INDIA 1940
WWII 14A RATE AIRMAIL COVER QUETTA BALUCHISTAN TO 2/2nd FIELD AMBULANCE A.I.F.
PALESTINE FRANKED 12A & 2A GEORGE VI W/ AIF CENSORSHIP & REDIRECTED
MARKINGS
1940 (July dispatch), military airmail
cover sent from Quetta,
Baluchistan, India to an Australian soldier serving with the Second Australian Imperial Force
(A.I.F.) in Palestine, addressed in ink to "Corporal P. E. D. Gason / VX 2454 / 2/2nd Field
Ambulance / 6th Division / 2nd Australian Imperial Forces (A.I.F.) /
Palestine" beneath a printed blue "BY AIR MAIL / PAR AVION" etiquette at
upper left. Forwarded upon arrival with manuscript redirection
across the face: "2/1st
Conv Home / Kefar-Vitkin 6-8-40 / 25 H". Prepaying the 14-anna airmail rate to the Middle East
with two 1937–40 King George
VI definitives: a 2a
vermilion (Dak Runner) and a 12a lake & carmine (Mail Plane) affixed at upper
right. The adhesives are tied by black circular datestamps
reading QUETTA / [...] 40 /
[...] A.M.. The lower left face carries an inverted strike of the
boxed cachet "NOT OPENED
BY / CENSOR". The cover was subsequently selected for unit and
field inspection: stamped with a purple triangular military censorship cachet
reading "PASSED BY /
CENSOR / [No. ..]" enclosing an imperial crown, opened at the left edge and resealed with buff paper
tape printed in red "OPENED
BY CENSOR", and secured on the reverse with a red printed paper
seal bearing the British Royal Arms. Condition shows light corner wear, minor creasing,
and faint handling toning. Please refer to scans for more condition information.
Mailed in
July 1940 during the early Mediterranean and Middle East campaigns of the
Second World War, this airmail cover originated from the military garrison at Quetta in Baluchistan,
directed to an Australian medical orderly attached to the 2/2nd Field Ambulance, 6th
Division, 2nd Australian Imperial Force in Palestine. Franked with the King George VI 2a Dak Runner and 12a Mail Plane definitives to
satisfy the 14-anna airmail
rate, the letter was flown westward via Karachi to the
Middle East theatre. Reaching Palestine in early August 1940, the envelope
was redirected to Corporal Gason at the 2/1st Australian Convalescent Depot at Kefar Vitkin. The front initially received an inverted "NOT OPENED BY CENSOR"
handstamp before being detained for security examination, where it was passed by field censors using the
triangular "PASSED BY
CENSOR" cachet, opened, and resealed with the red "OPENED BY CENSOR"
tape backed by the official Royal
Arms security seal. A documented piece of wartime airmail postal history linking the Baluchistan cantonment of Quetta
with the 6th Australian
Division in Palestine.
Please examine lot scan carefully and please send any questions at least 48 hours before the auction closes. Please note that cover condition usually includes normal wear and tear to cover edges, opening tears and some creases and wrinkles. Only exceptional or extreme condition issues will be mentioned.
Legend:
PS - Postal Stationery
FL - Folded Letter
SFL - Stampless Folded Letter
RPO - Railway Post Office
CDS - Circular Date Stamp
DPO - Dead Post Office
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