NAPOLEONIC WARS - 1802 COVER EX H.M. SLOOP MORGIANA - 23 Nov. 1802 EL to Lichfield with "PORTSMOUTH/73" and charged '9', being a request to sailor's father to remit £10 soon as 'We have just received orders to go in Spithead & to wait further orders'. Cross Reference: HAMPSHIRE, MILITARY - NAPOLEONIC WAR, NAVAL MAIL (Image)

NAPOLEONIC WARS - SAILOR'S 1d CONCESSION RATE COVER: 19 Oct. 1804 EL (small faults) headed HMS Inspectors [at Yarmouth Roads] to Edinburgh with "YARMOUTH/124" mileage mark and Edinburgh Bishop marks on front. Countersigned by a Lieut and rated 'P1' and sent at the concessionary rate of 1d and uncommon on internal mail. Interesting contents from a son, apparently pressed into the Navy, to his mother. Sold in our May 2002 sale for £260. Cross Reference: EDINBURGH, MILITARY - NAPOLEONIC WAR, MILITARY - PENNY CONCESSION RATES, NORFOLK (Image)

RARE MATCHED PAIR OF SEAMAN'S CONCESSION RATE COVERS; Pair with 17 Sep. 1860 env. to London franked 1d red and tied on arrival by London duplex headed From W Anderton Marine HMS Icarus Belize Bay of Honduras, the latter deleted and endorsed Truxillo [Trujillo] and endorsed by a Commanding Officer below and 31 Dec. 1860 env. to the writer on H.M.SHIP "Icarus" West Indies or Elsewhere franked 1d red tied by London WC duplex and endorsed 'D Dead' (Discharged Dead) and with a Portsmouth return arrival cds of 1 Mar. 1861 on front. Unusual matched 'to & from' pair. (2 covers) Cross Reference: MILITARY - PENNY CONCESSION RATES, OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, BRITISH HONDURAS/BELIZE, RETURNED MAIL (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - RARE USE OF IMPERF 1d RED ON SEAMAN'S LETTER EX HMS RODNEY - prob. Apr. 1854 env. to Cowcaddens with three margin 1d red, OB plate 150, tied by London numeral, London and GLASGOW cds on the back. Rare use of imperf. and rare 1d rate cover; previously sold by Cavendish in 2015 for £1400. Cross Reference: 1841 1d REDS (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - CROWN BETWEEN STARS COVER ALSO CANCELLED LONDON NUMERAL - 10 Dec. 1854 large part env. (top and lower flaps missing) to Teddington 'From HMS Queen Black Sea Fleet' 'Via France' franked C1 plate 179 strip of three (minor faults) tied by two poor strikes of the "*[crown]*" then also by London numeral on arrival, "POST OFFICE/BRITISH ARMY" cds on the flap. Also July 1853 1d pink env. addressed to HMS Queen, cancelled at RYDE (cds on the back, along with London and DEVONPORT). (2) Cross Reference: POSTAL STATIONERY, QV, 1854-65 1d REDS (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - UNDERPAID COVER EX HMS SIDON - 9 Feb. 1855 env. (file notes) & letter to Woolwich franked C1 1d red plate R1 (single & pair) cancelled London 44 numerals, apparently overweight so charged '3', "BRITISH ARMY" and London (3) cds/ds on the back. The 8-page letter inc. 'The war was commenced (especially at home & by the Baltic Fleet) with a spirit of braggadocio...the whole place is bristling with cannon. Another frigate has been sunk of late...'.Cross Reference: 1854-65 1d REDS (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - RARE COVER TO THE BLACK SEA FLEET - 5 July 1855 env. to 'HMMV Hardy, Black Sea Fleet' later altered to 'HMS Spiteful' ex Trull with TAUNTON & London cds on the front and paid '3d' in red and 'Pd' at top right; with the original letter. Rare inwards mail to Crimea.Cross Reference: SOMERSET (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - RARE UNDERPAID COVER EX THE BALTIC FLEET - double-ring "DANZIG" cds on 22 June 1855 env. (faults) to GB then forwarded to Wragby franked C3 plate 5 strip of three (faults; repair to one unit) tied scarce London triple "49" numeral, apparently overweight and charged additional '3', faint London and WRAGBY marks on the back. Rare.Cross Reference: 1854-65 1d REDS, GERMAN STATES, MILITARY - CRIMEAN WAR, POSTAGE DUE STAMPS & COVERS (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - RARE UNDERPAID COVER EX THE BALTIC FLEET - double-ring "DANZIG" cds (ties the stamps) on 6 July 1855 env. (small faults) to Leamington franked C2 plate R4 pair used in combination with C1 single (one fair, two with faults), all cancelled London "51" numeral, apparently overweight and charged additional '3', LEAMINGTON cds (2) on the back. Rare.Cross Reference: 1854-65 1d REDS, GERMAN STATES, MILITARY - CRIMEAN WAR, POSTAGE DUE STAMPS & COVERS (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - 1855 SAILOR'S LETTER TO HAMPSHIRE - Oct. 1855 env. to Fareham sent unpaid charged '3', forwarded to Sible Hedingham with scarce C5 1d red (unnecessarily applied for redirection) tied indistinct numeral, various cds on the back inc. "POST OFFICE/BRITISH ARMY", London (2) and HALSTEAD. Original letter '...we sail for Zendra & Kinbourne, we land an army of about 20 thousand men...'. Also another letter (only) datelined 'off Sevastopol. HMS Spiteful'. (2)Cross Reference: 1854-65 1d REDS, REDIRECTED AND TURNED MAIL, HAMPSHIRE (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - SAILOR'S LETTER EX HMS QUEEN - Oct. 1855 env. & letter, both with HMS Queen crest, to Fareham, unpaid and charged '3' later crossed through upon forwarding to Sible Hedingham with (unnecessarily applied) C4 1d red, "BRITISH ARMY", FAREHAM, London (2) and HALSTEAD cds all on the back. Also a second letter datelined 'Off Odessa, 21st September'. Sold in 2010 by Cavendish for £250. Cross Reference: HAMPSHIRE, REDIRECTED AND TURNED MAIL, 1854-65 1d REDS (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR - SCARCE PARTLY PAID COVER TO GB - 20 May 1856 env. & letter to 'HMS Cressy, Sheerness, or elsewhere' ex HMS Queen 'From the Black Sea Fleet' with C6 1d red tied by pen-cancellation and charged the '2' deficiency with no penalty, "BRITISH ARMY", London and SHEERNESS cds on the back. Previously sold by Cavendish in 2010 for £370.Cross Reference: 1854-65 1d REDS, POSTAGE DUE MARKS (Image)

