APRIL 2016 71
http://www.stampandcoin.co.ukPOSTAL HISTORY
1
The cover was postmarked
in Walsall on 15 November,
1941, with a machine cancellation
‘WALSALL / 15 NOV / 1941 /
STAFFS.’, it was addressed to him
with his service number as ‘C/o
A.P.O. 1575’.2
The cover was sent to India by
surface mail and delivered to
the Base Post Office in India where
the two-line unboxed cachet in
violet ‘NO TRACE R.A.F. / INDIAN
COMMAND’ was applied on the
reverse, a circular mark numbered
‘16’, and an indistinct RAF Base
Postal Section Bombay circular
date stamp of 18 January.3
A further Base Post Office
circular date stamp was added
three weeks later on 11 February.4
The whereabouts of
the intended recipient
was unknown, so the cover
received an oblong instruction
‘UNDELIVERED FOR REASON
STATED / RETURN TO SENDER’
together with a ‘49’.5
A further instruction was
applied on both sides of
the cover, reading ‘RETURN TO
SENDER ON AIR / MINISTRY
INSTRUCTIONS. / W.G. Sleep. W.O.’6
Three further circular date
stamps appear on the cover
reverse. Field Post Office 124 on
28 December, 1942, and also a
very indistinct March, 1943, stamp,
possibly of the same F.P.O.7
Additionally, a ‘RECORD
OFFICE / 3 JUL 1943 / ROYAL
AIR FORCE’ handstamp overstruck
on the earlier 11 February mark.8
The cover was then opened
to find details of the sender.
‘Mrs Brookes, 13. Wood End
Rd, Walsall, Staffs’ was written
sideways in red ink on the
reverse with the cover re-sealed
with the ‘OFFICIALLY SEALED /
POST OFFICE.’ paper seal.1
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http://www.stampandcoin.co.uk4
p70 Cover Explained.indd 71 01/03/2016 11:39