Help With Mystery-Puzzle Newfoundland 1943 Cover

Community,

Here is a cover from Newfoundland that I can't figure out one piece of a puzzle.

What I have discovered is that this is postage paid cover from a naval base called Avalon near St Johns sent on Nov 16, 1943 to Ottawa. The blue triangle cancel is almost certainly 65 mm. According to Walsh & Butt's NSSC it is the PP9d cancel.

The back has a blue cachet from the "Naval Store Officer/Dockyard".

What I need help deciphering is the envelope : O.H.M.S. is obviously On Her Majesty's Service and quite common. But what is the caption below that : " S. DE S.M. "?

Strange. I can't find anything on it. Appreciate any information

PS Thanks to the advice about cropping the image. Hope I did it right

Is it possibly the French Translation of OHMS?

I believe there is a relatively simple answer, as the envelope is shown printed in two different languages. I'm not a student of the French language, but I suspect "S. DE S.M." is the French equivalent for "O.H.M.S". In fact, using Google Translate, the phrase "Her Majesty's Service" translates in French to "Service de Sa Majeste" (which supports the abbreviation "S. DE S.M.")

Yes: French for OHMS

An article on HMCS Avalon :

http://postalhistorycorner.blogspot...undland.html

Excellent. I was so stumped and I studied French but never imagined the obvious.

Now, why would a commercial envelope by in French at a Canadian naval base in WWII?

I have the Walsh book on all the advertising covers, and there are about 100 variants of OHMS but not this one. So perhaps uncatalogued? I feel like the printed info in the lower left corner is another piece of this

I was aware of Avalon and thanks for that link.

I don't specialize in Canadian covers such as this, but I doubt it's an uncatalogued variety, as several are found on the internet. Here's one example, with the same bilingual lines and a similar reference in the LL corner (with a different date):

This is a Canadian military cover. That is why you are unable to find it in a Newfoundland catalogue.

As for the use of French on a Canadian cover, well I guess you aren't a Canadian.

Not to pick nits, but just in case you are doing a write-up on this cover, I'm pretty sure it is 'His' Majesty in this case

Both Canada and the US had bases in Newfoundland during WW II. Also, bear in mind that this is war time and the OHMS would signify On "HIS" Majesty's Service not "Her". Queen Elizabeth did not come to the throne until 1953 and, also, Newfoundland was still a Crown Colony on those days too and was not yet a province of Canada until 1949. (oops! - I see Cjd already beat me to the punch)

It is also interesting to note that the HMCS "Avalon" could be a study by itself because there are varying types of this cancellation.

Hope this helps?

Chimo

Bujutsu

Very helpful thanks. Bujustu and Cjd for the information. I've just got 5 new covers with the Avalon postage paid and its cool. i'll try and post those and what I have found later in a separate thread...

In terms of the envelope being a Canadian military item--this makes logical sense Lorddenning and explains why it is not listed in the Newfoundland catalog by Walsh and Butt. And yeah, I am not Canadian, sadly....though I want to visit Newfoundland.


To WT1--many thanks for the comparable image. nice. I do consider myself a specialist of Newfoundland covers and while there clearly are other envelopes out there with this english/french phrasing, this particular one is not in the definitive book on Newfoundland advertising envelopes (ie, Walsh and Butt). They list thousands of specific envelopes, including about 100 with OHMS--but none with the French too. So this is what I was referring to when I wrote perhaps it is uncataloged, especially one that had been sent through the postal system (which mine had, but the one you posted had not). I think it is more likely that this is an envelope not listed in Walsh because it is a military issue, which makes it unique at least

Again, thanks to each and all of you