One of the fascinating aspects of philately is how one decides what they will collect. I guess the reasons are many and varied. When it comes to stamps, it is often the fact that you live or were born it that particular country. Therefore many Australians collect Australian stamps. I live in Australia and have Australian citizenship, but collect that which pertains to New Zealand because that is where I was born. However it is the other areas of philately which often presents surprises as to why someone collects that particular field.

Such is the case with my collecting of New Zealand WWII Military covers. Back in the 1970’s, remember them? There was a small postal bid auction out of Perth, only one page in the Stamp Monthly which read “25 New Zealand WW11 Military Covers” with an estimate of about $25. I decided to place a bid on the lot. Until this point I had not collected NZ WW2 Military covers and had no thought of doing so. I won the lot and it duly arrived and a passion was ignited. There was something about them that intrigued me. Before long I was on a mission to acquire more and to learn about them.

After a period of time I put together my first exhibit and eventually entered a Sydney Exhibition. That was about 1990. I soon realised that if I was going to exhibit and display military material there was much I needed to know. I received some very helpful advice from David Collyer after my Sydney showing, but it became obvious that if I was to persevere with exhibiting, I not only needed information on the military postal system, but also an understanding of the workings of the military.

I would venture to say that acquiring this knowledge took me the next 10 years, as little by little I accumulated covers and every type of publication about New Zealand military postal history I could get my hands on. I began buying the various military histories both official and unofficial. These were not cheap and take up more space than she who must be obeyed would like. In it all I found pleasure and fun. Fun having a cover and trying to make sense of it and sometimes waiting years before the bits fell into place.

Sometimes though, in spite of all the research, you are still not sure whether you have got it right. That is the joy of publishing, if you are wrong someone will correct you. Fortunately both here in Australia and New Zealand we have some very knowledgeable military postal historians. For a long time I tried to make sure I was 100% certain that I had it right before I would even show something, but realised that this was an hindrance and denied the opportunity for others to help. My experience has been that there are those who are more than willing to point you in the right direction, or clarify something you have stated or even show you that you have more of a gem than you actually realised.

The purpose of this article and is to commence to show some of the covers that I have exhibited and what I was able to glean from them. One of the difficulties in exhibiting military covers is the fact that there is no separate class for this area. In my humble opinion there should be, as you are forced into either entering Postal History class, or, Open class which allows more scope, but is not always available. I have tended to enter my exhibit in Postal History but it does limit some of the aspects which I get particular enjoyment from. However, maybe there are not enough Military exhibitors to warrant a separate class.

My interest extends beyond just the routes, rates and markings to the reason the postal unit was in a particular place at a given time. For example, one could show postal unit markings and ignore the diversity of movements of that unit. I find it more interesting to show covers from the various locations. However this could become boring for a viewer as it may mean that there are many covers with similar markings with only the date differentiating between items. However, a different censor marking may also differentiate as originating from another unit, battalion, base, hospital etc. This is the part I really enjoy trying to ascertain what unit a cover originated from. Some of this is made easy by the information already published, but many still need to be allocated. Life then is never dull.

I will as the King said to the White Rabbit, “Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end and then stop.” (Lewis Carroll: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland). Or as Cole Porter wrote, “Begin at the Beguine.” (1935 Broadway Musical, Jubilee). But I digress.

New Zealand responded to the declaration of war and began to train additional troops to raise a division for the Middle East. These troops were sent in three echelons, the second was diverted to UK because of Italy’s entry into the war and didn’t leave for Egypt until January 1941. The second echelon arrived at Maadi camp in September 1940.

The first echelon 2 NZEF comprising the 4 NZ Infantry Brigade arrived at Maadi Camp situated 12 Km south of central Cairo on the 12th February 1940.

The 4th NZ Infantry Brigade (until August 1942)

I. 18 Battalion (1 NZ Rifle Battalion Hopuhopu Camp, after becoming 18 Battalion moved to Papakura Camp).

Organised on a district basis: A Coy men from Auckland City and its surroundings, B Coy Hauraki, the Bay of Plenty, and the Rotorua area, C Coy North Auckland, D Coy Waikato, 1 Reinforcement Coy. There was also a HQ Coy.

Sailed to Egypt on HMNZT Z4 or Orient Lines ‘Orion’. (1)

II. 19 Battalion (19 Wellington Rifle Battalion, training camp Trenthham). Made up of men from Wellington A Coy, West Coast B Coy, Hawkes Bay C Coy and Taranaki D Coy. Note* I have assumed this was how the companies were comprised as the unit history does not specify. There was also a HQ Coy.

