Great Britain and British Commonwealth Postal History - Military - Prisoners of War
Sale No: 1
Lot No: 1067
Symbol: PS
1941 Greek 2L Battle postal card from Australian serviceman SF Kennon VX37367 to Victoria advising "I am a prisoner of war ...", German 'Kriegsgefangenenpost/Gebuhrenfrei!' h/s in blue at U/L and Eagle & Swastika censor cachet in red, Melbourne civil censor cachet also on face, a few blemishes; plus eight German POW postcards and a lettersheet sent by Kennon from Stalag XVIIIA in Wolfsburg Austria with markings including 'Write very clearly/to avoid delay in censorship' and 'Write short letters to avoid/delay' h/s, condition mixed. [The Greek Campaign was an unmitigated disaster. Most of the Forces escaped to Crete, where they were captured. Relatively few were taken prisoner in mainland Greece & mail from them before they were sent to camps in the Reich is rarely seen]
(10)
Sale No: 1
Lot No: 1068
Symbol: C
Cat No: Collection
1941-46 POW group mostly inwards to Australia including Iran (Swiss Legation) to German POW in "No 14 A Camp/4th Military District/South Australia" re-directed with 'INTERNMENT CAMP/TATURA' cachet and "Hospital Heidelberg" endorsement; Italian POW in WA envelope to USA with Perth civilian censorship; 1942 airmail from 'P/W MIDDLE/EAST 177' camp with 'POW CAMP/GAYTHORNE QLD' cachet; 1943 Japanese POW card from Pte GT Coggan, 2/10 Fld Amb plus Red Cross envelope to POW in Java (faulty); 1945 (Oct) Red Cross cover endorsed "Liberated PW Mail"; 1946 airmail from England to liberated POW in NSW with Sydney '... TORN IN TRANSIT ...' labels; various cards from Australian POWs in German camps including one with Father Christmas illustration 'Printed by The Camp', plus a lettersheet with Hitler 40pf paying airmail rate; etc, condition quite variable.
(19)
1942 (circa) original multi-coloured artwork for "LAUGH AND FORGET/PRESENTED BY H. BLAU" theatre production pamphlet at Tatura Internment Camp showing a Spore Whale with an illustration of the camp buildings and internee holding barbed wire in its mouth over a map of Australia, a nun and a nurse as angels above and two soldiers below, endorsed at base "Presentation copy for sister Burns", a few edge faults & minor aging marks. Very attractive & scarce survivor.
1942 stampless cover to Perth with superb 'Services Prisoners/of war. Camp No 11' at Harvey with large boxed 'RISPONDTE A/...(SCRIVETE CHIARO)/...' cachet on the reverse & Censor #1 h/s all in violet.
1945 (Aug 15) Liberated Prisoners of War Great Britain KGVI 1½d Forces Air Letter to "Cpl Mansfield CL, AIF ...POW c/- Japanese Red Cross, Tokio" & endorsed "Changi" but then 'NOT WITH/US (Concord) Military Hospital' cachet and "EMB ORANJE?" endorsement in blue pencil added, finally with redirection label on face to NSW and 'WINDANG/-5DE45/NSW' arrival b/s, couple of minor faults. [The Dutch passenger liner 'Orajne' had been converted to a Hospital Ship by the Royal Australian Navy during WWII and brought home many hundreds of liberated POWs]
