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There were only six entries this year - down on the previous two years. Come on members, this is a prestigious competition within the Society so do please give it your support next year with an entry. As well as the usual London crowd we welcomed once again Norman Scott from Northern Ireland paying us his second visit. Also welcomed was new member Bernard Lardner who we hope to see at future meetings. However, a special welcome was made to Jim Findlay from South Africa who, although not a member, will be recognised as a familiar name in our Journal. He was over here on family business and also paid a visit to see John Daynes just prior to coming to our meeting. He gave three short displays on South African related topics (more on these below). Jim is secretary of the South African Military Mail Study Group and has also kindly agreed to try and answer members queries on South African forces. The winner of the John Daynes Plate for 2008 was Peter High with his display on Hospital Ships of the Anglo-Boer War. Several of the troop transports taking soldiers to South Africa were transferred to hospital ship duties on arrival. This display illustrated covers and cards addressed to or sent from some of these vessels. John Leathes came second with his "Royal Naval Submarines Depot Ships of the First World War" - the entry outlined the mail from the Depot ships used by submarine flotillas during the First World War. It showed the various censor marks and postal cancels which led to the identification of individual vessels backed up by contemporary photographs and other ephemera. Third was Peter O'Keeffe with his "Selection of illustrated and plain postally used postcards used in WW1" - the entry showed patriotic, humorous and sad postcards from British, French and German soldiers. The other entries were Michael Dobbs with his "Multinational Force & Observers (MFO)" - the MFO was established to implement the historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel which saw the end of Israeli occupation of the Sinai. The multinational force began its mission on 25 April 1982 and this display shows the postal markings used on mail from a number of the national contingents that went to make up the Force in its first couple of years of operation, including UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands and US. Accompanying the covers were a number of official photographs showing various activities of the Force. Alistair Kennedy with his "Lieutenant H M Collard" - covers from Lt H M Collard, who served in 16th Corps Cyclists Battalion, being Acting Captain by 1919. He served in Salonica, briefly into Bulgaria, then to Russia in 1919. His unit was sent wherever needed, therefore a wide range of postmarks are to be found on his mail. Keith Tranmer with his "Gallipoli - Incidents and Personalities" - with the comment that sometimes cachets and postmarks are the main concern of collectors and editors, but there is often a story worth recording that would otherwise be unknown - competitions for me is a secondary consideration. After the competition Jim Findlay put up three short displays, all with South African connections. He would welcome further information from members on these three little known aspects. (1) South African participation in the Berlin Air Lift and the South African Military Mission in Germany - there were 10 crews to fly RAF Dakota aircraft (around 30 airmen all told). Mail was posted through British FPOs in Berlin; also shown was a South African 30th Anniversary cover. For some reason the South African Military Mission was given the administrative role to supply a Passport Control at Templehof and Jim showed a cover with a cachet from this section. No further information is known. (2) South African involvement in Korea - contributed one squadron from the South African Air Force (SAAF) - around 170 all told. The air crews went to Korea by ship and staged in Hong Kong. The South Africans used British, Australian and US APOs through which to send mail home. The Squadron was attached to 18th (US) Fighter-Bomber Wing and initially flew Mustangs but later converted to the Canadian-built Sabre. (3) Coronation Contingent for HM Queen Elizabeth's Coronation - all in the Contingent were volunteers and it was oversubscribed and so a selection process had to be devised. The display showed call-up telegrams and letters as well as air letters home as well as picture postcards of the Union Castle liners which carried the contingent to/from South Africa. |