Sailed to Egypt on HMNZT Z3 or P&O liner ‘Strathaird’. (2)

III. 20 Battalion (3 Rifle Battalion, renamed 20 Battalion and formed at Burnham Camp).

Made up of men from the South Island. The Rifle Companies were organized on a geographical basis: A Coy Canterbury, B Coy Southland, C Coy Nelson, Marlborough and the West Coast, D Coy Otago. There was also a HQ Coy.

Sailed to Egypt on HMNZT Z2 the ‘Dunera’ . (3)

Other units that sailed as part of the first echelon

IV. 27 NZ (Machine Gun) Battalion (formed at Burnham Camp).

The men who comprised the 27 (MG) Battalion came from all over New Zealand. Initially men from North Auckland, Auckland, and Waikato were in 1 Coy, Taranaki, Wellington West Coast, Wellington, Hawkes Bay and Waiarapa 2 Coy, men from the South Island 3 Coy, and members of Scottish Territorial units and others of Scottish descent 4 Coy. HQ Coy was made of of those with previous experience in Administration, signals, transport etc. Sailed to Egypt on HMNZT Z6 the Polish ship ‘Sobieski’. (4)

1. Other units which sailed on the Orion were: ASC

2. Other units which sailed on the Strathaird were: NZANS, NZMC, Divisional Postal, Provost Company, HQ Divisional Engineers, 6 Field Company NZE, 5 Field Park Company NZE, Base Records, Base Pay, Base Post Office.

3. Other units which sailed on the Dunera were: some personnel of 4 Field Ambulance, 4 Field Hygiene Section and Divisional Signals.

4. Other units which sailed on the Sobieski were: 4 Reserve Mechanical Transport Company, a section of both the Medical Corp and the Dental Corp.

VII. New Zealand Engineers (training at Hopuhopu Camp and later Waiouru).

The Engineer units with the First Echelon were:

HQ Divisional Engineers
NZ Base Post Office
10 LAD

5 Field Park Company
Divisional Postal Unit
11 LAD

6 Field Park Company
12 LAD

Sailed to Egypt on HMNZT Z3 or P&O liner ‘Strathaird’’. (2)

One of the indications that a cover is from a Engineer unit is the designation of the rank of Sapper rather than Private for the lowest rank. In a Cavalry unit, Private becomes Trooper.

What is a LAD you ask? Well firstly, governments and military love acronyms. How would they survive without them. The puzzle for the military postal history collector is trying to decipher them. LAD stood for Light Aid Detachment.

VII. Divisional Cavalry (3 parts of the regiment training at Ngaruawahia Military Camp and the nucleus of a Squadron at Narrow Neck Military Camp).

Sailed to Egypt on Z5 or CPR ‘Rangitata.’ (5)

5. Other units which sailed on the Rangitata were: Staff of 2 NZEF Overseas Base, detachments of 13 LAD and 14 LAD, some of 4 Field Ambulance, some RNVR ratings and 3 sisters of NZANS.

VIII. 2 NZ Artillery (training at Hopu Hopu where 4 Field regiment was formed)

Sailed to Egypt on Z1 the CPR ‘Empress of Canada’. (6)

6. Other units which sailed on the Empress of Canada were: Some Medical Corp personnel and nurses.

The Chief Base Post Office

A BAPO was set up by the Base Postal Unit 2NZEF, sharing space with the Australian and British BPO in the Civil GPO in Cairo. There was inadequate space so the NZBPU sought other accommodation. The requirement was for a distribution centre for mail to the respective post offices. The BAPO remained in Cairo throughout the war. Initially the Egyptian Government insisted postage was prepaid using Egyptian stamps. The rate was 10 mills per 20 grammes. Free postage for surface mail at a rate of 2 letters per week was applied from 26 June 1940. It was allowed when NZ troops moved to the Western Desert because of a lack of postage stamps.

It was not until 1 May 1941 when a new Anglo-Egyptian Treaty allowed free surface postage for forces mail. However it was a requirement that all such mail had to be cancelled “Egypt Postage Prepaid (E.P.P.P.). This in practice applied to base and stationary APO services in Egypt (Startup and Proud. (1992). History of the New Zealand Military Postal Services 1845—1991. Heathfield, East Sussex, UK: Postal History Publishing Co). Other rates will be discussed in this article as they arise.

