/11) Covers (2) and an undated newspaper wrapper from G.B to South Africa handstamped violet "RECEIV'D DAMAGED / BY SEA WATER" or bilingual "DAMAGED BY SEA WATER", the wrapper with black "DAMAGED BY SEA-WATER", two with June 6/7 arrival cachet or c.d.s. The "City of Baroda" was torpedoed off Luderitz on April 2nd and abandoned. The ship beached and broke in two, the mail and some cargo salvaged before the vessel disappeared by April 26th. (3). £150-180
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S.S "City of Baroda". 1943 (Mar 10) Covers from G.B to South Africa with the stamps washed off, handstamped "DAMAGED BY SEA-WATER" or violet "DAMAGED BY SEAWATER / BESKADIG DEUR SEEWATER", the first redirected from No. 48 Air School with the Official Free cachet of the Air School on the reverse. From the S.S "City of Baroda" torpedoed off Luderitz on April 2nd. (2). £100-120
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M.S "Agda". 1944 (Jan 15) Large cover posted in Denmark to the vicar of Endelave, the stamp washed off, with a letter of February 13th from the vicar confirming the cover was salvaged from the "Agda", stating "It had been lying in the water for three weeks and the stamp has washed off", also two associated letters and photocopies of contemporary newspaper reports. The "Agda" was a coastal vessel providing a service between the islands and mainland of East Jutland, sailing from Horsens to the island of Endelave; on January 15th it struck a mine near Endelave and sank with the loss of all 14 crew and passengers. The only known cover from this wreck, not recorded in "Maritime Disaster Mail" by Hoggarth & Gwynn. £300-350
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