CRIMEAN WAR CONCESSION RATE DISALLOWED; 14 Sep. 1856 mourning env. 'via Marseilles' to H.M.S Curacoa franked 1d red strip of three (one defective) tied by Ipswich sideways duplex and struck with the "INSUFFICIENTLY/STAMPED" mark and rated a further 8d for the 11d per ¼ oz. rate as the concession rate had ended two days prior. Rear with London and Malta cds. Cross Reference: OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS, MOURNING COVERS, POSTAGE DUE MARKS, MILITARY - CRIMEAN WAR (Image)

MILITARY BALLOON POST; Group with 1901 env. to the 4th Balloon Section in Peking tied India QV ovptd 'C.E.F' tied by Base Office Tientsin cds, 1915 env. to 14 Kite Balloon Section, Basra franked India KGV ½a tied by Bombay cds and redirected to Tanooma, 1918 unfranked PPC to 57 Balloon Section, Aden with censor "5085" mark on front and 1918 env. to 57 Kit Ballon Section, Shiek Othman franked India KGV 'I.E.F' 3a pair tied by Aden cds. (4 covers) Cross Reference: INDIA, CHINA (Image)

BOER WAR PERIOD RAILWAY THEME; Range with two contemporary photos of the mail train at Standerton, 1901 PPC with double-val "IMPERIAL RAILWAYS/AUDIT OFFICE" d.s., 1901 unfranked env. to England with FPO cds, oval "Imperial Military Railways" cachet and oval London reg. d.s. on front, 1901 'ORANJEVRIJSTAATSCHE SPOORWEGEN' env. to Cape Town franked GB 1d lilac tied by Pretoria cds and a few others. (11 items) Cross Reference: REGISTERED MAIL, MILITARY - BOER WAR, RAILWAYS, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (Image)