Above is a last day example (dated 4 MR 40) from N.Z. ARMY BASE POST OFFICE located at Maadi Camp (14.2.40—4.3.40). The Airmail rate was 40 mils. New Zealand used the Empire Route, Cairo by Imperial Airways (later BOAC) to Singapore, Qantas to Sydney and until 30 April 1940, by sea to Auckland.

Above: A first day example from Cairo GPO 5 MR 40 (5.3.40—1.8.40)

NZ Field Post Office 1 First location in Egypt was at Alexandria at the civil post office from 5 MR 1940 until 21 JE 1940 when heavy German bombing caused its closure It moved to Maadi Camp opening 22 JE 1940 until 1 JE 1943 when it moved to Mena opening 2 JE 1943 until 31 JY 1943. Initially FPO 1 acted as a sub-base post office at Alexandria. It made up and received sea mail from/to New Zealand which arrived at the ports of Alexandria and Port Said. Airmails through Ras el Tin via BOAC service. FPO 1 was re-designated MPO KW7 18 Jan 1943.

Active Service type cover above from member of the 1st echelon showing the surface rate of 10 mils per 20 grammes prepaid by Egypt Army Post stamp. Posted through the NZ FPO 1 dated 12 MR 40. It was censored by unit squared censor 91 signed by the sender. This was located at Alexandria civil post office 5.3.40—21.6.40.

OAS Cover above dated 25 MR 40 at the surface rate of 10 mils per 20 grammes. Received at Beaumont NZ Post Office 27 AP 40, a one month transmission time.

Backstamp

Above: On active Service cover showing the surface rate of 10 mils per 20 grammes prepaid by Egypt Army Post stamp. Posted through the British MPO Cairo 27 MR 40. It is backstamped by the NZ Army Base Post Office at Cairo dates 28 MR 40 and on forwarded to BPO E 602 dated 28 MR 40 at Alexandria where it would have been sent by sea to NZ.

Above: Active Service type cover from member of the 1st echelon showing the Airmail rate of 70 mils. This was the rate for a 20 grammes airmail letter. It has been prepaid by 7 x 10 mils Egypt Army Post stamp. Posted through the NZ FPO 1 dated 8 AP 40. Censored by unit squared censor 91 signed by the sender. This was located at Alexandria civil post office 5.3.40—21.6.40. 10

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Egypt / Western Desert

1. An airmail rate of 70 mils (20 gramme airmail rate) which has been prepaid by 4 x 10 mils Egypt Army Post stamps and 1 x 30 mils King Farouk & Pyramids. Censored by unit squared censor 206 signed by the Lieutenant C H Bishop 16th Railway Construction Company. This railway company was located at El Daba.

2. Free of postage available in Western Desert from 26 June because of stamp shortage. Unit squared censor 99 signed by H A Rollensen. Both through FPO KW 1 (1) 11 DE 40 (2) 26 OC 40. Libyan Campaign opened 9-11 December 1940 where 4th Brigade was involved.

FPO KW 1 was at El Daba (Dabaa) 6 SE 40—14 DE 40 at 2 NZ Divisional HQ. El Daba was an advanced supply base . The 16th ROC (Railway Operating Company) and the 13th RCC (Railway Construction Company) left Maadi Camp on the 21 October 1940 for El Daba accompanied by a formation of Australians. (Note. The 13th RCC, 16th ROC, 17th ROC and HQ ROC all sailed with the 3rd Echelon on the Empress of Japan (later renamed Empress of Scotland for obvious reasons) from Wellington on the 28 August 1940 and disembarked at Port Tewfik 29 September 1940).

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Amyria Transit Camp—Egypt to Greece

Below is a transit area cover with airmail rate of 140 mils (Quadruple rate for a 40 grammes. Airmail letter: rate applied until 1 May 1941). Posted through BPO KW 17 FE 41. This was at the British transit camp at Amyria as troops were assembled to go to Greece. Censored by Unit Squared Censor 201. Censor J A Carroll. Rate steps were: 10 mills surface; Airmail 40 mills, 70 mills, 110 mills, 140 mills in 10 gramme increments.

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Voulliameni – Greece

The cover below was sent from Greece through the NZ Advanced Base, Voulliameni, near Athens, FPO KW 1 (20 3 41—22 4 41). Dated 26 MR 41. The airmail rate from Greece to NZ was struck at 9d per 10 grammes and 10d elsewhere. Possibly the use of British stamps caused the overpayment of 1d. The double ring 43 is a censor mark used in Greece and is signed Father L P Spring (Senior RC Chaplain). During the Greek campaign Father Spring was attached to 27th Machine Gun Battalion.