1942, from Fleet Mail Office CAIRO to CAPE TOWN, South Africa,
franked with 5d King George VI (3), tied by FLEET MAIL OFFICE CAIRO
29 NOV.
1942, from Fleet Mail Office CAIRO to CAPE TOWN, South Africa,
franked with 5d King George VI (3), tied by FLEET MAIL OFFICE CAIRO
29 NOV. 1942 oval violet cancel, Royal Navy censor cachet reading
SIGIL OFFI MAG ADMIR MAG AR and signed with 3 11 43 date,
manuscript endorsement By Air Mail, handstamped with double circle
PAQUEBOT, British stamps accepted at naval port under Fleet Mail
regulations, naval airmail sent from Egypt to South Africa during
wartime, scarce destination and usage, carried aboard a Royal Navy
vessel operating in the Eastern Mediterranean during the height of
the North African Campaign, at a time when British and Allied
forces under General Bernard Montgomery were pursuing Axis troops
following the Second Battle of El Alamein, use of FLEET MAIL OFFICE
CAIRO reflects logistical reliance on Egyptian ports including
Alexandria and Suez as central naval hubs for troop and mail
movements, the PAQUEBOT marking confirms acceptance of mail aboard
ship under UPU maritime mail conventions, censor cachet SIGIL OFFI
MAG ADMIR MAG AR attributed to the office of the British
Mediterranean Fleet Command headquartered in Alexandria, the date
of censor signature 3 11 43 indicates delayed censorship and
transmission possibly due to operational secrecy or routing
constraints, the use of 3 x 5d King George VI definitives correctly
pays the airmail rate from Egypt to South Africa under military
concession, CAPE TOWN as destination reflects its strategic wartime
role as convoy assembly point and naval coaling station on the
Empire sea route, ex Kugel, XF! Estimate 400€.