WWI FOREIGN FORCES IN EGYPT; Range on annotated leaves inc. 1914 env. to N.Zealand franked Egypt 5m tied by framed "No.3 MILITARY POST OFFICE/[DATE]/EXPEDITIONARY FORCE" d.s., 1915 GB FPO PC to Alexandria with "MOUNTED BRIGADE/PAID/POST OFFICE/N.Z.DIVISION" cds on front, 1916 scarce Church Army Recreation Huts for H.M.Forces printed env. to England endorsed 'On Active Service;' and with Cairo cds on front, 1917 unfranked 'On Active Service' env. to Alexandria with "ARMY POST OFFICE/B/SZ 10" (Suez) cds and rare Inspectors star mark on front and other related examples; plus a 1901 unfranked PPC to Munich with framed "S.B/OSTAS.EXPED/6.INFANT-REGMT" and a S.S.Gera German Ship d.s.on front. (33 covers/cards) Cross Reference: NEW ZEALAND, EGYPT, AUSTRALIA, GERMANY (Image)

WWI PATRIOTIC & ILLUSTRATED MAIL; Range with 1915 printed Allies flags env. to Mechanical Transport Karachi franked KGV 1d tied by London SW machine cancel with framed "PRESENT LOCATION/UNCERTAIN/R.L.S L.P.S GPO" h.s. on front, redirected to Simla with about twenty datestamps or instructional marks and endorsements on rear to trace the addressee, 1918 env. within London franked KGV 1½d with British Dominions 1d Thrift Coupon also tied by a London EC machine cancel, 1918 PPC to Paris franked India KGV IEF 1a with Lady Robertson Charity label affixed and a few others. (8 items) Cross Reference: MILITARY - WWI, CINDERELLAS, REDIRECTED MAIL, INDIA (Image)

GB WWI CENSORED MAIL: Scarce trio with 1916/17 envs. to Brazil franked KGV ½d (6), Portugal franked KGV 2½d, or Sweden franked 1d (2) + ½d all with censor tape and printer censor slips enclosed numbered '3', '42' or '25' and two with printed 'RETURNED TO SENDER/BY THE CENSOR' or 'OPENED BY CENSOR/RETURN TO SENDER' printed labels affixed to the front. (3 covers) Cross Reference: GREAT BRITAIN, MILITARY - WWI, MILITARY - CENSORED MAIL (Image)

RED CROSS MAIL - FORMS, ENVELOPES, ETC.: A range from 1939-45 inc. messages to/from various countries (Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, Eritrea, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Palestine, Romania, South Africa, Switzerland & Vatican City), plus some from an unidentified country in the Middle East (possibly Syria). Inc. 1940 env. ex Germany to Worcester via Geneva, Switzerland and redirected to Lincoln with "GENEVE" cds on front and censor tape; a 1945 Australian POW Postcard sent by and Italian POW to Italy with Red Cross cachet & Censor mark on front; and several items of official stationery inc. used & unused envs. and mint forms (2 - 1 from Johannesburg and the other from Vatican City). A range of Censor marks & Censor tape represented. Lot also inc. a 1942-44 Red Cross Message Service correspondence between Germany & South Africa, written in German, with one 1943 form advising of the death of the Johannesburg resident's mother, with letter attached from the General Secretary of the South African Red Cross Society expressing "very real sympathy". (78 items) Cross Reference: RED CROSS, GERMANY, SOUTH AFRICA, POSTAL HISTORY (Image)

WWII GB UNDELIVERABLE NAVAL MAIL; Range with 1940 env. to H.M.S Boadicea franked 1d + 1½d with "RETURN TO SENDER/ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONs" and endorsed 'Recipient deceased', 1942 OHM window env. (with contents) to Royal Naval Hospital in Kent with "RE-DIRECTED LETTER/HMS 'BENBOW'/C/o G.P.O LONDON....." and redirected to Trinidad and back to England, 1942 airmail env. to Royal Marines, Middle East Forces franked KGVI 8d + 7d endorsed 'Return to sender addressee is prisoner of war', 1945 multi-redirected censored env. to H.M.S Havelock franked KGVI ½d (3) with "NOT 114" "NK.52", "TO BE RETURNED TO SENDER/BY ORDER OF ADMIRALTY IN.....", "NO TRACE...." h.s. all on front and other related examples. (12 covers) Cross Reference: GREAT BRITAIN, MILITARY - CENSORED MAIL, MILITARY - WWII, MILITARY - P.O.W. MAIL (Image)

