1914 (Sept/Oct) usage of German New Guinea Coins picture postcard endorsed "Rabaul - On Active Service - no stamps procurable", to "CE Pettitt Esq, Aborigines Protection Board, Sydney" with message "Greetings to all my old staff. Still fit & well but very tired today after two nights sleep in the open - or what I could get", carried by the HMAS Berrima on her return journey with Sydney 'MORE TO PAY/1D/ + ' h/s, Postage Due 1d cancelled barred numeral '376' killer affixed alongside illegible arrival d/s but docketed "Received 7/10/14", couple of minor blemishes.
Free postage for WW1 servicemen was not introduced until February 1915, but mail in the earlier period was only taxed at single deficiency; NSW numeral 376 was originally allocated to Myall River/Bulahdelah and later used as a 'killer' at the GPO (Freeman p137; rated S). The Berrima was commissioned from P&O at the outbreak of WWI and is famous for having landed troops of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) at Herbertshöhe on 11 September 1914, at Rabaul on the 12th and at Madang on the New Guinea mainland on the 24th to occupy German New Guinea. She returned to Sydney in early October where she was converted to a troop transport and in December 1914, she was part of the Second Convoy to Egypt.
1914 (Sept/Oct) usage of 'Hevea Zwischenpflanzung' [Rubber Tree Plantation] at Ravalier Rarup real photograph picture postcard to Sydney endorsed "Garrison Duty Rabaul" and "No stamps procurable" and signed "Lt EW Kirke, C Coy, Rabaul Garrison", on arrival very fine strike of '1D'-in-circle h/s applied and Postage Due 1d cancelled barred numeral '376' killer affixed alongside, couple of minor blemishes.
Free postage for WW1 servicemen was not introduced until February 1915, but mail in the earlier period was only taxed at single deficiency; NSW numeral 376 was originally allocated to Myall River/Bulahdelah and later used as a 'killer' at the GPO (Freeman p137; rated S). Lt Errol Wharton Kirke served as Adjutant to Colonel Paton at Rabaul during the first few months of the occupation of German New Guinea, then returned to Sydney, later leaving for Egypt with the rank of Captain. He served on Gallipoli and later in France, where he was killed in action at Poziers on 4.8.1916.
