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This is always a popular subject as it allows members a free rein on what they can show. Our Secretary (Michael Dobbs) started off the proceedings and displayed 15 sheets of what he would have shown last month had he remembered to bring them ! He showed a number of pre-WW2 Dutch Army uniform postcards sent by a British officer to his son at the end of the war - he was initially in Holland and then sent to Berlin before he was demobilised. Also shown were ppc's of the Brandenburg Arch, Berlin and British Families Shop, Bad Oeynhausen and various BFPS 1000 handstamps on either postcards or featuring leaflets; the PCS Exhibition in 1993 at the RE Museum, Chatham, with special FPO 1064 and a leaflet of the exhibition and lastly various leaflets from the Home Postal Depot. Keith Tranmer was next and he put up a couple of items, including a photograph, and proceeded to tell a fascinating story - he told of the flights in and out of Przemysl and the heroics of the flyers of the time. In particular of a flight brought down by the Russians and a rescue attempt that had to be aborted as the Russians were waiting. He told the story that by coincidence complemented an article of his that had been published in the Spring 2007 Journal (No 271) issued that day to members on "The Sieges of Przemysl 1914-15". In addition it also complimented a short article he had written called "The Story Behind the Cover" and published in The Stamp Lover for February 2007 (Volume 99) - this told the story of such flights and in particular the aforementioned story as the card was from Oblt Kurt Kostrba, based at Cracow who was involved in the abortive rescue. Edmund Hall complemented his winning entry for the John Daynes Plate by showing a selection of UN mail from the Korean War. This included items from American, British, Canadian, Turkish, Greek, Luxembourg, French, Dutch, South Korean and Philippine forces together with the Indian Custodian Forces. Peter Burrows in his showing explained that he had acquired a number of letters from WW1 signed by the Postmaster General thanking Post Office staff for volunteering to serve in HM Forces. He also showed a number of recent air letter acquisitions which appeared to be unlisted - including Ceylon Army Command used in Kenya. He also showed a selection of NAAFI air letter sheets. Michael Booker made a very welcome return to our meeting and brought with him a selection of material under the heading "Prisoners of Note" - without so much of a sniff of a Colditz cover ! He started off with an RAF airman named Booth who had the distinction of being a survivor of a crashed bomber on one of the first bomber raids of the war. Internment commenced almost immediately with British nationals being rounded up on 11 September 1939 - he showed a letter from an interned teacher. Also shown were items from Major John Dodge - nephew of Winston Churchill and held in Dulag Luft. Dulag Luft also held Douglas Bader and Mike met him and was given his original prisoner registration photo. |In addition Camp Commandant Rumpel also gave Mike a souvenir - an original photo of Bader's false leg as Rumpel had arranged a safe conduct flight by the RAF specially to drop the leg. He also showed items from Major General Victor Fortune, the most senior British officer captured during WW2. Fortune was given the task of commanding the forces protecting the evacuation of Dunkirk. Also shown was a card from Oflag 9A/Z at Rotenberg from one of two commando's from the Royal Guernsey Militia who landed with a party in September 1940. They eventually gave themselves up to prevent reprisals on their families. Luft 3 at Sagen - and items from the "Great Escape". Some 76 prisoners escaped, 50 were shot and 26 survived and Mike showed items from one of the survivors and from one who was shot. Frank Schofield displayed items connected with one of his main interests - the British Army in Italy. He started off with items from the British Adriatic Mission Brindesi, then 1/6th Gloucesters on their move to Albania with cards postmarked at Taranto; items from the 2nd/1st Battalion Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) - the King of Italy presented them with medallions and Frank showed a letter stating this with copies of the medallion and a leave pass. Other items included the "Boffin" correspondence - from a private of that name in 1st/4th Ox & Bucks Light Infantry writing to his girlfriend Betty (or was it her sister !). Nick Colley showed signals to/from the Germans at the end of WW1 concerning the German internment formation, including the Konigburg. This also included ppc's of vessels being disarmed, also ships escorting the German vessels and ships on route and their arrival at Scapa Flow. He also had ppc's of U-Boats which had entered various UK harbours and two ppc's of such vessels being handed over to the Japanese. Lastly he had ppc's of the scuttling of the German fleet on 21 June 1919. Alistair Kennedy showed the Evan's correspondence - from an RAF Sergeant in WW2. This covered training in South Africa in 1942 then moving to East Africa for further training then to Egypt. From there he was posted operationally to Syria as part of No 1438 Flight. He also showed four pages of ephemera - under the heading Officers Entertainment in the Middle East - cinema tickets, hotel receipts, bar and sporting clubs, many with revenue stamps, etc. He was followed by Albert Coles who showed philatelic material commemorating the ANZACs who landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. This included ppc's of the ANZAC Club New York and the ANZAC Hostel in Cairo as well as a commemorative cover for the launching of HMAS Anzac on 16 September 1994. Other items included commemorative covers for 50th anniversary (from both Australian & New Zealand); the last ANZACs in 2000 and The ANZAC Traditions in 1990. Also booklets commemorating ANZAC Day in 1919 and 1946 and aboard the P&O Himalaya in 1966. |