WWII SUSPENDED MAIL TO ASIA; Small group with 1941 airmail envs. to Penang or Singapore franked GB KGVI 5/- with framed "NO SERVICE/RETURN TO SENDER" h.s. on front, 1941 env. to Penang or Kuala Lumpur, ex Manchester or Glasgow franked GB KGVI 2½d or 6d + ½d (with reg. label) with "NO SERVICE" h.s. (three different types) on front and 1941 censored airmail env. to Perak franked KGVI 1/- + 3d with "NO SERVICE/RETURN TO SENDER" h.s. on front, c1942 censored env. to Batavia franked KGVI 3d with framed "NO SERVICE..." h.s. on front plus 1942 censored env. to Kuala Lumpur franked India KGVI 8a, 4a & 2a with framed "NO SERVICE" h.s. on front and a 1949 reduced front to Shanghai franked KGVI 1½d with framed "SERVICE SUSPENDED...." h.s. on front. (9 items) Cross Reference: MILITARY - SERVICE SUSPENDED, MILITARY - CENSORED MAIL, MILITARY - WWII, MALAYA - STRAITS SETTLEMENTS (Image)

FOREIGN FORCES IN EGYPT IN WWII; Range on leaves in binder inc. 1942 defective env. to Divisional Signals MEF franked Egypt 6m with "NO TRACE...", "NOT TRACEABLE", "FURTHER ADDRESS/NOT KNOWN", h.s. on front, 1942 unfranked envs. to Palestine or Turkey with censor 1102 or Base censor tape applied to each, 1942 airmail env. to Cape Town franked combination GB KGVI 3d (3) + S.Africa 1/-, 3d + 6d all tied by "EGYPT/POSTAGE/PREPAID" cds with censor mark on front, 1942 airmail env. to Polish Forces in Palestine franked Egypt 1m pair tied by "POCZTA POLOWA/112" cds, 1943 Air Letter to USA franked Egypt 50m, pair 20m, 5m, 2m and another missing with censor tape at top and RAF censor and mute double-ring censor mark on front, 1945 env. within Cairo franked Egypt 10m tied by "ABBASIA BARRACKS/CASH" bilingual cds and other related examples. (58 items)Cross Reference: EGYPT, AUSTRALIA, MILITARY - GB FORCES OVERSEAS, POLAND (Image)

WWII JAPANESE POW MAIL; Trio with Feb. 1943 unfranked censored env. to a POW c/o Japanese Red Cross, Tokyo with "RETURNED IN/UNDELIVERED/MAILS FROM JAPAN" h.s. on front, May 1945 unfranked censored airmail env. to Osaka Camp with "RETURNED FROM ABROAD/REPATRIATED" h.s. on front and June 1945 GB POW KGVI 1½d Pc to Thailand with framed "UNDELIVERED FOR REASON STATED...." and framed "RETURNED UN UNDELIVERED MAILS/FROM TERRITORY FORMERLY OCCUPIED/BY JAPANESE FORCES" h.s. on front. Scarce. (3 items) Cross Reference: JAPAN, MILITARY - GB FORCES OVERSEAS, MILITARY - P.O.W. MAIL, THAILAND/SIAM (Image)

GB WWII & LATER MAIL; Eclectic mix in small carton with 1944 censored airmail env. to London franked China $20 + $1 with reg. label on front, redirected to H.M.S Berwick and endorsed 'By BOAC Egypt via Calcutta and onward surface transport' on rear, 1946 env. to H.M.S Sultan Singapore franked GB KGVI 1½d and redirected to H.M.S. Terror, 1947 unfranked 'O.A.S.' env. to India with "KOWLOON/HONG KONG" cds on front, 1948/49 printed typed GPO Notices regarding suspension and resuming of airmails and registered mail to Palestine, 1965 Forces Air Letter to Whitfield Barracks, BFPO franked GB 3d Wilding redirected to Hong Kong, Singapore, RAF at Kai Tak, London etc, 1970 env. to BFPO 50 franked 5d Machin, endorsed 'No Trace' and returned and many others plus some domestic commercial mail and a range of modern CTO smiler sheets. (few hundred) Cross Reference: CHINA, MILITARY - CENSORED MAIL, MILITARY - WWII, MILITARY - SERVICE SUSPENDED (Image)

BFPO 1958 ATOMIC BOMB TEST AIRMAILS: Pair of covers franked with 3d violet Wildings cancelled by April 1958 'BFPO/Christmas Island' cds (one incorporating an asterisk). Both covers to same addressee in Lincoln and used at BFPO 170 during the atom bomb tests. Covers lightly attached to display sheet but should be detachable with care. (2) (Image)