Waterval. 1900 Stampless "In Dienst" cover and front to England, both from Sgt. A. Richardson of the 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers (captured at Stormberg, December 10th), the cover with blue oval "WATERVAL KRYGSGEVANGENIS / 26 JAN. 1900 / COMMANDANT VAN DE WACHT" (initialled "P.H.R") and violet "31 JAN 1900 / COMMANDANT GENERAAL", triangular "PASSED / PRESS / CENSOR", datestamps of Pretoria, Durban (Feb 7) and London Paid. The front with the oval cachet in black dated Feb 10 and the Commandant Generaal cachet of Feb 22, fully endorsed from Richardson at Waterval, some faults; the cover superb and an early use of the oval Waterval cachet. (2). Photo on Page 68. (Image1)

1900 Stampless "In Dienst" cover to New South Wales endorsed "From Corpl C. Hopf, Prisoner of War, Pretoria" with Pretoria c.d.s and light Commandant Generaal cachet dated 6 FEB, blue oval Waterval cachet dated 13 FEB, triangular "PASSED / PRESS / CENSOR", backstamped at Durban (Feb 23) and Sydney (Apr 5) with "T" and "1d" charge marks. Corporal Charles Hopf served in the New South Wales Lancers. Torn open at left edge and overall staining, nevertheless a very rare and possibly unique cover from an Australian P.O.W in Pretoria, possibly from Pretoria Gaol where a number of Colonial troopers were reportedly confined in mid February (later moved to Waterval after a reprimand by Lord Roberts to Kruger), the Commandant Generaal cachet dated a week before the Watervaal cachet possibly because of a Pretoria Gaol origin (unlike most covers from Waterval which have the camp cachet dated about a week before the Commandant Generaal cachet and Pretoria c.d.s).

1900 Stampless "In Dienst" cover to Cape Colony with blue oval "WATERVAL KRYGSGEVANGENIS / 17 FEB 1900 / COMMANDANT VAN DE WACHT" and violet "22 FEB 1900 / COMMANDANT GENERAAL", Press Censor and datestamps of Pretoria, Durban (Mar 9), Cape Town and Grahams Town, overall staining; and stampless cover to England headed "From P.K Lightfoot, 10th Hussars, Prisoner of War, Pretoria" with the oval Waterval cachet in violet dated 18 APR and initialled "P.H.R" by the censor, with red London Paid c.d.s (May 19), some staining though a scarce pair. Lightfoot was captured at Sannahs Post on March 31st. (2).

1900 (Feb 24) Cover franked Cape 1d from Observatory Road to "1939 Pte John S. Adlam, 1st Life Guards, Modder River of elsewhere" which enclosed letter written from Falkenberg Asylum, Mowbray, and a block of six mint 1d stamps. Private Adlam was captured at Sannahs Post on March 31st and the cover was therefore sent to Pretoria and bears the violet boxed "BRIEVEN CENSUUR / Waterval Krijgsgevangenis" (initialled by the censor), the enclosed letter similarly initialled with several words cut out by the censor. A few minor edge stains, otherwise fine and an unusual cover to a soldier directed to the camp.

1899-1900 Registered covers from Penrith to Sapper T. Oldcorn, Royal Engineers, franked 3d, the 1899 (Nov 17) cover to Colesberg redirected to Cape Town then "Prisoner of War Pretoria", various backstamps, finally endorsed "Received at Waterval Wed 30th May 1900", apparently uncensored; the 1900 (Mar 30) cover addressed to "British Prisoner, Waterfall, Pretoria" with Lourenco Marques registration datestamp (Apr 25), Boer type 3 censor label tied by Pretoria c.d.s (Apr 28) and violet boxed "BRIEVEN CENSUUR / Waterval Krijgsgevangenis", endorsed "Received at Waterval Tues 8th May 1900". Oldcorn was captured at Colesberg on November 1st. A scarce pair of ingoing registered covers, the first stained, the second opened out with small fault at lower right corner but otherwise largely fine. (2). Photo on Page 68. (Image1)

1900 Stampless cover to England with fine oval "WATERVAL KRYGSGEVANGENIS / 25 APR 1900 / COMMANDANT VAN DE WACHT" in violet, initialled "P.H.R", pencil senders endorsement barely visible, otherwise largely fine. Also a part cover to India with violet boxed "BRIEVEN CENSUUR / Waterval Kijgsgevangenis" and La Reunion a Marseille transit c.d.s (June 7). The latest recorded example of the oval Waterval cachet. (2).

1900 Stampless covers with the dated oval "WATERVAL KRYGSGEVANGENIS / COMMANDANT VAN DE WACHT" cachet initialled "P.H.R", the cachets dated "MRT 1900" on an "In Dienst" cover to England, backstamped at Lourenco Marques (Mar 24) and Bath, or dated "10 APR 1900" on a cover to "Major E.S. Knox, Comdg 18th Hussars, Ladysmith, Natal" with triangular "PASSED / PRESS / CENSOR", backstamped at Lourenco Marques and Durban (Apr 19). The In Dienst cover with light staining and opening faults, the cover to Ladysmith very fine. (2).

1900 (Feb 18) Cover franked 1d from London to "Private Keable, No 5221 E Company, 2nd Wiltshire Regiment, South Africa Field Force" endorsed "Prisoner of War, Pretoria" with triangular "PASSED / PRESS / CENSOR" and violet boxed "BRIEVEN CENSUUR / Waterval Krijgsgevangenis", backstamped at Durban (Mar 25), minor faults, but a scarce ingoing cover. Keable was captured at Rietfontein on January 25th.

1900 (May 15) Cover to Dr Plowright in Kings Lynn bearing 1893 2½d on 1/- (S.G. 198) tied by Pretoria c.d.s with violet boxed "BRIEVEN CENSUUR / Waterval Krijgsgevangenis" (initialled by the censor), backstamped at Lourenco Marques (May 17) and Kings Lynn (June 26). Dr Plowright was a pioneer postal historian who wrote to many P.O.W and Burgher Camps sending stamp addressed envelopes with a request that they be posted with an example of the camp censor cachet; this is clearly such a cover, sent prestamped to Pretoria. He wrote a series of articles on Boer War censors in "Bazaar, Exchange & Mart" in 1903. A fine and scarce cover. Photo on Page 68. (Image1)

1900 Stampless cover made from a Boer form, endorsed "Prisoner of War at Pretoria, C.F.M Lilly", addressed to "Staff Surgeon F.J Lilly R.N, Elaandslaagte Natal" with violet boxed "BRIEVEN CENSUUR / Waterval Krijgsgevangenis" (initialled by the censor), triangular "PASSED / PRESS / CENSOR", backstamped at Lourenco Marques (May 28), Durban (May 31) and F.P.O B.O. Pte Lilly, South African Light Horse, was wounded and captured on January 20th in Natal. A fine cover, unusually addressed to a member of the naval brigade. Photo on Page 68. (Image1)