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We had a total of nine entries this year (one more than last) - a big thank-you to those who entered. Particularly welcome were Tony Walker, all the way from Newcastle-upon-Tyne (incidentally he subsequently sent me an email to say that he enjoyed his first visit to a FPHS London meeting and commented that we were a friendly lot!) and Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins, also making his first appearance at a London meeting; previously his work had prevented him from attending. For those within easy travelling distance form London, why not come and pay us a visit - as Tony says, we are a friendly lot, we will talk to you, find out your interests and may even be able to help you with any queries you may have. Peter High came first with his "Hospital Ships of the Anglo-Boer War" with covers and cards addressed to and sent from British hospital ships of the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902. Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins came second with his "The Czechoslovak Legion in Russia 1915-1920"; this small exhibit covered the Czech Legion from its formation as a unit of the Imperial Russian Army through its brief but significant career as one of the mainstays of the 'white' movement during the civil war up to its evacuation from Vladivostok in 1920-21. The exhibit comprised a series of covers, all scarce, some rare and a number unique. The covers were supplemented with rare documents and photographs. These included a photograph of the interior of the postal wagons on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Joint third was John Leathes with his "The Italian Connection - The Mediterranean" where he informed us that it was not generally known that in June 1940 when Italy entered the war she had one of the largest submarines forces in the world. The exhibit covered the activity of these boats in the Mediterranean between 1940 and the capitulation in September 1943. The other joint third place was again Marcus Sherwood-Jenkins with his "Russia's part in the Great War told through the mails" using a combination of covers and postcards, all of which were unique, the entry highlighted some of the key aspects of Russia's part in the Great War. It is only now, as Russia emerges from an 80 year deep freeze that her part in defeating the central powers is being recognised. Amongst the display was the only recorded cachet of Maria Bochkareva, commander of the Petrograd Women's Battalion. Other items included a photographic postcard of the trenches, correspondence to the Imperial family and from escaped POW's. The other entrants were Nick Colley with "The Royal Naval Air Service WW1" which included items from UK airship bases and seaplane stations, from overseas bases in France, East Africa, Italy and the Aegean. Two examples of censor marks from seaplane carriers were included. Michael Dobbs showed "International Involvement in the Former Yugoslavia" with items from UNPROFOR (Canadian and Ukrainian mail), IFOR (Nordic-Polish Support Group in Hungary and British FPOs) SFOR (US Task Force Eagle and German Feldpost), KFOR (French BPM 663) and the OSCE (Swiss HQ Support Unit). Tom Handley with a display on "Ethiopia - Italian Occupation" showing covers and stamps from both military and civil post offices used by the Italians in the short occupation of that territory. Peter O'Keeffe displayed "Airgraph Service to the Commonwealth" showing airgraphs delivered in various Commonwealth countries during WW2. Lastly Tony Walker with "The Fleet Post Office Ships Servicing the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow in WW1"; the Fleet at Scapa Flow generated a huge amount of mail, which presented the Navy with problems. HMS Cyclops briefly acted as Fleet Post Office, followed by Imperieuse for most of the war, with Victorious coming briefly at the end. All three ships had their own censor marks together with a range of hand and machine cancellations, the latter from the Krag machine on Imperieuse from February 1916. Several covers illustrated earliest and latest dates known and previously unrecorded marks. Photographs and illustrations were used to make the exhibit interesting rather than postal historically "correct". |